Relaxing in Ramsey Canyon, Part Two (Gobble, Gobble)

Today, I'm sharing more photos from the days we spent in a cabin in Ramsey Canyon which is about ten miles south of Sierra Vista, Arizona (and not all that far away from the Mexican border). The cabin may not have been much, but it had a million dollar deck that made our vacation something very special.

This week, I'll show you some photos of the second wave from the Welcome Wagon that came to check us out. I don't know how many of you have ever seen wild turkeys, but they are completely different from domestic turkeys. I know hunters who are thrilled if they can bag a wild turkey because they are extremely smart and quick, while domestic turkeys seem to have had all their intelligence bred out of them. Did you know that Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be our national bird instead of the bald eagle? It's true! So I considered it a privilege to be able to watch about a dozen turkeys up close and personal so I could see a bit of their behavior.

Speaking of behavior, on their first visit, the big tom turkey came up first to sample our buffet while the rest of the family kept back. He didn't eat much, then he walked off and stood guard while the rest of the family ate. After the first visit, that protocol was not followed again. (Hmmm... perhaps he was the Royal Taster?) 

Let's get started!

This bird was the first to notice that there were two new folks in the neighborhood.

Soon the whole family came by to check us out.

They spent a good deal of time in grooming. I was sad that I never got a decent photo that showed how beautiful the males' feathers can be-- rusts, greens, blues, and reds that glowed in the sunlight.

As you can see, as long as we didn't move much, they weren't shy.

When it came time for a Sunday afternoon nap, they didn't get as close as the deer, but they did get comfortable and snooze away-- although they took turns being the sentinel bird.

A face only a mother could love.

One afternoon, a big gust of wind came down through the canyon and blew my bag of popcorn across the deck, spilling about half the contents. Denis started wondering where a broom was, but I told him not to worry about it. Sure enough, within minutes of our going inside, the maid came to tidy up. (Didn't miss a single piece either!) ~db~

There you have some turkey photos. Next week, I'll share some with fur and scales. I hope you're enjoying Ramsey Canyon! And just in case you missed it, you can check out Part One of this series.