pond in frederick, md

[addy1]

Today, the steam.....................

And a Visitor! so darn cool! I think it is a northern rat snake. It was around 5 feet long

 

[CountryEscape]

Oooh lucky you with that rat snake! Course, he may take care of your bunny problem if it's a problem, but thinking your bunnies are probably big enough to fend for themselves, and run! I love black snakes. They are huge, and they may sometimes hang down from tree branches, resting up in the trees, but they are so beneficial if you ever have mouse or rat problems under buildings. If you hate snakes, then not so good, but I love most snakes around me, because none are poisonous or usually not so.

 

[addy1]

I used to play with them as a kid. I nicely let this one wander around without interference.

They are more then welcome, we have tons of baby bunnies running around, voles, moles, mice you name it. More than enough food for more than one snake. I have no problem with natural population control.

I was watching the snake test the undersides of the leaves with its tongue, as it went along, not sure if it was getting moisture (it had been raining) or tracking critters.

It was heading for the pond,I was not sure if they fish or not, but it didn't go in. I would not have stopped it anyway.

 

[CountryEscape]

I don't think rat snakes go into water, but may be wrong. I guess I've only known them to be around barns and such, hunting for critters in there. Moved square hay bale to feed horses in middle of winter, rat snake curled up under it, between bales. Gently replaced that bale, and it was funny what the hay stack looked like come spring! Used all bales around that part. LOL He was still there early spring, too, so he had a great place to hibernate. I have pics of my kids at ages probably 4 and 5, daughter holding a black rat snake that she had to hold UP to keep tail off the ground, and son laying down on the ground next to it. Early spring, it was not moving very fast. They begged me to catch it so they could touch it.
As a child, I caught one of those lime green snakes, (I always called garter snake, but not sure what they are called) and put it in my pocket. Got to friend's house, it was gone, had crawled out. So, went back to try to find it, and it had been run over on the road. Was soooo devastated!

 

[j.w]

Not having anything here but garter snakes I am not used to seeing the big ones but would not be bothered by them once I knew which ones were not going to harm me. I imagine even the non-poisonous ones could still bite you if they felt you were a threat. I would stay clear of all of them but like to watch how they live from a distance. Pretty looking animals w/ a bad rap in history

 

[addy1]

almost black lily, hard to catch the dark red/purple color

One of our tree frogs morphing

one of my cheap lowes plants, covered with flowers.

bee balm

Tick seed that CE sent me, the bees love it

 

[j.w]

More pretty blooms addy..................so colorful!

 

[addy1]

My little fishies are loving the hornwort, they enjoy swimming among the branches.

 

[j.w]

Boy yours is really doing good. I see some of mine over by the falls but I can't see what's going on way down deep. Thought the stuff rises to the top in the Summer? Your fish have such pretty color patterns!

 

[CometKeith]

Addy, Are they Shubunkins? They are really pretty!

 

[addy1]

Yes they are , that was a group of shubunkins swimming by showing off.

 

[addy1]

This is a new lily I picked up off ebay last year, 10 bucks, the tuber was TINY! This is its first bloom

 

[CountryEscape]

Gorgeous lily! And, I picked up a few Shubies at local pet shop, since I love my huge Shubunkin I got from Pond Kid 3 years ago. Now I have a nice assortment, and MAYBE will get some shubie babies in the future.

 

[j.w]

Very pretty lily addy!

 

[CountryEscape]

Addy, the orange flower you call bee balm .... looks more like what I've heard referred to as "butterfly weed". I love it, and I have some, but have no real idea what it is. My bee balm looks really different. Maybe yours is a different variety. LOVE the orange!!!