Unidentified Snake

Addendum: This snake was photographed in the bottom of a five gallon bucket...that will help give you an idea of his comparative size. He was a long but not "big" snake.

Memorial Day, Summer Weather and Snake

As a Veteran and wife of a current Air Force Reservist, Memorial Day is very meaningful to me. My sacrifices for our country have frankly been minor in comparison to those of so many that have gone before me. I enjoyed my time in the National Guard, and am glad I was able to serve, but I have not suffered the tremendous losses that other military members and their families have endured. My humble thanks and prayers to all of them.

Here in southeastern Oklahoma, we have a lovely window in Spring , where the temps are comfortable, the winds generally no more than breezes, and the humidity is low. Today however had that humid feel of summer, when one is very grateful for air conditioning. I have learned to respect the way homes were designed years ago in the South, long /tall windows on both sides of a home, that allowed for cross ventilation. Relatively high ceilings. Big covered porches outside to sit "of an evening". Most newer homes to not have these features. If electricity becomes alot more expensive thanks to proposed "cap and trade" laws, I will miss the air conditioning and have to learn to live with fans! Pictured above are Catalpa blooms. Catalpas are a marvelous tree that I did not know about before I moved to Oklahoma. They can be very tall, although our tree is not. They have huge heart shaped leaves, and in the Spring the blooms are lovely and quite fragrant.

Although we live on a rocky hill here at Rock Farm, we rarely see snakes, which is strange. Now it could be that the abundance of yard dogs, chickens, and cats play a role in the distaste of snakes for our property, I don't know. I can count on one hand the number of snakes (OK, two hands) that I have seen in our almost eight years here. Today my husband found one traversing our brick footpath. We caught it, put it in a bucket, and all took a look before letting it go. I grabbed my snake book but could not get a sure I.D. of this fellow. I will post his picture next.

The Return of the Sun

It could also be "The Return of the Son" I guess, it sure does feel like it some days. Uncertain times everywhere. I am grateful to be in a place where I can have the freedom to raise at least part of my family's diet. Spring's bounty has brought a set of twin goats kids (Tristan and Isolde) now two weeks old, and last Thursday, a singleton. In strict accordance with Murphy's Law, while racketing about trying to get ready for a UMW church women's luncheon and battling an ant invasion in the kitchen (evidently the ants were flooded out by the incredible amount of rain we have had and chose to move inside) I went out to feed goats and noted one doe with telltale signs of recent birth. I went looking, and found her tiny son staggering to his wobbly legs in the mud. She claims to know nothing about him and that she was never pregnant, and who the heck do I think I am, anyway? So...we have a bottle kid on our hands. Olivia named him "Marty" after his undeserving mother "Marta". This makes the second infant abandonment for her in two years, I think Marta needs to find employment in a brush clearing line of work.

As for the garden...the potato crop survived the two week deluge to my great joy. The lettuce, spinach, peas and broccoli are quite merry. Squash and tomatoes look depressed, hopefully now that the sun is back that will change.