Dangerous Downtown Deming

Lightning re-visited. Tonight.

They're promising that maybe the monsoon is finally upon us. Good thing, too, as we're more than 2" in debt to Mother Nature so far this year.

Why Do They Hum?

Allen's Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Because they don't know the words.

Two additions to the list from the yard. Let's see.... we're up to 4 this year: Broad tailed, Black Chinned, Allen's, and the Rufous.

Do you know it's almost midnight!?!? No.. but if you hum a few bars....

As a Rule...

...I'm generally a bit slower than lightning. But with patience, and the ability with digital photography to delete a couple hundred images that have no lightning.. you can get something like this. I'm adding a few more to the "Around the yard" slide show as well. This little thunder-boomer worked it's way through Deming this afternoon and, as you can see, laid down a lot of water... down there. Once again, it barely sprinkled here at the Homestead.

Insane Rainbow

Before I get to a rather long rant on bugs- well, flies mostly- I have to share this with you. Most intense meteorological phenomenon I've seen in a very, very long time. Maybe ever. Driving back home from Silver City.

"Good Fences Make Good Neighbors"

We always wondered why every property in our "neighborhood", without exception, was either fenced or walled, and gated. Mystery solved. All of the "Deming Ranchettes" are open rangeland.

New Goodies!

Before we start to get serious here again, it's time to promote some exciting new "religious themed"* goodies, available from our Cafe Press storefront. You can get there by clicking through the display ad at the top of the page. In addition to the "Family that preys..." sticker shown, (and I would be remiss if I didn't give a hat tip and shout out to Cindy Sisson who suggested it), we also have the new "Prey! at the Church of the Open Field" sticker.

Currently only bumper stickers are available, but the usual clothing and coffee receptacle items will be there shortly. We are also stocking these ourselves, if you'd rather deal with us. Just shoot us an email.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled photos of more weird fauna and flora from the high desert. Stay tuned.

*surely you know me better than that.

More Yard Nature.

It doesn't end. Even in the weeks' long temps in the upper 90's. Today, or this evening to be more precise, the blooms on one of our two New Mexico Agave decided to open. At least, a couple of them have now, which means food is available for the local critters. I was worried about the hummingbirds. I saw one inspecting a red clothespin the other day. There hasn't been a lot of blooming going on lately.

But the feeders around the agave this evening (and you can see their shapes in the photo above) are often mistaken for hummingbirds. In fact, they are Pink Spotted Hawk Moth, and they seem to think the nectar in this century plant, (which will die, now that it's bloomed) is pretty darned tasty. The hawk moth, along with the hummingbird, and some species of bats, are the only animals to have perfected hovering flight. (I learned that on Wikipedia!).

One amazing thing about this plant, is that center "stalk"... when we left on our 7 week road trip, it wasn't there! It shot up to its current height, which I'd estimate at 18-20 feet in just 50 days. And when it dies, it will do so suddenly, just falling over. Unfortunately the two agaves sit next to where the motor home is parked. Timber-r-r-r!