Lizards can't swim

How do I know that?  Well, we took a down trip to the farm and spent a couple of days.  The area is in a terrible drought at the moment, we have had very little rain proceeded by an unusually warm, dry winter. The pasture is dried up and the dust is constantly swirling.  The mustard weed that covers the pasture in early spring with a blanket of yellow flowers didn't even break ground.  The nutrient rich, high in protein, kosher is only about 2 inches tall, stunted, struggling to survive.  The large Russian Thistle weed that completes it's yearly cycle as Hugh tumble weeds stacked 10 feet high in the yard will not be blocking the pathways this year........that at least is good news!

In a typical spring usually thousands of tumble weeds are blown into the yard

I cleaned out the weedy debris from the neglected fish pond and filled it with water.  As the water splashed over the rocks surrounding the pond several very thirsty lizards came out of the shady crevices to lap the water off the rocks.  One lizard simply ran to the edge of a rock and preforming a graceful SWAN lizard dive, it dove right into the pond!  I grabbed a shovel and fished him out and explained to him that lizards can't swim.  Not his species anyway.

 As I continued watering the half dead trees and shrubs around the dead lawns, the lizards came in droves to drink the water before it was soaked up by the thirsty earth.   Several lizards, scorpions, and even a few baby birds met their demise in my fish pond over the next few days.  The summer monsoon  season will soon be upon us.  Hopefully, it will revive the pastures ,refresh the lizards, and settle the dust.
GREAT news, according to people living at the mobile home on the farm, we have had almost a week of rain.  Good news for me and the lizards, now they can just splash in the puddles and will not need to learn how to swim.