At the botanical gardens along the many pathways, I find eye candy just about every nook and cranny; different plant displays in different seasons!! And it's a good place to see water birds and migrating birds. This time of year the Purple Martins have returned to their 'condos' and busy, nesting. This day was such a day for visions of Spring. With one exception...kinda sorta.
Two lakes are part of the gardens property, with bird watcher's elevated decks here and there...and the trail extends from the lakes over a boardwalk to open land, traversing the back wooded area to the creek that flows into the bay...
On this day, near the end of my walk, as I headed to the exit, on the trail I stopped short. I froze and held my breath? A snake!!! Is it alive? I couldn't tell for sure. And such an unusual marking!! Why, I've never seen this kind before! Is it real? Is today April Fool's Day? I took a picture and was ready to quickly leave it alone. Still in awe of the color pattern, I zoomed in on the head. It was watching me!! I stepped away and as I turned back for a last glance at the slimy thing...it was creeping away into the grass!! Once home, I got on Google...it's a rare snake. A garter snake. In fact it's a checkered garter snake!! It's a new one for me. Pretty in a way, but still it spoiled my outing!!! I hate snakes. Live ones especially.
I will continue to post more photos, the rose garden, some butterflies and a bit more wildlife in the coming posts. In the meantime, check out this site for these checkered garter snakes in Texas.
I love that fountain in your first picture. The snake would have ruined it for me too. Even if they are harmless the creep me out. This one does look kinda neat though with it's checkerboard pattern.
ReplyDeleteLook up nasty in webster's and the first definition is "snake". (Jk)
Deletethe garter snake is quite handsome. and if you had touched him, they are not slimy. they are very dry and cold to the touch. my oldest son was in a herpetogy club in his teen years and owned a king snake. I only held it once, and as it wrapped around my arm I said get it off, get it off.... also they will run away if we let them. my SIL can't even stand to look at a photo of one or in a movie.. the fountain is beautiful. glad you got out again....thanks for the slide show thingy....
ReplyDeleteTouch it? No way. And I'm glad I didn't. I read about them, and they're able to spray a very offensive odor. (Like a skunk)
DeleteI kind of like snakes, although I didn't realize they are not slimy. I thought they would be, too. I wonder why some people have such a strong dislike of snakes. I also think this one is kind of pretty. :-)
ReplyDeleteBiblical? Adam & Eve? Poisonous? So many fears.
DeleteWhat a wonderful fountain and the two lakes so calming.
ReplyDeleteThe snake would have made me jump, yelp and my heart start pounding harder.
I literally froze when I spotted the snake.
DeleteThe picture of the double red buds is m favorite today. The elevated deck comes in second. I do like snakes - all of them and they are NOT slimy at all. To each his/her own opinion of them.
ReplyDeleteYou can have 'em.
DeleteOh Anni what a wonderful place for walking and snapping.
ReplyDeleteS N A K E S....yikes. Thank goodness for a zoom lens right?
I've never seen a checkered snake either it is beautiful from way far over in NC
Hugs Cecilia
Yes! Thank goodness for zoom!!
DeleteOh how I love that fountain, Anni. I have a fountain-of-sorts on my back porch but it doesn't make as "loud" a water sound as I had hoped when I bought it last year. And yes, your snake friend would have startled me too. We have a lot of garter snakes here in northern Indiana and while I don't particularly mind snakes, they still startle me when I see them. Your pictures are beautiful today, as always. Love, Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteI usually see snakes when I'm out walking.
DeleteI really like the fountain, the snake not so much.
ReplyDeleteAgree!
DeleteGlad the snake sighting was at the end of your visit and not the beginning! Look at all the beautiful photos we would have missed!
ReplyDeleteAwww, thanks Linda.
DeleteI totally agree with you! Pretty, but awful. I may have screamed and fainted. You did get great pictures, despite being terrified. I know you want to know what I got at the thrift stores, and it is all unique stuff. After my next post, I will post it all and show you!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to it Ginny.
DeleteLOL Hump day! I love that commercial, after all we grew up with Mr. Ed.
ReplyDeleteHugs Cecilia
😁🐪🐫😁
DeleteI'm impressed that you got this photo! I don't like snakes either!
ReplyDeleteThe zoom lens came in handy
DeleteWellI'm glad you got some good pictures before you saw the snake. We have Garter Snakes around hereabout I'm not sure they are the checkered kind. I know they are harmless, therefore don't bother me much.
ReplyDeleteIt makes no difference to me...a snake is a snake.
DeleteLooks like a great place to enjoy nature and that snake had such a cool pattern. Snakes don't bother me although I do get startled when I see one.
ReplyDeleteSomething I've not seen before...checkered.
DeleteI have never seen a checkered gartersnake either. This looks like a good place to visit.
ReplyDeleteRe your question about foundation. The way I used a paper foundation in this case, I cut squares of paper to the 6½ inch size square I was making, then placed my strips across and sewed. Your first strip goes on right side up, of course, and then lay the next strip on to of it, right sides facing. Sew the seam and open up. I always iron them open...some people just finger press. Then sew my next strip on. This is a way of using random scraps...one strip might be an inch wide and the next two inches. Then when you see that the square of paper is covered, you trim to size.
Also, meant to say, there is a more intricate use of foundation paper piecing where you get precise points. That is what people mean a lot of times when they say foundation paper piecing.
ReplyDeleteI put up some photos showing a little about the process of using a paper foundation to sew on to make those string quilt blocks...just in case you are interested.
ReplyDelete