ANIMALS OF THE MEDICINE WHEEL

Being out near the Joshua Tree National Park, the medicine wheel has become an oasis for many of the animals of the desert. It is not at all surprising to see Coyote walking through the grounds as we are watering or landscaping.

Today's animal is the Roadrunner. BEEP BEEP. Sorry couldn't resist. On the grounds we have at least 3 resident roadrunners. The friendliest one we call Sally to honor a departed loved one. Sally is quite the character. Coming up to us for water, using the fountain as her/his own source of drinking water, and even peeking in on us through the windows of the house. Sally loves to perch on the roof and overlook the property. There is another roadrunner that got a bit confused during mating season. She/he kept jumping and presenting to its own reflection in the windows, the confused suitor even brought the mirror image gifts in the form of small lizards in hope they would mate. No luck.

The Hopi believed the roadrunners to be medicine birds that would ward off evil spirits. Other tribes believed seeing one was good luck. The foot print of a roadrunner was used to ward off evil spirits. The print is X shaped and it is believed that it is that way so as to not give any evil spirits a clue as to the direction the bird went to. Other tribes even used the feathers to protect babies from bad spirits.