WELCOME ...A new resident ? Love the desert? Gardening a passion? Live in Borrego Springs? Thought you could not have a garden in the low desert desert? Ever wonder what desert living is like? READ ON !

Raised Vegetable Beds

Raised Vegetable Beds
Raised Vegetable Beds Resting Until Fall Planting Season

Palo Verde

Palo Verde
Desert Native, Blue Palo Verde

A River Runs Through It

A River Runs Through It
View Through A Wet Window

Sunday, August 29, 2010

A Strange Awakening

I will wager none of you has ever arisen as promptly as I following my strange wake-up call! It happened only a few nights after our return to Borrego following a two week vacation. The moon was full and brightly shining into the bedroom ...normally a sound sleeper, something must have bothered me. A noise? An odd sensation? Something strange, for sure. I woke up and immediately KNEW that something was on my arm. I flicked my arm away from the bed and actually SAW A MOUSE fly over the bed and land on the floor! I opened my mouth and shrieked, shrieked, shrieked, waking the household. The mouse ran under the closet door with the dog close behind. The time? 3:18 a.m. We looked and looked, in shoes, behind luggage, under the bed , around the room. No mouse. The dog was certain it was in the room but it had found a safe haven and is probably still in the house. Just another adventure in the desert.


LET ME IN, LET ME IN!
Can't blame the mouse for wanting to come in and take a look around. It had happened in the past, when children had left the door open all night. Another time, the screen came out of the drier vent and they again gained entry. Both times, more than one was present so, now, if we see one, we assume their brothers and sisters are also inside. Anyone who has had a mouse in the house knows how fast they are. They seem to only run along the sides of a room, along baseboards. Often you see them but deny your sighting. If you are watching TV, reading or are otherwise occupied, you just think you've seen a shadow or imagined seeing something. That's how fast they are.


LOLA ALWAYS KNOWS
However, THE DOG ALWAYS KNOWS! She jumps up , sniffing and wagging her tail and on the hunt. She has caught mice before, but the only way we have devised to get rid of them is the Have a Heart live traps. The animal enters, lives and can be put back in the yard, unharmed. Our trap has had a lot of use and when the small creature within looks at you with his tiny black shining eyes,you are so happy you did not resort to poison or sticky glue traps! Once, the trap captured more than we had barganed for-a female had given birth during the night to four little babies! The release is always a satisfying activity and makes us feel good.

LIVE TRAPS AND ULTRA SOUND EMITTERS
Mice, squirrels and other rodents can ruin a house. I am reminded of a snow-bird's house in DeAnza which hosted squirrels during their absence. Upholstered furniture was completely destroyed. Tiny rodents can enter through an opening the size of a nickle. Vents should be screened and checked frequently, as should cracks under doors. Garages also should be checked...look for scat to detect habitants. We have found the ultra sound emitters to work well in our garage.

We consider living close to desert wildlife a great privilege. The sights, surprises and close encounters make desert living irresistible!

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A New Borrego Garden Path

A New Borrego Garden Path
New Path Under Construction, Indian Head Ranch

Pathway

Pathway
Easy to Maintain Garden Path

It's a Boojum...

It's a Boojum...
Not an Ocotillo

Boojum

Boojum
Captivating Top Knot

Colorful Vine

Colorful Vine
In a Hidden Niche

Bees and Flowers

Bees and Flowers
Mexican Lime- Bees at Work

Citrus Blossoms

Citrus Blossoms
Exotic Aroma

Ocotillo

Ocotillo
On a Cloudy Day

Four Raised Beds, October

Four Raised Beds, October
Vegetable Garden

Desert Gardening

Desert gardening...what a pastime. Natives anxious to attack with thorns, stickers or burrs - earth always thirsty - critters always a step ahead of you - dainty moths turn into hungry caterpillars - coyote eats up part of the irrigation system - birds sample one fruit at a time - gopher pops up unexpected . Yet the first carrot, pea or tender piece of lettuce, the first lime or lemon of the season, the first cactus bloom , the first bright green mesquite sprig, the first bud on a plant...all give such a feeling of delight and satisfaction. Not to be traded for anything else! (JGP)





Super Addiction

When I started the blog, I thought a few words now and then would suffice...WRONG!

A strange pattern is emerging. Seems that guilt has stepped up to bat. Now, if I don't post every few days I FEEL THAT I HAVEN'T HAD MY FIX! I wonder if other bloggers have noticed this same phenomenom.

Beavertail

Beavertail
Close-up

Borrego Dragon

Borrego Dragon
Huge New Sculpture

The Borrego Dragon Fable

IN THE EARLY DAYS, coyote walked many paths. One day, as he was pursuing his travels, he came to a very wide valley. Others warned him as he approached the valley, " You must not enter this place...NO ONE who has entered has ever returned. It is a bad place, guarded by a giant dragon, who kills all who try to pass through. To continue your journey safely, we strongly advise you to go the long way...around this evil place." Well, coyote listened, for he was very smart and often heeded good advice. However, coyote was also lazy and was often prone to use shortcuts. He figured the valley would save him a lot of time on this particular journey. He looked carefully and saw nothing much to alarm him. He decided to enter and pass through the valley. At first, he noticed nothing amiss. However, as he traveled deeper into that still, quiet place, he thought to himself, "This IS an unusual valley, for sure...I see no movement of any type and I am getting to feel a bit strange about this place." He did notice, however, some tall straight trees which had lost all their leaves and made the place look barren, indeed. OH,NO...he also noticed, under the trees, piles of old BONES... and the more he looked, the more bones he saw. He said, " I sure see a lot of bones, but I don't see any dragon...I'll bet he no longer lives here." And, with that, he heard a thunderous voice which echoed over the valley..." HAH, COYOTE! You should have listened to the advice...You are in my mouth, which IS the entrance to the valley!" Oh,oh, caught in a trap. But coyote is smart and moves quickly...as he heard Dragon's first words, he raced to one of the dead trees and, with a mighty yank, pulled it from the earth. He wedged the tree between the Dragon's jaws and as he did this, many animals of all kinds came running forth...pumas, bears, mountain sheep and more...even the smallest animals, gnats, flies, tics, bees and more...lizards, snakes, toads, salamanders and more...all ran from the Dragon's depths to freedom. Coyote watched as Dragon's jaws closed upon the sharp tree stake. He soon died and from that time to this, many of those same animals live here, in this place...and from time to time, many of the old bones and pieces of the dead trees are found here, in this very valley!

Senita Cactus

Senita Cactus
Plump and Happy

Outlaws

Outlaws
Riders View Borrego's Wilderness (photo by Jeff Divine )