Wildlife, in our yard.

Lizards! We have a lifetime supply! They are all the same type, but they come in every size possible from about 2 inches to about 15 inches. The males have orange heads and orange or yellow tail tips. The females can change their color to blend in with their surroundings (or at least they think so- the closest they can get to our yellow walls is a pale pinkish hue). Anytime we walk outside we scatter a half dozen lizards that had been lounging in the sun or shade or hanging out on the walls. We watch them on the pool surround - heads bobbing in warning to other males and as they play spirited games of "King of the Curb" and chase each other onto and off of the curbing by the back door.

The dogs think they are great toys. The large ones are uncatchable (thank heaven), but the smallest ones are unfortunately too inexperienced and too slow to dodge the friendly paws that come their way. Elliot habitually smacks each one with a paw to ask it to play and then wanders off in disappointment when it just lies there (newly dead) and won't respond. Thankfully he only sees the tiny ones if they are in the house where we would just as soon not have a steady stream of lizards, so it isn't all bad, but if we see them first, we catch them and let them go outdoors. Cody Bill likes to watch them- chasing them would require thought and energy, neither of which he has in any appreciable amount, so they are kind of like his television. He just watches them for entertainment and then takes a nap.

Since they eat insects, we are very happy to be Lizard Central because now that we live in equatorial Africa, the fewer insects in our yard the better. :-)