Dad and Marie-Laure have lived on an epic arch of California hillside for coming on thirty years. Their charming little ranch house is filled with wonderful food, books and artwork. The sitting area is held between a baby grand piano and a hospitable hearth—both are perfect for warming chilled bones.

                                          Yes, inside it’s always cozy and comfortable.

   Yet perhaps the most alluring aspect of this homestead is the surrounding landscape. Dad and Marie-Laure live in a wildlife wonderland. Their private acreage is bordered by miles of undeveloped parcels. Long grasses trip across rugged canyons, which twist like crumpled paper until they kiss the toes of Mount San Gorgonio, the highest peak in Southern California. Throughout the years, many wild animals have been seen and photographed on the property; Dad and Marie-Laure keep their cameras at the ready. This week they have been kind enough to share some of their favorite images/series. I hope you enjoy...

          a bobcat in the wildflowers - only ears at first sight

                                                         backlit raven collecting nest material

           a young bear next to the house     another adult treed by dogs

                           two fiesty ravens mob a red-tailed hawk                    

                                                          a marsh hawk's "skirt" blows

                                                                                 a male harrier (marsh) hawk in flight

one curious coyote     

                  a sweet little brown towhee, one of the many songbirds that brighten the air

         a great-horned owl   

                                     a mule deer leaping off into the distance

Wonderful sights, don't you agree? A giant thanks to my dad for collecting and sizing all the pictures for this special photo blog from the ranch. Gosh, looking at all these awesome animals, I just can't wait to go back over for another visit!