~~~ Well the garden snake may have skipped town...there doesn't seem to be any sign of him this morning...and I did want it to get rid of the moles and gophers that are digging up under the lawn and around our calla lillies. The interesting thing I read about the snake, is "Black Rat Snake" -- "It's belly is covered with scales, that overlap like shingles, with their edges facing backward. Each scale is attached to a rib with special muscles that can move it up, down, forward or backward." (This from the publication "The Field Guide to Wildlife Habitats of the Eastern United States Janine M. Benyus 1989. A Fireside Book) ~~ I'm thinking this is why is seemed to very quiet when it crawled over the back porch and startled my youngest a couple weeks ago. I don't know how it crept along the wall of the kitchen an' never was seen by my son, but it was something I found facinating. The lil' guy probably by now, has moved into another portion of the yard...I guess he's (or is it a female??) off to discover something else to nest and eat all the bugs and whatever else it has for meals. We have a very large amount suddenly of catepillars, so maybe the snake will eat them. A few of the collards in pots have been nearly cleaned of all their leaves...ugh...I'm hoping something will eat thosethings. We've sprayed this week an' hope to get more on the leaves by this evening.

I also took down another field guide to wildlife, but could't find a picture of one of the spiders we have hanging by a very large web in our carport...the spider has some spots on it's legs, and it looks to be about 2" in diameter. Very big Spider!! I can't find where the names are located in my field guide, so I'll do some searching online. I also made the most amazing discovery last week of a very little baby bunny!! I was carrying out my load of laundry to hang up, and directly in front of me was a Little Itty Bitty Baby Bunny..the most sweetest thing I have ever laid eyes on!! It's little ears weren't fully colored yet, and were still pink in the interior portion..teeny little paws and very pale fur...I took one look at it and was so suprized I dropped my basket of clothes, an' said, "OH! Look at you!!" The Youngest heard me from an open window facing the yard and sez, "Leave the baby bunny alone.." I just froze in my tracks!! It started to walk near me, but then thot better of that, and made a turn under the large calla lillies..absolutely the most amazing teeny thing I've ever seen!

Must make a quick exit -- I've got to make some copies of paperwork for the Hosp. so they can decide what their going to do for my fun little bill...my nerves are so shot right now with all the papers and forms, my head starts to ache just thinking about it...

Lady of The Tulips -- who, after looking at the scientific name of the black rat snake, (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta) wonders about the similar snake, " Black Swamp Snake" ( seminatrix pygaea) Are they sharing the same territory? Do they have spaces where they don't overlap in a garden bed or lawn? Very interesting. And will lead me to doing more investigating...