11 posts tagged “nature”

Last week we had a huge fabulous thunderhead parked over us, a remnant from Tropical Storm Jimena.  It's dark underside was pocked with rare with mammatus clouds (so named because they look like breasts):

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Well, last Tuesday night, as we were coming home at 9:15 in the evening, we hit a deer with our brand-new car.  It was standing on the side of the road, just waiting for the right moment to jump right in front of us. 

Mule deer

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Luckily, it didn't hit the front, but we winged it pretty hard on the drivers side.  The left headlight wasn't hit, but a circle of plastic popped out from the impact.  The front bumper, left front panel, drivers door and left back panel are all pretty wrinkled.  The door makes a yoink sound every time we open it.  Took it to the body shop on Wednesday morning, and got the parts ordered.  Decided to wait until we were past the 4th of July weekend, otherwise it'd just be sitting there while we're paying for a rental car.  So we just brought it in today.  Driving a Mazda 6 rental car until it's finished.

On the holiday, we went to a neighbors house for a get-together.  Another neighbor told us about these ultra-sonic whistles you can put on your car.  When you're over a certain speed, they emit a high-pitched whistle that the deer can hear.  They either freeze or run off.  They're pretty cheap, and somewhat controversial (some folks apparently think they don't work), and we ordered one.  Hopefully it'll help.  I guess we're pretty lucky -- we've been driving that road for 4 years and this was our first deer collision.  We hope it's okay.  I figure if no bones were broken, it'll be fine -- just bruised all to hell.

I call them big bunnies, because they essentially are.  They eat salad, have large black eyes and enormous floppy ears, they boing like Tigger on springs when on the run and show you their fluffy white cottontails, they're not very bright, they have a reputation for being gentle, but can fight like hell when properly motivated.... 

About 3 years ago, a neighbor gave me a box of bulbs.  She said they were "African Queen" irises - big dark purple blooms.  I don't know anything about bulbs, but I planted them in a couple of locations.  They grew leaves, but didn't bloom.  Until this spring.  One of the plants has sprouted several stalks with multiple blooms on each one.  The color is magnificent, they smell lovely, and they're situated right in front of one of our benches.  I can't wait to see our neighbor again to tell her!

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Several Grey and Canada geese live at Lake Cuyamaca.  They have the run of the place, often walking or sleeping smack in the middle of access roads like they own the place, which of course they do.  Local residents and lake employees all watch out for them.  They loudly demand food on winter mornings and will quickly surround you if you're eating anything.

Geese in flight

Knothead was the leader of the flock.  He was pure snow white, with startling blue eyes, and had a marvelous way of proudly standing up very erect, his long muscular neck holding his head high.  He would even let you pet him, if you had the nerve.  Certain people he liked, he'd follow around sometimes.  He got his name because he had this knotty bulge on top of his beak.  He could trumpet louder than any of the others.  He had a delightful, ornery personality.  This animal was enormously self-possessed.

Knothead

Once a couple of years ago, one of the Grey geese was hit by a car.  She survived, but suffered a broken hip.  For the next several months, Knothead protectively hovered over her while she slowly recovered.  She walked very slowly and with a terrible limp.  Knothead was always by her side.

This morning, we found Knothead dead by the side of Highway 79, right in front of the Lake's tackle shop.  Some asshole, undoubtedly driving way too fast, came around the corner and clobbered him.  His beautiful, long, slender, muscular neck was split open from the impact.  Snowy white feathers were scattered all around.  Some Lake employees were in tears.  He was probably killed instantly.

You know, they show commercials for sports cars, zooming with confidence and ease down windy mountain roads.  Looks fantastic.  Unfortunately, they never show the driver of that sports car panicking, slamming on the brakes, swerving and spinning out, in a futile attempt to avoid running down innocent wildlife.  We have seen all sorts of beautiful animals cut down like wheat on the side of the road -- deer, lynx, skunks, raccoons, wild turkeys, coyotes, badgers, foxes, ground squirrels, little birds.  Please, people, slow down.  It's so beautiful in the mountains.  Don't create senseless tragedies in your rush to get through the area.

We've caught our cat Kabuki messing with rattlesnakes in the past.  In an effort to ease my mind, Rich found this video of a bobcat having no problem handling a rattlesnake...

He TREES a rattlesnake!

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PHHHHBBBBBBBTTTTTTT!

Just precious.  Taken in Alberta, Canada through the lens of Tanja Askani.