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13 July 2007

Slow summer so far

We're having a pretty uneventful summer... even moreso than usual. Obviously, the drought has quite a bit to do with this happenstance. But I reckon I can't lay the entire blame on lack of rain. Unless it's also responsible for my lack of gumption lately. There's also the continually rising gas prices and... Well, whatever the reason, I haven't been nearly as photographically active.

When I transferred my files to the new computer, I started going through all the pictures for the past few years and re-discovered so many wonderful forgotten experiences. And there's an added bonus... this new monitor has nicely improved my photography skills. ;)
Here's one of my favourite snake encounters from May of 2005. Ain't he a beauty?!


I love seeing these guys in the yard. Well, I did have to cut a branch that hung over the bird feeders, coz one of his cousins was ambushing some of our favourite feathered friends.

7 comments:

R.Powers said...

I'm partial to these beauties also. Around here, folks call them "Oak Snakes".
They are great climbers.

Anonymous said...

Ooh, maybe that is what left the HUGE skin in an oak tree in the pasture. The skin was waving in the breeze and scared the life out of me. Do they live this far south? I have only seen the black ones and the red ones.

SophieMae said...

FC, according to my google results, I didn't think these were found in your neck of the woods. I also love the black racers, but the greys look like they can eat more rats.

Cathy, good job it didn't scare your horse while you were astride! You might have seen a young yellow rat snake. They do interbreed with the greys where their range overlaps. Another favourite is the Florida pine snake, which I've only seen a couple times.

Meems said...

i just discovered your blog. hope you don't mind me chiming in. this heat lately will make the best of us slow down a bit.

just a few weeks ago i saw a yellow rat snake in my yard. it wasn't too much in a hurry to scurry away from me like the black racers do. the fact that they climb trees makes me a little edgy but i try not to think about it when i'm working in my yard.

your photography is fabulous.

btw, we homeschooled when no one else was doing it too. my kiddies are all grown and married now.

SophieMae said...

Meems, thanks ever so for commenting! It's always great to see fresh faces. 8-]

I always try to remember to look up before walking under overhanging branches. So far, no snakes have dropped on me. The tree frogs are another matter. >8\

Meems said...

looking up is my problem. i have so many trees and it seems i am always looking down at my landscape - you know for weeds and dead-heading needs. since i spotted the rat snake, i am doing my best to remember to scope out the trees before proceeding. i'm sure i have passed them by many times and never even known it. :-)

Meems said...

sophiemae:
i'm thinking with all your butterfly knowledge you can identify the butterflies on my post from a couple of weeks ago. Care to help a sister out?