week 12 living diversity

The environment around my house has a fair diversity of species. Pine trees, manzanita trees, ferns, dogwood trees, redbud, and poison oak are what's growing naturally, then there's apple trees, blackberry bushes, jasmine, geraniums, mint, chives, oleander, roses, grass, maple trees, all kinds of different things in my neighbor's garden, but not too obvious at this time of year. Definitely predominated by pine trees -- they have a knack for limiting what else grows, as they acidify the soil. Then there humans, cats, dogs, goats, sheep, horses, chickens, mice, lots of birds -- doves, blue jays, flickers, something with small white feathers.... coyotes, wild turkeys, deer, mountain lions. I haven't seen a mountain lion in a long time, but I'm pretty sure they're still around. And I don't see the coyotes but I see their poop. Not a whole lot of insects around these colder days, but there are spiders. Oh, and I've been seeing some wildly huge mushrooms lately. And a lone wasp, looking cold and out of place.