Monday, August 12, 2013

Postcards from the Ranch

We ran over some tarantulas on the way into the neighborhood late Friday night.  Wake-up call!  I don't like large hairy spiders.  I haven't seen one since the 80's and I'm not looking forward to my next encounter.  Neighbors give me blow by blow descriptions of their latest diamondback, scorpion, bat, and large hairy spider sightings.  Since I'm arachnophobic and can't even look at a photo of a snake in National Geographic without quickly turning the page, I'm dreading that day.

Despite the critters, we're loving our new life.  No regrets!  We don't miss the extreme heat and the horrid haboobs.  Craig spends his downtime sitting on the patio with binoculars watching quail, coyotes, and the occasional golfers.  We're out in the sticks, but we don't mind.

When we get hungry, we stop at Lupe's for enchiladas or Bubb's Grub.  We stopped at Bubb's Friday night and managed to scoot right into a booth. It was Friday Fish Fry!  Wow!  Next Friday's dinner is already planned.


On the way out the door, I stopped to take a photo of something familiar. I can't say I've ever seen one of these in real life.


It's a MAJOR award!


We're about halfway through unpacking boxes.  We took a break from work yesterday to run errands.  On the way to pick up a water softener to be installed this morning, we stopped at World Market to look around.  We were thrilled to find these rattan chairs with white cushions for 50% off.  Almost free!  Think of how much money I saved by buying those?

Later in the afternoon, I noticed this gorgeous rainbow in the distance while I was relaxing on the sofa.



I may need that pot of gold so we can finish all these projects!


We walked out in front of the house just in time to see the end of a gorgeous Arizona sunset from the middle of the street.  Anytime we emerge from our cave, we meet more neighbors.  It's amazing and such a change from the Phoenix burbs.  We've been here five days and already know more people than we met during the last seven years in the old hood.

 Almost forgot . . . .   I saw a really cute Bug last week at the grocery store.


 Slug Bug!



4 comments:

Ann said...

Only time I've ever seen a tarantula was in Arizona in the 70's and that's fine with me. Glad you've been meeting the neighbors--makes such a difference! Love the rainbow.

Babs said...

My son, the wildlife biologist, caught and raised a tarantula. He kept him in an aquarium with a screen on top. They become very aggressive when they molt, but no one was ever bitten in the 5 0r 6 or maybe longer years he had "Dracula">
It was fascinating to watch. It was tiny when John got it and really large when he let it go in a forested area. Like the size of a quarter to the size of a pancake.....

stillhowlyn said...

Looks like you're getting cozy and settling in. Critters will be a part of summer desert life, like monsoons and drop dead sunsets!

Life's a Beach! said...

Lynda, we're starting to organize room by room. We still have some boxes and a lot of furniture waiting in the wings. I'm loving the sunrises and sunsets, coyotes, rabbits, deer, etc..., but the snakes and tarantulas -- not so much! Babs, the people next door had the dinner-plated sized tarantula in their backyard a few days ago. Fortunately (or not!), our backyard is still dirt, so I can see anything that approaches.