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This Quote seems to say it all!
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"Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, 
After all the dogs had been ‘walked’ I settled down in my Nook and then I saw Fred or maybe it was Fredericka. Some name I have always called black snakes…Not that the names are bad, just a good solid name.
The southeastern United States is home to a great diversity of snakes. There are about 45 species of snakes (only 6 of which are venomous) that may be found along the Atlantic and Gulf coastal states from Louisiana to North Carolina. These snakes live in a variety of upland and wetland habitats and play important roles in the region's ecology. They are both predators and prey, and thus form important links in natural food webs.
Black Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta)
The Black Rat Snake is one of several subspecies of Rat Snakes (Yellow and Gray Rat Snakes are others). Rat Snakes are common throughout the eastern U.S., although the black subspecies of rat snake does not occur in Florida ( Fig. 3 ). This snake can be quite large (it may exceed six feet in length) and has slightly keeled scales (raised ridge along the middle of each scale) that make it appear somewhat rough. Its back is almost entirely black (small flecks of whitish color may show through the black), whereas its chin and belly have a lot of white markings ( Fig. 4 ). Black Rat Snakes are excellent climbers and are found in a great variety of habitats, ranging from pine forests to agricultural fields. They feed primarily on rodents, birds and birds' eggs.
Fun Facts
Rat snakes are very useful around barns and in farming communities because they help control pest populations. Their habitat is slowly being reduced due to land development and the cutting of trees. However, they continue to maintain a healthy population.
Black snake, name for several snakes, not all closely related, that are black in color. In the United States the name is applied chiefly to the black racer and to the black rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta), both partly arboreal in their habits. The black rat snake, also called pilot black snake and mountain black snake, is found in the NE United States. Like other rat snakes (Elaphe species), it is a constrictor and a valuable destroyer of rats and mice. It has shiny, slightly keeled scales and reaches a length of 8 ft (2.4 m). The poisonous Australian black snake belongs to the cobra family and has a hood. The North American black snakes are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Reptilia, order Squamata, family Colubridae.
Snakes shed their skin in order to grow and this is done several times a year in adults and more often in younger snakes. During the preshed the snake may be more aggressive than usual since the eye caps make it hard to see and they may strike out to protect them selves.This is called the blue stage when the skin actually looks a very pale blue covering the snake. Once this stage has past the skin becomes clear and snake is now ready to shed the old skin that is very tight. The skin will be shed head first and usually in one piece you will see all the scales and the eye caps to the tip of the tail. The skin will also hold the pattern of the snake and will make identification of snakes around your home much easier. Due to the stretching of the skin during shedding it will be a bit longer than the snake really is.
1. ARE SNAKES SLIMY? No, some snakes have smooth, shinny scales that make them look slimy. If you touch a snake is feels soft and smooth.
2. HOW DO SNAKES HELP US? Without snakes around the rat and mouse population would explode out of control. One adult snake can eat a mouse or rat just about every other day. Snakes are our 100% natural pest control system.
So how do you MEASURE up on your knowledge about snakes?
The Never Ending Story
Last evening while watching hubby ride his tractor [of course there is ANOTHER story for later]… I saw these clouds.
Sequence of three within seconds of taking
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Immediately this came to mind…
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The cloud looked like FALKOR: from the novel written by Michael Ende Michael Andreas Helmuth Ende (November 12, 1929 - August 28, 1995) was a German writer of fantasy novels and children's books. He was born in Garmisch (Bavaria, Germany), son of the surrealist painter Edgar Ende. The Neverending Story (German: Die unendliche Geschichte) is a fantasy novel by Michael Ende, first published in Germany in 1979. The standard English translation, by Ralph Manheim, was first published in 1983. The novel was later adapted into several films.
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Falkor is Atreyu's luckdragon. After saving Atreyu from Swamps of Sadness, Falkor becomes Atreyu's new best friend and partner to save the Childlike Empress. Without any kind of wings, the happy dragon can flight rapidly. He can also swim. On difficult moment, with his voice of bronze, he said to Atreyu that nothing is impossible.
Falkor or Fuchur, according to the original German version, is a Luck Dragon, one of the main characters of the Never Ending Story, novel written by Michael Ende. In this literary work, Falkor didn’t provide good luck to other people; he only enjoyed a very good luck for himself; a luck outside the common. In the novel also appears an antagonistic dragon, Smerg, which is evil.
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The Luck Dragons (Luckdragons or Glücksdrachen) is a fictitious species whose body is pearled, white, has no wings, and displays rudimentary legs. The form of its head is described with less exactitude, but in the filmic adaptation, it acquires the traits of a dog. In the movie, Falkor even asks Atreyu to scratch his ear! Nevertheless, to think that luck dragons look like dogs is an incorrect idea, especially when one finds out that the author of the novel was disgusted with the look Falkor had on screen.
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Unlike most of the mythological dragons, the Luck Dragons do not possess great physical force nor great magical talents. They are only distinguished because of their luck. For example, in a point of the novel, Falkor was going to be eaten by a Spider God. To his good fortune, he met Atreyu and learned that a bite from the Spider God gave the afflicted a wish. So Falkor wished to escape with Atreyu and saved their lives.
One of my favorite books and movies: Also a favorite of our children, so much so our youngest son has a cat named FALKOR. Great cat…
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Last week I had the misfortune of getting the FLU and was unable to see the entire “G” pictures you all submitted, I am so sorry. NOW I feel much better and hope to take it all in this week.
HASP
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here on our property
On our Chicken Coop
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Picture with more
HISTORY OF LOCKS
The name of Chubb is famous in the lock world for the invention of the detector lock and for the production of high quality lever locks of outstanding security during a period of 140 years. The detector lock, which is described elsewhere in this work, was patented in 1818 by Jeremiah Chubb of Portsmouth, England, who gained the reward offered by the Government for a lock which could not be opened by any but its own key. It is recorded that, after the appearance of this detector lock, a convict on board one of the prison ships at Portsmouth Dockyard, who was by profession a lockmaker, ad had been employed in London in making and repairing locks, asserted that he had picked with ease some of the best locks, and that he could pick Chubb's lock with equal facility. One of these was given to the convict together with all the tools which he stated to be necessary, as well as blank keys fitted to the drill pin of the lock and a lock made on exactly the same principle, so that he might make himself master of the construction. Promises of a reward of £100 from Mr Chubb, and a free pardon by the Government were made to him in the event of his success. After trying for two or three months to pick the lock, during which time he repeated overlifted the detector, which was as often undetected or readjusted for his subsequent attempts, he gave up, saying that Chubb's were the most secure locks he had ever met with, and that it was impossible for any man to pick or to open them with false instruments. Improvements in the lock were subsequently made under various patents by Jeremiah Chubb and his brother Charles.
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Hemingway is associated with any number of cocktails, but perhaps none more so than the Mojito. The drink was invented at La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana, Cuba, where Hemingway drank them.The Mojito was born in Havana, and quickly became Ernest Hemingway's favorite drink (although some say he favored the Daiquiri).~~
While I did not Make A Mojito instead I made Mojito Chicken and Roasted Asparagus with Almonds Recipe at the end of the Post
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Mojito History
You probably haven't had many history lessons that started with pillaging the Caribbean and ended with a delicious cocktail. But that's one of the things that makes the mojito so unique. The mojito may have a trendy reputation outside of Cuba; however, its origins are anything but chic. Amidst the stories floating about, we have unveiled the facts, discarded blatant lies, sifted through half-truths, and concluded that the drink now known as the mojito probably originated in Havana sometime in the late 19th century and gained popularity beginning in the 1930s.
Hoarfrost
I shall end the “H” Quest with the BEST “H” in my world
My best Friend, my HUBBY!
A little madness in the Spring / Is wholesome even for the Queen. 
Come, gentle Spring! ethereal Mildness! come.
James Thomson (1834-1882)
Scottish poet, essayist
The Seasons. Spring. Line 1.
Why ALMOST? Well I do not consider it the weekend until my Sweetie is HOME! Then he is here, physically and mentally. No competition with work, well Most times that is.
Last night it began raining, no biggie right but then Thunder and lightning. Ye Gads I thought it was to be winter. The dinner last night was great, CAUSE I dinna have to fix it, serve it or clean it up.
So as I ramble on, I leave you with some awesome pictures of sunny skies from earlier this week.
The sky was awesome for sure, my abilities to capture them not quite as awesome.
Now back to reading my new book, which by the by after 6 pages is a total HOOT! This is even better as the Seed and Flower catalogues continue to bombard our mailbox.
Excerpts!
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The College Football Bowl games are over. The Writers Strike is NOT over. The Primary caucuses have begun. The first candidate to receive a preset majority number of delegate votes becomes the party's presidential candidate. The candidate selected to run for president then selects a vice presidential candidate.
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Super Bowl XLII is pending: February 3. Umm with the writers strike wonder if the commercials will be any good? Heyya after College Football I am saturated. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A melancholy bird? Oh idle thought!
In nature there is nothing melancholy.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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With its brilliant orange and black plumage, the Baltimore Oriole's arrival is eagerly awaited by birders each spring migration. Its preference for open areas with tall trees has made it a common inhabitant of parks and suburban areas.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Feeding: Orioles often eat fruit and can be attracted with orange halves placed on platform feeders, a deck railing, or nailed to a tree. It is important to have the oranges available just as the orioles arrive, which is around April 1st in the South and April 15th to May 1st in the northern half of the country. Some orioles seem to be more attracted to oranges when they first return from their wintering areas but switch to an insect diet soon after. Other orioles seem to eat oranges throughout their breeding season.
In addition to fruit and sugar water, orioles can be attracted to grape jelly and mealworms. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Then ya take the pieces and ya smash 'emYa smash 'em. smash 'em.Then you take
the bread and ya fold itYa fold it, fold itThen you take the sandwich and ya
munch itYa munch it, munch it,(Mumble)Peanut, peanut butter, and jelly!
Peanut, peanut butter and jelly!"
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Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
8 slices bread
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. jelly
2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. unsalted butter, softened
Spread 4 slices bread with equal portions of jelly.
Spread remaining slices with peanut butter and place on top of jellied bread.
Spread butter on outside of each piece of bread.
Heat a heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook sandwiches 1-2minutes
per side, or until golden.
(Serves 4)
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Playing with words, making up words, messing with common phrases, making and appreciating puns and metaphors, taking things literally for comic effect, rhyming things.~~~~~~~~~~~~
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As the sun heats the flowers it smells like someone is canning green beans.
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