I have been adding wind chimes and other garden decorations to our mesquite tree that is next to the RV driveway. When the wind blows, the chimes begin their musical serenade. Click on the image to enlarge.
Arizona
One Year Ago
We traveled from California to our new Arizona home-in-progress on Labor Day weekend last year. Verna took this picture of the house when we arrived while the framing was in progress.
What a difference a year makes! Mouse over the picture to see our house as it appears today. We are truly blessed and fortunate to have been able to build our dream house.
A Nasty Bug
Our little dog, Cabela, flushed this nasty-looking fellow from behind the compost bin today. She was about to investigate further (and probably would have been stung) but I held her away from the scorpion while I administered a stomp that ended the threat. It was still twitching a bit when I took the photo. Click on the image to enlarge.
Living with Javelina
At dusk last evening, a herd of javelina meandered down the road in front of our house. There are seven adults and two offspring in this photo. There may have been one or two more.
Image: Herd of javelina – click on the image to enlarge.
We were in the office and would have missed seeing them were it not for Cabela’s loud barking from the great room. Verna called to me to bring the camera. We went out into the courtyard where I snapped several photos. The herd then moved on down the road as they foraged for their evening meal.
The following is excerpted from Arizona Game and Fish Department page “Living with Javelina.”
Though some people think javelina are a type of wild pig, they are actually members of the peccary family, a group of hoofed mammals originating from South America. Javelina are common in much of central and southern Arizona, including the outskirts of the Phoenix area, most of Tucson, and occasionally as far north as Flagstaff. Javelina form herds of two to more than 20 animals and rely on each other to defend territory, protect against predators, regulate temperature and interact socially. They use washes and areas with dense vegetation as travel corridors. Javelina are most active at night, but they may be active during the day when it is cold.
Kokopeli Wind Chime
I have several wind chimes and ornaments hanging in the mesquite tree next to the RV pull-thru. My brother, Fred, and sister-in-law, Sherry, brought this from Grand Canyon years ago and gave it to me. The Kokopeli figure and Native American decorations plus the colors are a perfect match for our beautiful new home. 🙂 Click on the image to enlarge.
Shopping for Flashlights
We attended a class yesterday devoted to home protection and gun safety. One of the topics they taught had to do with equipment for the home. Of course, we already have firearms but we need to research some of the other tactical gear that we ought to have on hand.
The course instructor advised that if we’re going to have firearms handy that it is a very good idea to have a high-quality flashlight on hand to aid in locating and identifying potential targets. Not the cheap Chinese crap that you find at the discount stores, but a good, reliable and BRIGHT tactical flashlight similar to those used by military and law enforcement. Pursuant to that end, I have started a ‘wish list’ on a well-known on-line retailer site where I have entered several candidate flashlights. Over the next few days, Verna and I will down-select to a single flashlight and then order two of them. One for her and one for myself.
