68/365 - Snake in the Grass

This afternoon, I was treated to the harsh sound of Molly's "snake bark".  Fortunately, the squeaky toy trick I used last time worked again, so I was able to get her and Trixie inside quickly.

(Ever since last time, I've kept a very squeaky, highly desirable dog toy on hand-- one she hardly ever gets to play with, so that absence gets a chance to make the heart fonder.  She completely ignores the sound of my voice calling, begging, or scolding, but she apparently can't resist the alluring squeak of that toy.)

I went out (camera in hand) to see if I could find and identify the snake.   (I didn't actually see it earlier, but I could tell from the bark and the way Molly acted that there was one.)  The first I saw of it, it looked like just a loose piece of that black insulation foam that's designed to go around pipes-- but then the foam started hissing, and I knew I'd found the snake.  (g)

I couldn't get a really good look at it, because it stayed partially hidden under some overgrown grass, but our zoom lens let me take a couple of decent photos.  Though it had a heavy body and those rough (keeled) scales-- both of which (to me, at least) signal "MOCCASIN"-- I thought I also detected an upturned "nose".  That and the hissing (and the lack of the display of a milk-white mouth) made me a little more comfortable.  Looking at the photos on the computer, I'm convinced that this was a hognose snake.

Hognose snakes display some interesting behaviors when threatened.  They flatten out their necks and sometimes even lift their heads to further resemble a cobra.  They may also hiss and strike (though experts say that if you look closely you'll notice that the mouth stays closed, as the strike is only for show).  Supposedly, they are very unlikely to bite, even if handled.  Instead, they roll over and play dead until the coast is clear.  If a "playing-dead" snake is repositioned so that its belly is back on the ground, it will roll over again into the "dead" position.

All very interesting, but I'd rather it stayed out of our yard.  I don't trust it not to hurt our dogs, and I don't particularly want to stumble upon it, myself, the next time I'm doing yard work. . .

67/365 - Divinity

Granny sent some sweet treats home with us, yesterday evening, and I thought this one-- called "divinity"-- was worth photographing, primarily because I will always associate this homemade candy with holiday get-togethers at my paternal grandparents' house.

Divinity is a very sweet, light, nut-laden confection. I've always thought of it as a Southern goody, but apparently it may not be peculiar to this region.

I don't know Granny's recipe (& so ought to ask, one of these days), but there are of course many to choose from online. On one such recipe web page, I found a Google ad for "diabetes recipes". Way to take the joy out of Christmas sweets, Google! (g) ...But the stuff is almost pure sugar. Definitely not an everyday snack.

66/365 - Christmas Peeps!

Those Christmas Peeps must be really good! ;o)

(This is Olivia's reaction after opening a gift at my paternal grandparents' Christmas party, yesterday afternoon.)

65/365 - Moody Sky

We've been having a lot of rain, lately, but now we're due for a few days of sunshine.  The clouds didn't clear until the very end of the day, though, so our Friday sky was moody.

This was the view across the neighboring field (reached by a little walk). 

64/365 - Trixie, Molly, Banana

It's another of those "waited too late to take my photo today" photos.  ;o)  Of course, you already knew that, as soon as you saw this blurry snapshot.  Here we have Trixie licking a banana peel while Molly eagerly awaits her turn.  (Taken with the point-and-shoot.)

63/365 - Finished Millicent Scarf

I finished blocking this scarf a while ago. (There's even a photo of the process, further back in my photostream.) However, I never got around to taking a photo of it, afterward. These still aren't the best possible "beauty photos", but they get the point across.

I've yet to wear the scarf, but I plan to remedy that almost immediately. I'm happy with how it turned out. It's probably not perfect, because I'm not a perfect crocheter, but it doesn't have to be perfect (especially since it's mine-all-mine ;o)).

62/365 - ...And Neither of Us Even Fish!

Maybe I shouldn't comment-- just leave this photo (and its companion, which I'll stick at the bottom of the post) as a mystery to keep you awake at night. "Why would they possibly need so many reels, even if they both did go fishing? And why so many of (nearly) the same exact design?! WHY?!"

Rather than drive you mad with curiosity, though, I'll acknowledge that they aren't really ours.  We're just receiving them and mailing them on to someone else, and he won't be keeping them all for himself, either.  (g) 

I find it amusing that these Swedish reels are going home after their adventures in the U.S.  Won't they have some tales to share?  ;o)

In the meantime, they make quite a little collection!