Friendly Neighbor

Monday, when I returned home from work, Gayle told me all about a quick little adventure. In the early afternoon, she and Caden were playing 'watch mom make funny faces' when the dogs started barking. Sure the dogs bark all the time, but this was rather frantic and quite close to the house. She peeked out the window to make sure it wasn't an unexpected (human) visitor. She just caught the tail end of a snake slither around the corner of the house.

Not much goes by on the ranch without Gayle's documentation. Caden's sleep, how much we eat, animal changes, weather, fires, ranch improvements, weed growth and of course...critters. By the time G made it outside with the camera...he was gone.

Tuesday afternoon and we find Gayle and Caden furthering their studies. Today's exercise was screaming roll over. Place lil guy on his stomach for some tummy time and he'll scream, roll and relax. I guess he just likes to look up and see the world around him.

Just like Monday afternoon, the dogs kick into watchdog command and sound the alarm. This time G, had camera in hand. Crikey look at the size o that gal.

More Critters

Maybe it was the stories of the big snake that had me on edge. Perhaps it was the story the following night when Gayle found a three and a half foot racer snake on our doorstep. (he was too quick for the camera) Or maybe it was due to Gayle waking me in the middle of the night a couple nights back to tell me of the scorpion in our hallway. (he was small, though I have noticed I'm wearing my sandals more often) For whatever reason, I haven't been quite as calm lately.

When I was writing the above post about the snake, I decided I should probably figure out our new friend's length. Since he was slithering next to the front bricks it should be simple. So I count the bricks and head out front with a tape measure. As I'm stretching out the tape, counting bricks, I realize that damn snake was 5 ft long. Whew, I better double check my measurements. As I start over I hear a rustling in the rosemary. Now one must realize, our dogs spend hours a day chasing lizards in the rosemary. Works as a perfect cologne prior to dinner. At any rate, I peer over looking for the scurrying lizard. Crikey, it's a damn tortoise and she's huge. Must have wandered up from the creek.

I dart off to grab the camera, and find Gayle napping. "Gayle there's a damn turtle the size of a freaking bowling ball in our front rosemary!!!" Gayle peeks one eye open enough to see the excitement on my face..."I was wondering how long it would take you to notice that cement turtle I put out there." Damn. Kinda hit me all at once. I am an idiot.