Garden Update: Yellow-Backed Spiny Lizard

I was checking on my garden plot when a flash of turquoise caught my eye.

What a handsome fellow! I ran a search to identify his species, and bingo!
http://www.californiaherps.com/lizards/pages/s.uniformis.html He is a male Yellow-Backed Spiny Lizard, who I am happy to report, feasts on ants all day! Here is the species range, from the link above:

I have known for a long time that Lizard is one of my most insistent Animal Messengers. After all, my dog spends his happiest moments of life stalking and pouncing on them in my company! Here is a passage explaining Spirit Lizard import:

If Lizard is your power animal, heed your own intuition before anyone else’s. Lizard will aid you in becoming more detached from situations in your life. Now and again it is required to be detached, to separate yourself from others, to succeed in what is necessary. http://www.shamanicjourney.com/lizard-power-animal-symbol-of-dreaming-and-conservation

I wrote about how good fences promote good neighbors when we built this boundary between home and livestock a few months ago!

My poor Lemon Cucumber has been savaged by aphid-farming ants, so this bejeweled insectivore is more than welcome to be a familiar in my garden.

I hope radical surgery and a generous dousing of Neem oil will save her!

At least some plants are rocking out, like this Oregon Cayenne and the Cherokee Purple Tomato. Truth be told, the latter is only vigorous because I already conducted germ warfare with Bacillus thurinigiensis, a bacteria that targets flesh-eating caterpillars).

All in all, the struggle continues to wrest this little rectangle from the malevolent forces of nature, and I welcome all the support that benevolent Mr. Spiny has to offer!

"I will cultivate my garden....Crush the horror!"--Voltaire

Love,cat
@creationofcare

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