Fin: The End

It has officially come to the end. Winter is here and all that started as a spring sprout has meet its destiny. It all started with lizards, but due to the time of the year the topic switched towards the wild garden of my back yard. I never realized how many mysteries a back yard could hold.
Winter began with a burst of cold weather that forced all of Reno to turn on their fireplaces and make hot chocolate. The yards are full of plants that are dormant and no leaves are left to be seen. All the research I have done clearly states that no lizard is out during winter. "Hibernates during winter." (Western Sagebrush Lizard) That only shows that lizards are like any mammal and must do what ever is needed to survive. It is all part of "survival of the fittest".
With all the challenges that winter brings, it shows the struggle of nature. I had never noticed how beaten up my back yard was until after my observation project. The grass looked damaged due to the factor that it froze before it went dormant and all the traffic of the kids playing made it look worse. It was brown and yellow like if it hadn't had water all summer. "If turf receives concentrated foot traffic while it is frozen, individual grass plants may be killed, leaving you with dead spots come spring time." (What happens) The plants where dead in a matter of days. It started of with the edges being brown and in a matter of days they were completely frozen and dead. After a week of December the yard is plain and all the plants are in the trailer ready to go to the dumb.  No seasonal plant is left in the ground and all that started as a seed has come to an end.
I am grateful that I had the chance to do the observation project. It shows that just like everything in the world, it has a cycle and it must end sometime. It may be short for some, but for others it is just a chapter that can be part of a story.

 

Works Cited

 

Western Sagebrush Lizard  - Sceloporus graciosus gracilis (Western Sagebrush Lizard  - Sceloporus graciosus gracilis)

http://www.californiaherps.com/lizards/pages/s.g.gracilis.html

What happens to your grass in the winter? (Home)
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/983

Proceed

It has been a very cold week and some rain has encountered us. Every morning the grass is frozen and looks white due to the frost. No Blue belly lizard has been seen for about a month now and I have no hint that shows that they will be back anytime soon. The summer birds (Robins, Lesser Goldfinch,& California Quail) are starting to disappear south and the Canadian geese are moving into the area. I’m not sure how much longer it will be before we have our first snow fall of the year.

Canadian Geese are birds that are found all over Reno during the winter. The geese are highly hated by golf course and baseball field owners, they damage the grass with body waste and destroy the root for food. "Canada geese have become permanent residents of parks, golf courses, suburban subdevelopments, and other human habitats across much of North America."(Canadian Geese) Geese are an annoying bird when behind your back yard is a golf course.  They are loud and make a mess all over the golf course. These birds make the garbage that needs to be cleaned in the winter.

Garbage continues to be left behind by plants and our trailer continues to fill up slowly inch by inch of yard waste.  The trailer is more than half full due to the garden. My dad has taken every vegetable plant out of the garden and only the dirt is left.  There are a few holes dug up that are full of ashes from the fire place.  Firewood is split and stacked under the porch for the winter in case it rains or snows, the wood doesn’t get wet. Winter is cold and all the trash must be cleaned before it gets out of hand for spring.

Works Cited

Canada Geese, Canada Goose Pictures, Canada Goose Facts - National Geographic

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/canada-goose/



Keep Going

It is getting colder and all the lizards are long gone. All the leaves are on the ground and the trees look naked. The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer as the days go by.  I was sure that this was going to happen so I have changed my focus to my yard to see what happens. I will still keep a good eye open for the lizards, but it is harder due to the time of the year.
I walked around my yard and noticed that all the plants were dead or on there way to going dormant. The garden was no longer green, it was yellow more towards brown as all the vegetables left behind were frozen and spoiled.  The strawberry plants are no longer blossoming and have no berries left. It is time to clean the yard and get rid of all the waste that doesn't have to be there.
I have been helping my dad clean around the house and everything is dormant.  No tree has any sign of green on it and my dad has stopped watering for the year.  The rose bushes have no flowers and all the petals are burnt from the cold or on the ground. The pedals just break and become crumbs if they are grasped firmly in your hand.  The thorns are still stubborn and don't want to be handled, they claim their territory and don't want to give it up.  Winter is officially here and it is not kind to any plant outside without protection. 

Continues

It has been very cold and all the signs of winter have arrived.  Leaves have been falling on the ground everyday, as all the leaves are dying and freezing.  The mornings are getting colder and more frost is appearing on cars and grass as the days go by.  I know this weather is changing the habitat of the lizards around my house as I haven't seen any in about a week.  The adult lizards are stubborn and haven't been seen in about two weeks.  The young lizards were the most thrilling as they would run in adventure.  I'm not sure if they don't come out anymore or if they are just waiting for the hottest time of the day to go for a walk.  I know it is a matter of time before I see a straggler just wondering around looking for something to do.  I've told my dad about my observation and he told me to just give up, that it is to cold.  I still have faith and believe that a lizard will walk around as the day time weather is still warm.  I've noticed that the location of encounter is not the same anytime.  The lizards are out there, but the encounter in going to be a luck game that hope falls in my favor.  I will become a detective and hope to find the habits that lead to success.

The Next

Its has been very cold and winter is quickly on its way.  Leafs are changing colors and falling on the ground, gardens are freezing and grass is going dormant.  I have been keeping a close eye out for lizards that may appear.  The cold is playing a factor in the lizards lives, not many have been encountered.  However, I was walking outside minding my own business when a baby lizard ran right in front of my feet.  It was smaller than a mouse and it moved its legs so fast that I couldn't see them clearly.  It didn't want to stay as it disappeared under a rock in a matter of seconds, like it had to be somewhere in a hurry.  The next day I saw another baby lizard by the wood pile in my backyard,  I was not sure if it was the same one, but just like the day before it wanted nothing to do with me and it disappeared.  It astonished me that the babies are out more than the adults.  No adult has been seen, as only babies are the bravest to come out.  The lizards are disappearing and it might be time for hibernation. 
I have been very interested in the lack of appearances by the lizards. I have taken upon myself to figure out where the lizards go and rest during the winter. I have gone online and figured out that the blue belly lizards go dormant during the winter. Their bodies slow down and hide under cover. The lizards won't be out much unless the weather shifts and their body thinks it's warm enough to wake up.

The Start

This is the first of many blogs that I will publish.  I am currently doing an observation project in my AP English class that will last for a period of about three months.  I will be observing a group of blue belly lizards that live around my house.  I see the lizards regularly, and it is convenient for me because of how close they are.  I will be watching all lizards, but I will try to focus on one lizard that is missing its tail and is a little bigger than all the lizards I have seen.
It was a normal short day at school. I got home and instead of going inside I went around back to see if the lizard was in its regular spot.  I came around the corner of the shed and it was lying there as still as a rock and enjoying the sun on its tiny body.  I took miniature steps to take a closer look and I got a distance of about 4 feet. I looked at it very carefully and it had shown that its tail was coming back. The point was very slim and it went for like a cm before it rapidly expanded and evened out with his existing tail that was left. I conclude that the tail is growing out and will take a while to fully come in.  Soon after it left and I continued my business and only encountered one other lizard, it was much skinnier and was lighter colored.  It moved a lot quicker and didn't allow me to get much closer. It didn't want to bother it so I left it alone and went on with my day.