Barging In!

Sitting here watching the dark clouds gather over the mountains and hoping that is might rain to ease the heat I am struck by how intrusive nature can be.

The heat and intense sun just barges in and set the tone for the day (not too much physical movement and the ceiling fans on high). 

At this time of the year, sun, heat and dusty roads are an expectation.  It is the unexpected that does shock and sometimes delight.

As for the shock:

#1 - coral snake came to visit - move slowly across the screen door at the front of the house, inspected the window, and left back into the grass - presumably it lives on the front slope under the ground cover.

#2 - Scorpion family - since the soil is not very good, much of the herb and vegetable gardening is done in containers - it let's us have them around the patio and allows us to move them as the sun and rain dictates - so the pots and soil and utensils have been relegated to a spot under the outdoor stair, and had become untidy and bothersome - so we bought two storage bins and I set to clearing all this up - come to learn that a pot with some dirt in it and something on top (like another pot) is the perfect home for scorpions - 1, 2 and then 3 - the first two were just normal things - but not #3 - a mommy with about a 100 babies on her back.

Finally got her out of the pot and into the ground cover on the slope, but she left some babies behind - wonder if the first two were relatives?

#3 - a little delight - came down this morning to a pool visitor - the little grasshopper fellow was taking a float - pulled him out and set him on a plant (more his domain!)

#4 - and finally - CICADAS! - Is there anything more ugly or annoying!?  They attach themselves to the wall or a tree and BUZZ - continuously - then they fly and bang into things, land on their back and stay there looking dead - in the morning you go to sweep them up and they fly and buzz some more!!! YUK!