Of This and That

Smoke Tree Lane winds through our neighborhood in Prescott for about three miles. Along it you find rocks with petroglyphic images.

Images, produced by prehistoric people, are found throughout the world. There are more than 30,000 of them in the Southwest US alone (with the greatest concentration being in Utah). This complex geometric design has been associated with the Sinaqua culture.
This rock shows a deer. The Yavapai Indians native to this area often copied the designs of more ancient petrogylphs they found when they moved into the area.
The signifigance of the petroglyphic imagery is not well understood. Some had religious meaning, some recorded important events. Certainly some were just a manifestation of man's need for an artistic outlet.

Early white visitors to the area saw the petroglyphs and felt the same impulse to record their presence. Click on the picture to see the eagle and flag carved on this rock by J. L. Kimball in 1869.
Even older than the petroglyphs are some of the critters that inhabit Arizona. Carolyn and I encountered this fellow one morning during our walk. (You can tell he's a fellow by the bright markings. Females are less colorful.)

This is an Eastern Collared Lizard. (See two black bands around his neck.) This Southwest native lives in a range from Canada to Mexico. They eat insects, other lizards and even small snakes. This fellow was not frightened by me and let me get quite close to take pictures. When frightened, however, he will rear up on his hind legs and run in bipedal fashion.
A favorite of ours is the road runner. This one lives near our house and is seen frequently in the early evenings. He never fails to come home without a lizard in his mouth - bringing carry-out to the kids.