One of the first things I had to do after arriving back home was weed-whack; things were getting a bit out of hand.
Before
After
I sure missed my backyard view...
...and seeing "False Portal Peak, with the dramatic cloud display above.
One of the White-tailed fawns had grown up in the past 4 months...
And it didn't take long for the White-crowned Sparrows, residing for the winter, to congregate at the water dishes. This looks like an avian equivalent of "Cheers".
I'd mentioned in an earlier post that I'd seen autumn colors in Alaska (September) and the eastern Sierra (late October). It's now the middle of November, and being further south the fall display here in SE Arizona is pure eye candy. Here's a colorful Bigtooth Maple with desert Yucca and an Apache Pine tree. The mix of flora from different climate zones is one of the joys of living here.
On November 14, at 5:20AM Arizona time, the world was treated to the "supermoon", the largest full moon of the year. Since I usually get up VERY early anyway, I went out to take this photo as it was setting behind the Chiricahuas.
I'd arrived back home just in time to watch the last part of the post office's venerable Arizona Sycamore fall color progression. Here it is on November 17.
"What the heck are those rocks doing across the road?" Well, they weren't rocks, but rather a covey of Montezuma Quail. They immediately went into the tall grass on the side of the road, but this female stayed around long enough for me to get this photo.
More autumnal eye candy on the South Fork road, November 18. I love the layer of fallen leaves on the sides of the road.
I volunteered to man the Cave Creek Canyon Visitor Center -- the VIC -- for a few days.
There's been a continuing rare visitor to the feeders of a friend's house down the road from me -- a Streak-backed Oriole. I managed to get one decent photo on November 19, but as of today (January 29) it's still there, so perhaps I'll try again when I return home.
The best, most photogenic view looking up Cave Creek Canyon is along the Portal-Paradise Road just before the turnoff to Forest Road 42, the paved road which goes through the canyon.
It's now November 20, the tourist crowds are mostly gone, the weather is still warmish, so I go on a hike to Ash Spring. The fall display along Cima Creek is phenomenal.
What a difference five days makes; here's the post office's Arizona Sycamore on November 22.
I went on another hike, this time along South Fork. Here's a section of the creek known locally as "The Bathtub"for its large pool and cascades.
The next day I took yet another hike on the Greenhouse Trail. This Yellow-eyed Junco popped up to see who was walking on by --
The sunrises and sunsets continued to amaze; this sunset over the Chiricahuas is from November 27.
You'd think I'd had my fill of hiking during North To Alaska -- NOT! It had snowed a bit the night before, and the dusting added another element to the autumnal landscape --
I've seen up to 3 Gray Foxes at one time in my back yard, but it's usually only one. While I can't be totally sure, I'd like to think it's the same one that keeps coming back. I've named him "Zorro", which is Spanish for "fox". And so it naturally follows that one of the others is called "Zorrita". I still haven't named the third. Perhaps "Pequeno Zorro"? (Little Zorro) And when I posted this photo on Facebook, an alert observer pointed out the "staple" in his left ear. We still haven't figured who did it, or why it's there.
Autumn colors reflected in South Fork .
Yet another memorable sunset over silhouetted Cave Creek Canyon, December 1 --
I managed to convince Joan, our "postmistriss", to pose for a photo at her post office window.
Most Portal residents have post office boxes rather than mailboxes on the street. The post office is a great way to chat with friends, get caught up on local events -- or give Joan a plate of brownies, which is what I do every so often.
Horses in the open desert along Portal Road, December 6.
Watch out bird kiddies in the back yard, someone's looking to eat you! An adult Cooper's Hawk strafes the back yard, December 7.
On December 11, the Javelina Horde lays waste to the back yard. Ok, they just vacuum up the bird seed and wallow in my water feature.
December 12 -- While on a grocery run to Douglas, I look to the side of the road and see a bird on top of what looks to be a cow carcass. (I'm always scanning the roads for raptors.) It was huge, and it turned out to be -- a Golden Eagle. The highway south to Douglas is lightly used, so I was able to stop on the road and take a few photos before worrying about any cars that might be coming around the blind curve, heading in my direction. Magnificent, by far the best shots of a GE that I've ever taken, and probably will ever take. When I was heading back from Douglas, it had disappeared. Of course.
December 16th, and a truly memorable sunrise.
Later that same day, Mr. Cardinal, who lives on my property, probably with his missus, graciously grants me a portrait.
Mom deer nuzzles her little one at my new water feature. I finally purchased a water dish hooked up to a hose. When the water is kept on, the dish is refilled and stopped from overflowing by a tank float similar to the ones in toilet tanks. Except for a few leaks around the fittings, the new system is working well so far. And I don't have to keep on going back and refilling the dish when it's empty. And the critters can have a supply of water when I'm away frm the house, too.
We have 4 species of skunk in our area -- Striped, Hog-nosed, Hooded, and Spotted. I've seen Striped on my back yard critter cam -- in fact, I've named one of them Pepe LePew -- but this was the first time I'd seen Spotted; even the deer is a little wary --
I'd been back home for a little more than a month and now it was time to head to LaLaLand, with its traffic and teeming millions, for a holiday stay with my dad...
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