Education at the Gate

One of the interesting things about gate guarding is getting to see different critters passing by and seeing different landscapes. With a camera in hand, I often walk down the road a bit for exercise and to photograph visitors to my domain (though I am actually the visitor) and see what wonderful changes are happening with the local plants. Life interests me. Sometimes life comes to me instead as birds like to sit on my fence and other critters wander the brush nearby.

I have seen deer, cows, rabbits, roadrunners, and turtles crossing the road inside the gate every morning and evening. I saw a snake swimming in the flood water. Lots of lizards scramble about. A big black hairy tarantula crossed my path one morning. Eek! We get large groups of butterflies here. Some are yellow while lately I mostly see orange butterflies. They make lovely decorations on truck grills. Splat!

A baby coyote was displaced from his family during the flood and came to my gate to get into the ranch. When I could not let him in, a roadrunner (believe it or not!) showed him how to get in under the fence. He was very hungry and came by again that night to eat many of the bugs attracted by my work lights. I hope he found his family after the flood.

I have also been adopted by a stray cat that lives on the ranch. It likes to sleep under my trailer or truck to get out of the sun.

Of course, there is also the never ending battle with Texas ants and flies who also like to visit me. If you happen to pass by and see my wildly gyrating inside my RV or hear me yelling, “Die, die you bastards!” now you know why. Not all life is good. Some I could do without. 😉