Post #3078692

@idzie@kolektiva.social I live on top of a steep ridge of millions-years-old volcanic rocks; the ground is littered with sharp chunks and boulders of rock, where rattlesnakes snooze in the noonday sun. There are precious few inches of soil over fractured bedrock. I'm in a saddle, there are steep rocky hills to the east and west. Because of the ridge-top location, the wind is a constant presence and an old friend, whistling around the corners of the house. The dominant plant species is juniper, interspersed with smaller thorny bushes of honey mesquite. In between are grasses and an assortment of small cacti, seasonal wild flowers, and the dreaded tumbleweed. The sky overhead is nearly always a deep clear blue, in which red-tailed hawks soar, ravens cavort, and turkey vultures perform cleanup duty. Wildlife abounds. Mule deer and javelina are frequent visitors, making it nearly impossible to grow roses because both species consider roses to be a delicacy. Less common are the occasional coyotes, foxes, ringtail, coatimundi, bobcat, mountain lion, and black bears. A range of dark mountains lies to the west, about 10 miles distant. In the winter they might be dusted with snow, in any changing weather they attract a mantle of clouds with attendant lightning and rain. I like it here.