The sound of lizard feet

Ever hear the sound of lizard feet on Juniper bark??

I have.

I was standing next to a Juniper, we call them Red Heart Cedar down here, watching a small Texas Spiny Lizard stalking and chasing down ants under the vegetation near the base of it.

I had stepped out of the barn to check out the going's on down in the pond because I heard the piercing cry, cry, cry of the Red Tailed Hawk. Turns out there wasn't any goings on at the moment, no deer, no egrets, and no hawks, at least none that I could see, but that's not unusual as they, the hawks, are very shy and skittish, but I just stood there for a while anyway.

I don't do that enough, just stand there. It seems like I'm always  'busy' and don't take the time to just be.

But on the rare occasions when I do Zen out I'm often rewarded.

Not my photo by the way

Today, as I watched the busy little lizard on the ground go about the business of living just a foot or so from my toes, I heard this faint but rapid tickity, tickity tickity, beside me.

I looked over to find a larger Spiny Lizard clinging to the bark of the Juniper I was standing next to, head down, as he checked out what was going on in his territory.

Just a few inches from my left hand, he did a couple 'look at me, I'm big and strong' pushups, then skittered a few more inches down the tree.

Now I knew for certain that I didn't imagine it, that his tiny feet definitely made little tickity, tickity, sounds as he ran, rapid little ticketies, like someone pulling quickly on a very tiny zipper.

A few more pushups and another short sprint down the tree and the little guy on the ground gave way and ran off as the big guy leapt to the ground and chased him far enough to make sure the message was received. 'This is my tree and you need to stay away!'

So, like I said; this morning I heard the sound of lizard feet. I don't know what it means, or even that it has to mean anything beyond the experience, but maybe I'll take it as a sign that I should try to spend less time being busy and more time just being.

If nothing else it's a hell of an excuse for vegging out!

What do you mean what am I doing?? I'm listening for the sound of running lizards!!!