New Home in the Southwest

A lean coyote chases a hare through heat of desert winds. His swift doe darts past my boots. They've managed to escape, this time. He'll lead the chase away another day. I pause to watch the side-winder as he considers a kangaroo rat, before moving on between two century plants to a rock ledge nearby. The tidy yellow rat continues eating seeds, gleaning moisture, never needing to sip drink in this dry yet vibrant land. The cactus wren with spotted breast sits atop a prickly pear. The gilded flickers' rosy cheeks and banded wings are a colorful reminder of the beauty I find out here. Their sturdy tails prop them upright against a great saguaro, carving out a hole for nest. I crunch the tangy bulb of a white desert lily whose green tendrils curl on the ground. And here, as evening cools walking back to my new home, a silver moon illuminates my path. I glory in this wondrous desert scene.