Where the Ladybugs Sleep

Summer has gone by in a blink of an eye for Terran and I.  Between summer school, a trip back to Colorado, family visiting, T. spending 3 weeks in Dallas for school, major overtime hours for T. and all the hiking we could in between, fall is upon us. I can tell that the season of change is happening around us as the flowers lose their color, the little hummers outside fight over who gets to eat, and the evenings shorten. Have you ever wondered where all the bugs, birds and other summer creatures go during the winter? Last January Terran and I had a chance to explore a place ladybugs go sleep for the winter.



The Beginning of Steven's Creek Trail



Ladybugs



The more the merrier.



They covered the bark of the tree and the ground




A Lone Ranger



The river that is still popular for gold panning.



The view from the trail



On our way back

The only down side to a place ladybugs find warm enough to winter is that ticks agree. On the way home, while Terran was driving, I pulled roughly 40 ticks off the dogs. The ride home made the day all the more memorable.

Naomi

Soon after Terran and I moved into our house, we heard rumors of there being petroglyphs in the hills around our area. A few weeks ago we decided it was time to go looking and spent a productive afternoon hiking. At first we didn't find anything, but after several hours we came to a large group of rocks with abstract drawings carved into them. It was quite exciting and a nice way to end a weekend excursion. Easter weekend we went out again and found the sun rock. It was one of the few drawings we saw that wasn't abstract. It's one of my favorites. Enjoy!!

 

 

The valley we live in.

 

 

Exploring

The first petroglyphs we saw.

Very happy our hours of walking paid off.

Sun Rock

The other side of the hill ~ A dry lake bed.

 

A bold little fellow.

A very shy Antelope.



Easter weekend

 

Naomi

Star Crossed Lovers

All morning I've been watching this little sparrow and robin together. At first I thought that the sparrow was following the robin for the worms the robin would catch and maybe drop. Talking to my neighbor she told me that they have had a little romance going on all last week. After she told me that I saw the whole relationship with new eyes. Take a peak and see what I mean. (You might want to enlarge the pictures to see more details.)

"I'll take care of you, Sweet Wings and find a worm."

"Yep, you and me togther, that's the way its got to be."

"I will follow you wherever you may go."

Enjoying a Spring Romance,

Naomi