my friend the lizard

Outside my front door and encompassing the little patio space is my new friend of about a week and a half - a lizard. It's a tiny one, I'm guessing two and a half to three inches long, tail included. I don't know the species, but I don't see any bright color on its belly.

Whenever I go outside and when the sun is shining brightly on the patio, I can't help but look for it. What's particular about this one (I think it's always the same one, although I've spotted three lizards at the same time on opposite sides of the house wall; one of those three though has had its tail pulled off) is when I go out and stand and look for it, it usually comes out from under the plants and makes itself visible to me. It's as if we have a connection and it isn't frightened of me.

I've sat down on the concrete within a couple of feet from it and we keep each other company for a little while. Just yesterday, it eventually leapt up into the branches of a still young Mt. Diablo manzanita shrub that I'm hoping will flower for the first time next year. I didn't know our local lizards climbed into branches like that. I really don't think I'm imagining more than there is... I think this particular lizard recognizes me and that we're compadres!