It is amazing how life can change so drastically suddenly - A reminder to never take loved ones and other irreplaceable things that are close to your heart for granted. Fortunately,for all of us in Idyllwild, the wildfire did not cross over the ridge into this town. Just beyond its borders, 27,000 acres are smoldering. Officially, 98 percent is contained. "Thank You" banners decorated the town this week.
When the unexpected rains stopped after 2-3 days of welcomed relief, the helicopters restarted their efforts at putting out remaining hot spots.
Early in the week, we buried the bird that died in the fire and landed on our stairs. We put a marker to remember all the unknown wildlife that did not survive up in the wilderness.
Every day, I looked outside for the return of life to our part of the woods. A male and female Nuttall's Woodpecker came to our yard this week for the very first time. I'm not sure where they normally live but it
was great to see them.
The Steller's Jays brought normalcy when I saw the juvenile follow its parent fluttering its wings wanting to be fed.
I especially wanted to see if the Mountain Quail family had survived. They did! It was great to see the parents just as attentive to the safety of their brood. The family has shrunk from six to two offspring. With all the natural challenges they face (snakes,owls,hawks,bobcats,coyotes, wildfire), it seemed pretty remarkable.
Tillie and Billie, 40-50year old Desert Tortoises, were among the animals that were evacuated from the Nature Center. We had a good time getting to know them this week when we helped with cleaning up their home along with feeding them a gourmet salad for lunch.
These baby Desert Tortoises have a way to go to be as big as their parents.
With all the wilderness trails closed, there are few options for hiking. The trail at the Nature Center is one of the few trails that is open. It was a welcome beautiful sight to see Tahquitz Rock and Southridge in the distance - A much more peaceful sight without the smoke!
