The Roadrunner in Winter

Back last week when it had been cloudy and icy cold for many days, one afternoon the sun came out suddenly. I looked out under the big pine tree outside the kitchen window and there sat one of the roadrunners. We have two that live nearby and hang out in the yard a lot. Our big dog just ignores them now. I'm pretty sure she thinks they are errant chickens who have flown the coop...

So the roadrunner -- I think this one is the female -- stood under the pine, all puffed out in the sun and I got this picture. In the top pic she is her unpuffed self.

There is nothing so lovely as being surrounded by creatures and indeed we are. Besides the ones we feed everyday (two dogs, two goats, five hens and about 10 banties, and the birds at the feeder...) there are the wild ones, the roadrunners, coyotes, deer, possum, armadillo, squirrels, rabbits, hawks and owls and so on. I can't imagine living in the city again just surrounded by humans. Even though we're barely out of the city now by our standards, it's far enough to have the company of the creatures.