So much animal activity! A lynx, a rattlesnake, a pup and more! (Oh and my birthday, too :) )

The story all starts here.  With this sweet little pup who showed up at our property, decided she liked it very much, and resolved to stay and live with us, thank you very much.  We were as surprised as you to suddenly find ourselves adopted when we weren't even looking to be.  But this girl stole our hearts pretty quickly and we're finding we have to remain open to what the universe sends our way.

She did come with a name, Blanca.  I'd really like to change it, but she responds to it and as we are trying to teach her commands, I don't want to confuse her.  She is very intelligent and also so quiet + timid + sweet.  So when she suddenly started growling, barking, + snapping a few days ago, I was incredibly startled and wondered if this pup actually maybe has aggression issues.  

But then I looked where she was barking and at my feet was a large, coiled rattlesnake.  

I am very aware that I am a guest in this desert and believe that all the creepy stuff has a right to be here along with the cute.  But this sucker scared the liver out of me.  It gave no sound warning at all and I practically stepped on it.  Not sure what to do I asked Luca to go tell our friend who was working up the hill to come see.  His reaction was to kill it and I didn't argue.  Max came rolling up the driveway at that moment and the 2 of them did the deed.  I am sad.  And I am sorry if this makes you sad.  I can tell you that our friend took it home to his mom for them to eat and for her to dry some for medicine.  I know that dried rattlesnake is folk medicine but I am happy the animal went to nourish them in whatever way they saw fit.  

It was large and intimidating.  Everything I have read about rattler bites has me feeling okay about what happened.  

So that is why Blanca gets the best seat next to the fire when she is chilly at night.  And if she didn't prove herself enough by saving me from a very likely rattlesnake bite, she once again started a barking tirade in the middle of the day and I knew that she reserved her voice for serious trouble.  I came running out to find this absolutely gorgeous lynx hanging out in our driveway.  

I don't think bobcats attack humans in general, but I was pretty happy that Blanca let this dude know that this is not a place to come looking for food!  I feel like both Blanca and Toby would be treats for this lynx and hopefully it was just passing through and was adequately warned.  

Speaking of Toby, he has been spending a lot of time inside as he is not yet a huge fan of Blanca.  So he does a lot of exploring and has noticed our mini invasions of mice.  Now he always wants to be under the beds or in the cabinets hunting.  

He brought me 2 mice in the wee hours of my birthday.  Very thoughtful.  

I already posted so many birthday pictures on FB so I thought I would post an outtake silly one here.  I love that Luca is about to burst with laughter!

Another fun one. Just because it was so perfectly lovely to trek to the beach for my birthday sunset.

Speaking of my birthday sunset...

I got a card from my Mom just in time to open it in bed on my birthday.  It felt like a long distance hug from her and made me feel really loved. I also received quite a few gifts.  I didn't get a picture of the sweet giving bag one friend brought me heaps of treats in, but I got one of this gorgeous bag filled with all manner of wonderful surprises.

Also, on the way back from my birthday picnic I noticed this night blooming datura in all its glory.  Isn't it magnificent?  I know friends who put them under their pillows to enhance their dreams.  The plant itself is poisonous/hallucinatory.  

This is the very sad result of your husband putting a ballena (a liter of Pacifico beer) in the freezer and completely forgetting about it.  Luca thought Max should eat it as a beer slushy but I warned of broken glass.  I don't think Max was into it regardless.  Our freezer still smells like a freaking brewery and needs to be cleaned!

Much more pleasantly, I ground bright red/purple hibiscus flowers into a fine powder to use in the frosting and filling of my birthday cake!

After trying to put almost 4 dozen candles on the cake last year, I decided to just put one large one on this year.  We don't want to burn down our new palapa roof! 

I know Toby has starred in quite a few pictures but isn't this one the best?  My cousin, who gave us his mom's cat after she died, shares the same birthday as me.  I thought it fitting that Toby should send him a birthday greeting and some love.

Just as I send love to each of you.  Thanks again for sharing the journey with us!