It is hot enough at this time of year that I limit my physical activities (running on the beach, kayaking, snorkeling, riding my bike, swimming laps, working in the yard) to the early morning and/or the early evenings. This generally gives me 2-3 hrs daily of physical exercise. The rest of my time is now spent reading more (one book every 3-4 days; I’m fortunate to have friends who are voracious readers like myself and while they are gone, they are kind enough to let me go into their houses to replenish my supplies), writing and painting. The historical novel I am working on has not been touched for quite some time but I think I will be inspired again soon. If not, well then “F**K It” as John C. Parkin (author of “f**k it: the ultimate spiritual way”) would say.
That all said here are some of the past few days events…. and some pictures.
The Land:
Flowers, is there anything that sings color more than flowers? These are some of those right in my yard (I don’t call it a garden because it really isn’t so much a garden, it’s sort of a manicured part of the desert that I happen to occupy). I swear that sometimes I just “stop short” while passing one of these and my mind sees math, physics and chemistry sung into LIFE….what a trip!!
The Red Skimmers did not carry out, or at this point haven’t, their massive migration like they did last year. There was a migration but it was comparatively small and sporadic. Next year should be interesting. I haven’t the slightest idea why there was such a difference between last year and this.
The other day as I was lounging under the palapa I noticed something hanging from the Palo Verde tree just a few feet away (about 12). Turned out to be a Paper Wasp’s nest. I didn’t have to get close to take this pic and anyway they are the least aggressive of The Wasps. They don’t bother me even when I am eating nearby so I greet them when I sit down and sometimes watch their antics with my binocs.
Here are a couple of pictures of Mr. Fox. I think it may be a different Fox (Desert Kit Fox) and not The Grey Fox I saw a few weeks back. They are not good ones (the photos), he is very cautious (unfortunately domestic dogs have run off most all the foxes and coyotes) and the minute he heard the zoom lens activate he was on his way. I went up to the bodega roof around 6:30 pm because I had just gotten back from bicycling out to collect Creosote Bush leaves for my healing tea and had seen him cross the road so I knew he was in the area. As I was sitting up there the local goat herder’s dog went by and I thought that he would surely flush the Fox and I wouldn’t get to seem him. The dog passed and I was ready to climb down when I caught some movement, and there he was, just about 20’ from where the dog had passed. Lucky for him he was down wind, the goat dog is a tough hombre. When I turned the camera on the fox and the zoom lens extended then this was all I got.
Never had so many Spiny Tailed Iguanas on the place as this year. This guy is the biggest and lives closest to the trailer so I am always talking to him. I call him “Hey Bub” but have asked one of my Quebecois (Quentin) to name him….or I’ll just keep callin’ him “Hey Bub”.
The Sea:
Before my new friends from London left they were able to get a sitter for the girls and they kayaked out to The WZ together. After some frustrated waiting J “called” for them and in they came; not very close but way cool. They decided to stay out a bit longer; J said she would like to see one more bunch and damned if they didn’t appear again, this time right up to the Kayaks.
I had my own adventure in The WZ the other day when I came across 2-3 whales going south. They were not HBs or Blues, maybe Bryde’s Whales. I tried to intercept but they were a good ¼ mile off and were moving along at a good clip so I fell behind, great exercise though. Rare to see any whales at this time of year. Just hearing a whale blow again was good enough for me, I have come to like that sound a great deal.
Not the other day but earlier this season
On the way in I swam the reef and had a bit of time with a Sea Turtle and that’s always fun.
Went out for a sunrise kayak the next day and mingled with some dolphin and tried for a Mobula swim but nobody interested in coming in close for a hello. I had been thinking of The World’s ills so perhaps my energy was not so good. There are times when I am so very, very angry at the Powers of Darkness (not in a biblical sense) that I know that my aura sucks. If I were any of the critters out there I wouldn’t be compelled to visit either.
On another day I swam from farther north of the reef, crossing it from north to south to see anything new. Best day for visibility in a long time so totally delightful but didn’t see anything new. I did however come across the largest clump of Giant Coral I have yet seen on our reef, really impressive.
Not my photo. Pavona gigantea
On yet another day last week I was doing my laps parallel to the beach and swam head on into a large school of freaked out surf fish. Figured there must be something bigger coming and I was not disappointed, 3 large (2 ½’) Almaco Jacks (or one of the other Jacks) were on their tails and swam past me real close. It was exciting to be an intimate part of a REAL moment!
So there you have it, kind of a typical week. It’s nice to be 10 again. And as a 10 year old I can once again see something like this "phenomenon" and dream of endless possibilities and realities.
And just one more flower
NAMASTE'
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