It is hard to believe our eyes sometimes when we gaze out of our windows here. We are so close to civilization and yet when we look at our back yards or front yards or even to the middle of the street, we see wild animals normally found in the forest. Residents have spotted pumas (rarely), coyotes, raccoons, skunks, deer and more deer, hawks, owls, squirrels, blue jays, hummingbirds, gophers, rabbits, mourning doves, woodpeckers, finches, mockingbirds, wrens, egrets....you get the picture. We even have an unusual bee native to this area that doesn't bite or sting and makes its hive in the ground. There is also an abundance of ants, lizards and termites.

No bears, lions or tigers, thank goodness.

We are not very far from Crystal Springs reservoir and walking trail where there is also an abundance of wildlife. I have actually seen a mountain lion, more than one bobcat, snakes, rabbits, hawks and deer while walking that trail. People come from all over the world to see its beauty and experience nature on that lovely trail, yet many locals might not even know about this treasure in our own little neck of the woods.