| Author |
Message |
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, June 15, 2019 - 10:13 am 
Lizards are not pests.
|
Chewpito
Member
01-03-2004
| Saturday, June 15, 2019 - 11:50 am
Did you move Wargod???
every night I go outside and lay flat on the driveway pavement and stair at the stars. My niebors prob think Im nuts' but when its dark and the sun has gone night night and the moon comes out' the air cools down and I just lay there and watch the night sky. My dogs love it too,
If I see a falling star I say a wish, when the doves fly low their almost florescent in the night, the trails from jets and planes go over head and make patterns below the twinkling stars. There is a full moon tonight'.
Last night when I came in the house I was getting my bed ready and what plops out on to my bed from my hair'...a frog...ha ha ha... It was so funny. I caught the little bugger and took him back out side.. guess he found a spot in my hair while I was out there in the dark...
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, June 15, 2019 - 12:26 pm
Chewy, you are a real delight!
|
Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Saturday, June 15, 2019 - 1:13 pm
Oh my, I would probably called the police thinking you were hurt.
|
Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Saturday, June 15, 2019 - 6:45 pm
Chewi ♡♡♡
|
Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Saturday, June 15, 2019 - 9:54 pm
Dang, Chewy! You mean I should be out laying on the driveway at night? Hmmmmm, I could do it easily in the winter in South Padre Island, just lay in a pool lounge chair in an open space. People would probably only think I was passed out drunk and would be okay in the morning. But if that didn't work, go out to the edge of the Gulf of Mexico and stargaze.
I could maybe do it here in upper WA State; we have an open field next to our house. Unfortunately, that is also the space where everybody walks their dogs, so their dogs "do their business" on somebody else's communal lawn, in the open space.
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, June 15, 2019 - 10:18 pm
Ha! Yes! Here we don't have driveways but streets between garages, so it would be dangerous.
We have tons of grass but there might be poop and pee, not to mention ants.
And then there would be getting back up, too.
|
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Saturday, June 15, 2019 - 11:25 pm
Yeah, Chewie, back in January, we moved from Lancaster to California City...about 40 miles. Love it! We went from a city of 160,000-170,000 to 13,000 and it is awesome, it is so quiet.
While we are still considered the Antelope Valley, California City is really spread out and large swathes of desert. Lancaster had some areas, especially further out, but for the most part it is a city and you don't see a lot of critters usually. Out here they are everywhere. We've got rabbits in the front yard and across the street. There's at least one lizard in the backyard that Ollie plays chase with...I can't figure out if he's scared of it or if he's just being cautious to not hurt it because if he gets too close, he'll back off. I've gotten coyote warnings (haven't seen one yet, though can hear them sometimes,) snake warnings, and the sheep warning and I just find that bizarre. A couple neighbors have horses.
And I have to say, I'm still in awe of the night sky out here with fewer people and light pollution it is amazing. I try to spend at least a little time outside every night to enjoy it.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Sunday, June 16, 2019 - 5:04 am
I remember seeing a night sky full of stars only one time in my life. Doesn't happen where I've always lived -- in the Chicago area. It was in the late '70s in the Creel Canyon in northern Mexico. Had been inside when it was still early evening. Walked out into the night and looked up. Stars in the sky like I'd never seen before and haven't since!!!
|
Sadiesmom
Member
03-13-2002
| Sunday, June 16, 2019 - 12:12 pm
I lived in Weehawken way back and remember when the second New York black out began, I ran to the park on the Hudson and watched NYC go dark a few blocks at a time.
As the lights went down we saw so many stars appear over the city, can't believe I did not have my camera to take pictures, it was beautiful.
|
Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Sunday, June 16, 2019 - 12:57 pm
We live smack dab in the middle of 40 acres on a dirt road...the stars (and even the Northern Lights sometimes) are the best in the country! Added bonus: I could lie in my driveway of 700 feet buck naked and only the ants would see!
|
Chewpito
Member
01-03-2004
| Sunday, June 16, 2019 - 2:37 pm
Love that Teach'..that is kind of like where I live. It would not be uncommon to find me out back with my boots' work gloves swinging a ax or pruning trees, with as little on as I can get away with.
It gets up to 116 outside in the summer' we are at about 105 now. The night is my fav time. Sadly most people hide inside with their air conditioners purring away. Im a bit of a anti-air gal when it comes to that. I need my doors wide open and I run fans' Its like a photo shoot in my house' wind blowing thru your hair. The only time I run the air is when my Daughter visits, cause she cant handle the heat.
At night the slab is still warm from the day and the night sky cools the air enough so that its like camping, laying there flat on my back listening to night sounds. Only with out a sleeping bag.
I measure the sky by the months and time, In June At around 10:30pm the big dipper is right at the center of my frame, by 1am its all most disappears to the south, but the Moon 'at its fullest is showing as the dipper leaves my sight. at around 4am the moon is glowing and bright as a beacon.
Wargod, when we lived down there in Palmdale' I totally remember the night sky' the vast desert gives them plenty of time to entertain. I have cousins in Quartz Hill and Del Sur area, One of my Aunts is just recently put her property up for sale cause she is 80 and wants to move closer to her Daughters over in the New Hall area and Topanga Canyon. (There is a wildlife refuge there) Have you ever been?
I love reading all your Night Star stories...
|
Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Sunday, June 16, 2019 - 2:38 pm
Wargod, what is a sheep warning. Are there killer sheep out there, LOL?
|
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Sunday, June 16, 2019 - 5:15 pm
I'm kinda curious about that myself, Dipo, lol!
First, I got coyote warnings from the city and it came under the heading "coyote warning." Typical it's that time of year, watch for coyotes, keep pets on leashes on your walks and watch young children and things to do if you come face to face with them. Next was the rattle snake warnings. Keep pets on leashes on walks, watch your young children, watch where you are walking. Right on the heels of that was "Sheep Warning!" It warned that it was time for sheep and you might find them in your yard and who you could call if you did. I was very confused...are they a nuisance? dangerous? LOL, why a warning? Not to mention other than at petting zoos, I don't think I've ever seen sheep around the area!
Couple days later, Kota came home from work and sarcastically thanked Darren for not giving her a heads up before her drive to work. He knew immediately what she was talking about and laughed. Apparently there are sheep out here and around spring they move the herds from one place to another and it's not unusual for them to cross the highway in Mojave. Kota had gotten stuck that morning waiting for the herd to cross, lol. Wait, it's a herd right? Apparently it's common enough around that time of year that if people are coming from this way to the plant all they have to do is say sheep and the bosses are like, "Oh, ok."
I guess that explains the sheep warning and maybe sometimes one wanders off? I'll admit I spent about two months looking around everytime I left the house trying to find the dang sheep cuz I still have no idea where the heck they are!
|
Treasure
Member
06-26-2002
| Sunday, June 16, 2019 - 5:31 pm
Matt and Glenda live just under a quarter up the road and they have sheep. The first 5 or so years that I lived here, I was trying to keep the high grass cut with a weedwacker. I live on a half acre. That isn't a lot of land, but was becoming too much for me to weedwack. Especially when the sun is high. Then one day I was walking along and saw a man watching over some sheep. I asked him about bringing his sheep to my yard and he agreed. Matt's sheep have been doing my yardwork ever since. ehehe I love his sheep.
|
Treasure
Member
06-26-2002
| Sunday, June 16, 2019 - 5:37 pm
Yes, the night sky is so amazing. I missed seeing all the stars for a very long time. I use to be able to see the stars when I was stationed at Ft. Huachuca in southern AZ. Then when I left the Army, I moved to Phoenix. That was the last time I could really see the stars. Lived in Phoenix area for 30 years. Then I was finally able to move and came here, still in AZ, but high desert. What a joy it has been. Steps away from open desert. All kinds of wildlife to observe and no light pollution to hid the night sky.
|
Chewpito
Member
01-03-2004
| Sunday, June 16, 2019 - 8:42 pm
That sounds beautiful Treasure, Here in my town they bring sheep in every summer to clear the grass, weeds, overgrowth....They are the best. '
They do the job with no loud engine noise, no motor oil burning to weed clear, the Sheep are amazing.
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, June 16, 2019 - 9:19 pm
Goats are good, too.
And ducks or geese to eat snails.
|
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Sunday, June 16, 2019 - 10:14 pm
I agree with Chewie, that's a fantastic way to have your yard taken care of. The poor sheep would be out of luck in mine, lol, I've got nothing but dirt.
Treasure, not long after moving here, I said I couldn't get over how much of the night sky we had been missing living in the middle of the city. You don't even realize how much light pollution there is until you get away from it and then you do and see this huge expanse of open sky.
|
Treasure
Member
06-26-2002
| Monday, June 17, 2019 - 12:17 am
The light pollution is really bad, especially from the larger cities. A few years back, a friend and I drove back here from Las Vegas. The route took us through Kingman, AZ. The road is pretty empty from just outside of Kingman and all the way down to Wickenburg. There was a part of the road that cut through some rocky hills. As we rounded a curve and the road opened up, we could see the glow in the sky all the way from Phoenix. Since we had just passed Kingman, we were about 100 miles away from Phoenix. It was really strange to see that glow all that far away. But I guess we just happened to be at the best angle and elevation at that particular stretch of road to see it. Took a minute to realize what it was. The lights of Phoenix reflected off clouds above the city.
|
Roxip
Member
01-29-2004
| Monday, June 17, 2019 - 6:40 am
I live about 25 miles outside of Dallas and I love the peace and quiet of my little town (one of the hardest things my friends deal with when they come and visit is how quiet it is - and I live in a "normal" neighborhood)...and the stars at night are amazing. I still get lightning bugs (I'm drawing a blank - is that what they are called) and June bug season has been in session since the end of April which is annoying. We have coyotes that I can hear at night, geckos hang out around my light fixtures, and unfortunately my cat has brought me several baby rabbits. Also unfortunately we have snakes (yes, my cat has brought more than one of those in also - I woke up one morning with a dead snake in my bed. Two things - (1) I'm glad it was dead and (2) I hope it was dead before it ended up in my bed and I didn't roll over on it and kill it.
|
Chewpito
Member
01-03-2004
| Monday, June 17, 2019 - 12:30 pm
Ack' Roxip, a snake in your bed, that is wild.
my little Lucy kitty used to bring me dead rats,birds,lizards and occasionally small mice, but thank goodness she never killed any snakes. It would drive me nuts when she would only half kill a rat and the poor thing would be quivering in a corner somewhere. Shoot' that killed me. Id always put it in a box and try to give it water and nurse it back to life. (where is the logic in that) they always died.
I have family in Albuquerque and I have driven that route Treasure' The landscape is amazing.
|
Roxip
Member
01-29-2004
| Monday, June 17, 2019 - 2:32 pm
My cat doesn't try and kill things - she just plays with them until they die and then he looks so sad and confused. I truly think he just thinks they are a toy.
But that's the reason we haven't gotten another kitten - I'm afraid Ashton would think it was a toy.
So far his toys have included giant moths, bunnies, snakes, rats, mice, geckos, birds, and once a bat. He is a good hunter. I can't scold him much because it is simply his nature.
|
Treasure
Member
06-26-2002
| Monday, June 17, 2019 - 4:01 pm
I have been to New Mexico a few times. It is a beautiful state. Been through Albuquerque, White Sands, Ruidoso. Passed through Santa Fe and saw the Indian ruins. Can't think of the name of it at this moment. ehehe Spent a whole day wandering through all the structures. Even sat for a few minutes and communed with a raven that was watching over and protecting the spirits of the ancestors of that place. A wonderful experience.
|
Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Monday, June 17, 2019 - 9:29 pm
quote:I still get lightning bugs (I'm drawing a blank - is that what they are called)
Roxip, yes, it is correct to call them lightning bugs, as they are "true bugs" (of the order Hemiptera, distinguished by the little triangle of Thorax between the head and abdomen). The other name you are searching for is fireflies, but lightning bug is actually more morphologically correct.
Apologies for being geeky. Apparently I was an entomologist in another life. I hope to hell Grooch doesn't see this. She is already embarrassed enough for me as it is.
|
|
