Yeah Jerry, the wildlife here is spectacular, but not like it was 10-15 yrs ago. List of one's I don't see anymore;
Jack Rabbit
Bats
Tarantulas
Bobcat
Rattle Snake (any snake in the last 3-5 yrs)
In hard times, a person could easily live on all the quail and rabbit that walk around the neighborhood daily. Doves galore also.
The closest call I've had with injury was from a deer on the lot next to mine. I saw a few (5-6) deer there and walked over to investigate. Suddenly a Buck came forward and began a choppy kind of trot towards me a few yards at a time. I pulled out a Kabar and held it 2 handed in front of me, backing up slowly until I was clear. I believe that if I had turned my back on him, I likely would have been gored.
Most annoying are Pack Rats, Ground Squirrels and Chipmunks. The latter 2 want to dig under your foundations for their burrows and are quite destructive. The Rats will totally destroy anything they build nests in. Don't leave a vehicle sitting for months unless you open the hood. They will completely pack fender to fender on the engine with cactus debris and mesquite beans, as well as a fair amount of rocks ! They also love to eat the wiring down to the copper.
You're also right about not needing hot water to shower in the summer. However, in a few weeks, water left outside at night will get an ice film on it before sunrise.
Yeah, ... I gotta say that being able to count on a bright sunny day most days is a plus. I just wish it would rain and lightning and thunder as often as it did back in the late'90s.
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