Summer and the living ain't so easy

Summer has settled into southern Arizona with a vengeance. Temperatures are reaching 105-110F every day with the sun blazing in clear skies. Fortunately, the winds have eased, allowing firefighters to make progress in containing record wildfires across the region.

The local wildlife around our house in the Tucson Mountains, backing up to the regional park, have again discovered the 40 square feet of grass we maintain out back. The squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits spread out belly down in the cool grass and dig shallow burrows into the soil in the late afternoon.

A few days ago, my wife Ann caught this shot of a bobcat who took over for a while.