parley view parsnip. . . what is that !

Well Tucson's spring is springing.

This is the very short time of great activity before the hot summer months.

Summer is coming. Oh My !

The plants are blooming like crazy, birds, animals and critters 

are all chasing each other all around my yard.

It is the fluffy season, I can hear the giggling and happy time abound.

One morning I was looking out my studio window and I saw a rock moving towards me.

Yes, I know my eyes are bad but I know a Gila Monster when I see one. 

..............

 A long stick like rock in the middle of the photo

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 A little closer.

.

 Oh yes, here he is.

My little cutie pie.
Come to momma !

 But he went into the shadows instead.

.

 Going to hide, look for food or nap under the tree.

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Don't you just love his beautiful markings ?

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The Gila Monster is the largest lizard about 22 inches long,

and the only venomous lizard in the United States.

They are well suited to live in the harsh Arizona-Sonora Desert environment,

by spending most of their life underground. Only coming out for the 3 months 

of spring before the hot summer months. They eat copious amounts of food, 

storing food in their body and tail. I adore their very fat fat fat tails.

They are solitary animals but have communal areas in spring.

They are black with pink to orange, reticulated (looked up big word) markings.

I love their bumpy skin (like beading) markings and the little black faces.

They only live in a one square mile and are very solitary. 

I had a family living on my west side of the house. Ethel, Fred and little Ricky.

One spring morning a few years ago I opened my front door and there was little Ricky looking up at me with his mouth open showing his teeth and doing his little hiss growl wop wop. He was so cute but so poisonous. So I closed the door really fast and grabbed my camera. Of course he was gone. I went looking for him but I couldn't find him.

I haven't seen any of them for 2 years now until today. I have missed them.

...........

Here is Ethel or Fred from a few years ago.

So beautiful.

When they are babies they look exactly like their parents only smaller.

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 Here is your pretty to start the week.

Dr. Watson, he will be 17 soon.
Very handsome.
.

thehamish.

His tests came back and they were bewildering.

The liver tests came out better but still wonky (medical term)
His diabetes has gone way up with numbers in the 300. 

This is very bad and so worrying. I am working on getting 

his numbers back into a more normal range.
He is my little old gud dug at 12 years old.
yert.

monster. . . parsnip
music. . . Home On The Range,  Gene Autry