A Journal for SKRoberts

Hummingbirds have the cutest dogfights EVER.

I almost caught a snake!

I was just getting back from the store and was walking across the front yard to go inside. I heard a rustle in the leaves next to me and saw the blur of a tail disappear beneath them. I stopped and thought, O-o-o-o, was that a lizard or a snake?! I poked the leaves a little to see if it would move, and a red/yellow/black striped snake darted out, trying to get away. It was at least two feet long, maybe longer, and around half an inch in width around its widest part.

Being me, I, of course, dropped my bags of groceries and went chasing after it. I felt like The Crocodile Hunter! I managed to grab its tail, but it slipped away. After a few moments, it stopped and curled up in some tall grass, its head hidden. At this point, I figured it was a garter snake, as I've seen one in the garden before, but my survival skills asked, Do you really want to test that?! Otherwise, I would have grabbed it right off. I tried to trap its coil under my hand, but it scuttled under some more leaves and got away for good. Blast!

Though it escaped, and I didn't get a good look at it, I so totally almost caught a snake. That is pretty awesome. :D

EDIT: I do not advise chasing snakes unless you have more than a brief knowledge of them, and certainly not when you're alone. I'm no expert on snakes, but I have researched them quite a bit, so I feel comfortable with my level of knowledge. And in this case, I had a person nearby to call out to if I was bitten. So, I have to be a mom and say, "DO NOT TRY THIS YOURSELF."

I just saw an anole lizard scratch its head with one of its back legs...

OMG IT WAS SO CUUUUUUUUUTE!!!

That is all. :D

Time for a fish update!

( Fishlets )
( Ropefish )
( Dean and Sam the Bettas )

Man, the geckos are everywhere. During a class last night, some girls found a wee "lizard" in the ladies room. As they were tiptoeing around, being careful not to step on it or have it come near them, I spotted it and nabbed it. I declared it was in fact a gecko and not a lizard, and they were impressed I knew that. I went outside to set the wee one free, but it didn't want to let go of my hand! So, imagine me wiggling around almost like a pretzel as it crawled up my arm, trying to get the thing to leap off on its own. I'm sure it was amusing. Even one of the security guards came over to make sure I was okay! Anyway, the critter finally let go, and I went back inside to my class. One of the girls from the bathroom said, "Man, you have some balls" for catching it in the first place. *snicker*

Just call me the Gecko Hunter. ;)

I just saw not one but two pairs of lizards trying to eat each other's faces! One pair was on the side fence, and the other was on the pergola. The latter two almost fell on us! It was interesting to see two lizards hanging from a trumpet vine pod, one keeping the other from falling by clamping down on its head. Ah, nature.

The garden is so awesome.

Not too long ago, we go a new door for the back of the house. This one has a window in it. When I'm taking a break from fandom, I like to stand and look out into the garden. The wondrous creatures I see! Well, okay, they're pretty average for this area, but they're still cool. So, here are pictures!

( Nature! )