Sunday, June 10, 2007

In Which solb Has the Javelina Blues


Some days it is a bit difficult to maintain an optimistic attitude. This morning I went out to water only to find that those pesky Peccary had munched their way through my little garden. Again. And they did more damage than usual. My purple cone flower-gone. My budded out about to bloom Johnson''s Geranium-severely cropped, and horror of horrors, several bites were taken from my treasured Franz Schubert Phlox. A large branch was bitten off, and presumably consumed, from my early Girl tomato. It took a big,-really big-possibly the Goliath of all the javelinas to rear up, and plant his fat, cloven hoof in a half-whiskey barrel to desecrate that tomato plant. Apparently, to a peccary, deadly nightshade is a delicacy.


I'm just as disgusted as this guy looks, and I know just how he feels!

You're going along as usual, happily getting on with the daily routine when something annoying happens! For this horned lizard, it was Eeyore spotting him in the meadow and bringing him up to visit me. We pondered on taking him to a remote spot where he'd be safer from cats and other domestic predators, but in the end decided he's survived on, or in the neighborhood of, the one acre wood since he was approximately the size of a dime so E. released him back into the meadow.
It seems that the horned lizards living in hot desert areas lay eggs in the sand. The sand remains warm enough to incubate the eggs in the lower climes, but the horned lizard in cooler climes gives live birth. I know our local horny toads (I know-I know, a misnomer as they are not toads, but when someone says horny toad to one of us local-yokels we know what they're talking about) give live birth and that they really can spray blood from the corners of their eyes when under extreme duress.
I found an article on horned lizards
here. I think our local genus is Phrynosoma,hernandesi


Happily his problem's solved. He's hunting ants in Eeyore's tiny meadow, a lovely tangle of domestic and wild flowers. Here, little Roo standing in the meadow makes me think of an illustration for a Laura Ingalls Wilder book.
A bit faded, but still, I do love this picture.
As for my problem....... who knows what the 'morrow will bring...........

9 comments:

meggie said...

What great pics of the lizard! I love lizards, & we usually have a family of Bluetongues come for the summer, but this year they didnt arrive.
I also discovered I rather like snakes, & dont mind them draped around me! But only the ones I know are not poisonous of course!
Lovely photo of Roo in the garden.

Granny J said...

Splendid horny toad! I didn't realize that live birth was a mountain thing-- one of these days I'll scan the photos of our introduction to such live births! Once the Database from Hell is done & over with, that is.

Linda G. said...

meggie, I'm not familiar with bluetongues. They sound exotic and interesting as so many creatures in your area are to us. We have quite a few garter snakes living here and my son's family has several pet snakes.

Granny J, I knew about live birth, but didn't know any horny toads laid eggs until I just read about it. Looking forward to your pics! Blast the Database!

Anonymous said...

I stopped by from Granny's blog. Nice horny toad. Too bad about the Javelina eating in your garden.

Linda G. said...

Steve, thanks for stopping by..and thanks too, for the sympathy...

Rowan said...

Lovely picture of Roo faded or not. And the horned lizard, how great to have such a magical looking creature around. I don't know what a Javelina is but by the sound of them I'm glad I don't have them in my garden!

Linda G. said...

rowan, thanks for the visit. How right you are! Our local pig-like critters would love to munch their way through your lush environs.

Catalyst said...

Wonderful picture of the horny toad. Disgusted he may be but he looked quite content to pose for pictures.

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