We have a bumper crop of prairie dogs, the tiny ones. I think they’re called ground squirrels here in the desert, but they look like tiny prairie dogs. There are tiny babies EVERYWHERE around my house and down my 400ft drive. They are so stinking CUTE! My wandering jew plant is history, I’ll be surprised if it makes a reappearance. There’s a family of “dogs” that has laid claim to my back porch, or at least the section where the pot that USED to have my wandering jew plant, is. I counted ten babies one day between two or three holes….just in that ONE section.

A few minutes ago, something big happened in tiny prairie dog-land. Mama was peeping! Peep, peep, peep…ad nauseum which got my attention, but I have no idea what prompted it. She was also stomping her back feet and shimmying her hiney. Spraying perhaps? The babies surrounded her and flag waved their bushy little tails in synchronized unison. Fascinating.

With my luck, they’ve finally figured out how to subdue my cats as part of their master plan, my cats are strictly inside only cats. You know, the temps are getting ready to soar and sizzle here. The dance they were doing is most likely a precursor to “storming the castle” in order to seize the A/C and loaded fridge for the greater good of the herd, or pack, or whatever tiny desert prairie dogs call large groups of themselves. They’ve probably unionized with the tarantulas and geckos. It’s doubtful they’ve enlisted the coyotes, but they appear to be confident enough to pull the job off themselves.

I’m seriously considering reinforcing all doors, windows and drains. The cats look nervous too…oh crap! I think I just felt the house’s foundation shift, just a little. But they’re so cute, I could let them into the nice cool house for just a little while……right? RIGHT?!?