Humph!

Truth or consequences. However you may feel about endangered species, would you really want dinosaurs to still be roaming the earth? I’ve missed some movies by choice. A clue in a Crossword puzzle recently led me to an iconic scene from Jurassic Park on YouTube where the T-Rex is coming after weak, trapped humans. If I had been any age younger than I am, I would still be not sleeping at night. Is there a chance they might return? Everywhere this summer has been a mast year for miniature versions – lizards, 3 inches to 8 inches, yet a possibility for 40 feet? Mast denotes the year that trees, usually, feel they are in danger of being destroyed, so they produce an overabundance of acorns or nuts to keep the species alive. This summer of 2020, lizards of various sizes have dashed, skittered, and jumped across sidewalks, porch floors, and down steps.

My childhood with lizards was back yard interest. The green ones, known also as chameleons, sat on window sills or flower pots. If I were still enough to watch, eventually they would puff a lower flap into a red bubble below their chin. My children called it blowing bubble gum. On a darker background, the green color faded to match the dirt or bush limb giving the impression of camouflage. The possibility of catching one took swift hand eye coordination. You had to be specific to grab right behind the head and the body. Too near the tail and your catch flipped and was off. I found a wonderful phrase about this called sacrifice and regrow. Some braver boys would hold the tiny creature near the holder’s ear lobes. One bite and for a time, the boy had an earring that drew squeals from the girls. I never tried that.

This is just pure research, in case you don’t have time. Lizards are the most abundant land vertebrates ranging in size from our lizards to geckos to Komodo Dragons that can bring down a water buffalo. The green anoles of my childhood have been replaced by brown anoles that hitchhiked from Cuba on ships, This invasive species fed on the green until brown became dominant. The greens developed toe pads to enable climbing skills and are still watching safely from out of sight tree branches.

Our lizards make a walk more interesting. I counted 30 managing to flash across the sidewalk ahead of my feet on the way to the corner. They are carnivorous, so surely we have less insects and flies this summer. Birds may limit population growth. What really would help is for all humans to add a cat to the pet family. Relax. Though Texas Monthly says you can catch, wash, bread and fry, they are Biblically forbidden food. Whew!

Leviticus 11:29

And these are forbidden to you among the swarming things that swarm upon the earth:…the great lizard according to its kind, the gecko, the lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon.