As long as we’re talking about animals, I’ll show you some of the reptiles we have seen out at the ranch. Not as cuddly as kittens, but we do like reptiles! Sorry, we’re strange that way. Remember we visited Reptile Gardens in South Dakota last summer!
As I mentioned earlier, Sam was building the block walls in December, 2007. He mixed the mortar by shoveling sand and cement into the wheelbarrow and adding water. One afternoon, a shovel-full of sand landed in the wheelbarrow and continued to wriggle.
This big boy had been hibernating in the sandpile and was sleepy enough that he hung around awhile. Sam later discovered that he’s called a Clark’s Spiny Lizard.
Before returning him to his winter burrow or sand cave, Sam officially and properly recorded his length as 8 or 9 inches.
Off and on during the next year, we would see him (or a relative) roaming the well house walls or scurrying through the weeds.
In August, 2008, Sam renewed his friendship with Mr. Spiny and a distant smaller cousin. Sam swears the big lizard recognized him as a friend!
