Great picture Mark!!!  I can't believe how he posed for you, after having bit you.  Like you said, probably showing off.  Glad you're OK.

 

This is a Copperhead in Five Forks.  See the water box?  Yeah, well, I have it on good authority that you shouldn't stick your hand in there.  I also know that you should be really careful around leaf piles, and bushes, especially when you've been away for a while.

 

OK, now for a little ID.  I've never seen one, and hope I only see pictures, but you can identify a copperhead by the milk chocolate kisses along the body.  See them? And look at the size of that triangular head!!  

 

Be careful out there; gardening can be hazardous to your health.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

What were you doing this morning at 7:30?

 

Jon was up on the roof looking for the spot that a flying squirrel was getting into the overhead.  He saw it this morning, and went on a search and destroy mission.  Didn't want to destroy the squirrel, just wanted to block the entry point.  So he went up there armed with steel wool, and caulk.  

 

We've heard that lots of folks have dealt with flying squirrels, but amazingly we have not, until now.  I'll let you know if his fix works.

 

You have to admire him for doing it though.  I do.

 

HAPPY HOME MAINTENANCE!!!

 

When I went out to cut some sage for our turkey dinner, this is what I saw.  Remember I told you that there was a praying mantis egg case in the sage?  Well, apparently it hatched out today, because there are lots of baby praying mantids.

 

LOVE IT!!!  Thought you would too. 

 

HAPPY MAY!!!

 

I know this is a weird picture, but I don't know how to take a picture into water without getting the reflection.  So just try to look past the reflected trees, and look into the water.

 

My picture is of tadpoles in one of the holding ponds down by the creek.  We started seeing the eggs back in February, and we check on them every day to see how much they have grown.  

 

Judging by the number of tadpoles we should be overrun with frogs, but we're not.  We have just enough to sprinkle the air with their sweet sound.  

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

 

 

Just for perspective, this is Jon's hand.  When he pulled down the branch to get a better view, they jumped on his fingers.  

 

And all these babies will eat bugs in our garden.  YAY!!!

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

We went out to fertilize the new dogwood trees, and when I looked up I saw this!!!  I knew that the praying mantis egg case was on the branch, so I just looked up to see it, and THIS is what I saw!!!  Babies emerging all over the egg case.  And going in all directions.

 

We had to stop what we were doing, and investigate this.  Remember how small the egg case is?  2 inches, max.  And I told you there are 50 -100 praying mantis babies in there?  Well, here is the proof!!!  First time I've ever seen this.  

 

We couldn't wait to check on the other ones.  There's one in the Rosemary, and another one in the sage.  Neither of them are "ripe" yet.  We'll have to keep checking back.  It is SO exciting!!!   And Amazing!!!

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

 

I hope you are checking the Angelcam for bluebird activity.  One time when I checked, Momma bird had stepped off the nest and I saw two little baby birds!!!  Another time, a different nest, there were 5 little blue eggs.

 

Here's the link again:   https://wildbirds-1.click2stream.com/   

 

And:   https://wbu-yorktown.click2stream.com/        Go there!!!

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!!

Photo credit:  Wikipedia

 

I love this picture of a male Eastern Bluebird.  Thought you would too.

 

It's time to start checking in on the Bluebirds in Yorktown.  There is a Wild Birds Unlimited Store there that has Angelcams inside a couple bluebird nest boxes.  

 

You can go to  https://wildbirds-1.click2stream.com/  to see inside one of the boxes.  And, go to  https://wbu-yorktown.click2stream.com/  to see inside the other one.  They are on slightly different schedules.  On Sunday I saw three blue eggs in one nest, and Momma Bluebird on the other one.  Go look; it is fascinating.

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

I couldn't remember if I showed you the rock that our friend up on Bella Vista kept seeing as a turtle.

 

She has lived here over 15 years, and every time she drove past this rock, she saw a turtle.  So we got a couple cans of green and blue spray paint and made her dream a reality.  She loved it!!!  So do we, every time we walk by it.  

 

LIFE IS GOOD!!!

 

I've shown you one of these before.  Remember what it is?  

 

Praying Mantis egg case.  This one is in the Rosemary bush.  It's a little hard to tell how big it is from this picture, but if you touch your index finger to your thumb, that circle is about the size of this egg case.  It probably holds between 50 and 100 baby mantids.  

 

I love finding these in the winter, because I know we will have Praying Mantids in the spring.  I love seeing them, but even more I love that they eat bugs.  I saw a full grown Praying Mantis carrying off a full size Monarch caterpillar once.  OK, I didn't love that, but it is good that they eat other bugs.

 

HAPPY ALMOST SPRING!!!