@DenoPenno

Thank you very much.

We feel your pain... When we moved here 23 years ago, the 22-acre property across the 'street' was owned by the person who created Tabasco Sauce. They put a large house on top of the hill and pretty much ignored it -- it has been said to easily have the best view in town.

A developer bought the property a few years ago and made it into ~1-acre lots so the wildlife has suffered.

There were deer, quail, javelina and coyotes among others all of which we miss greatly. The biggest problem was and is keeping our dogs safe (mostly watching and keeping the dogs in at night). One time a raccoon wandered onto our porch and challenged our biggest dog. The raccoon ended up in a tree and they both lost fur. Neither seemed seriously hurt.

One picture is our place from a different direction and you have to search a little but there are deer. The javelina, quail, coyote and hummingbird are from the front of our house.

Some situations you wish could last but time moves on. Nothing I know of lasts forever. We feel lucky to have been here.

Hummingbird on the feeder out the front window.

Coyote by the mailbox.

@RichCC The 10 acres is still 10 acreas - until the zoning changes. It might not. I just could not keep the place up, a lot work for a single person getting older. The wildlife was amazing. I saw the tracks of linx, cougar and bobcat. Saw a bear. There was deer and elk. Quail, grouse, owls and goshawk. It was amazing.

@silverotter11
We bought the property from the family of a woman who passed -- it's technically in town and the neighborhood is popular. The city council knows our area by name and knows we will get together and protect it.
The property was originally an old-folks-home but time does go on.

The woman who took the deer picture did so from their house that they bought as a hunting cabin approaching 80 years ago now. Now the road in front of their house is paved.
We did chase Wal-Mart about 10 blocks away a few years ago but there's only so much you can do. It's amazing how the money always ends up winning.

@RichCC Don't EVEN get me started on saving the open spaces, taxes don't pay for services and the water issues!! I fought the good fight for that also. It always comes down to money, greedy developers and who the couny commissioners are.