La Vibora

Signs of Spring (In the Inflation Building)

2010-04-06T19:43:00.003-05:00

Through the years, I've learned to always look DOWN when entering the inflation building at work in the wee hours of the morning. You never know what's going to be scurrying, crawling, hopping or lurking on the floor at that time of the morning. That doesn't even take into account what might drop on you when raising the overhead doors! I've encountered rabbits, opossums, millipedes, centipedes, scorpions, countless numbers of tarantulas, Gulf coast toads, insects of all shapes and sizes and even a snake or two. So it was nice to finally see signs of life late last week, after our colder than normal, seemed like it would NEVER end, El Nino winter. Our overnight lows had finally inched up into the lower 70s, optimum for all creatures, large and small, to emerge from their winter naps.

As I entered the building last Friday just after 5 am, an odd shape immediately caught my eye on the unfinished cement floor. It was no bigger than the end of my thumb but I knew it wasn't supposed to be there. Suddenly, a short hop and I recognized the odd shape as a Narrow-mouthed toad. I had never seen one in my 16 years living in Brownsville although I had heard their distinct calls from our infamous "moat" that surrounds the office. The moat is nothing more than a poor attempt at a drainage ditch that fills up when the resaca across the street overflows during a heavy rain event. But, when filled, it teams with all kinds of creatures, including crayfish, frogs and even carp. So after finally seeing my first Narrow-mouthed, the first thought that went through my mind was "photo subject!" I easily caught the tiny amphibian and dropped it temporarily into a balloon bag while I went about the business of inflating the weather balloon. Back in the office, I transferred my subject to one of the many plastic containers, conveniently tucked away in my cubicle for such situations.

On-line references suggest that Narrow-mouth toads actually share burrows with tarantulas where the two (apparently) live in harmony. We have a large population of Texas tan tarantulas living around the inflation building so that probably explains why the toads have chosen to reside on Weather Service grounds. And despite their miniscule size, they project a BIG sound. Their call can best be described as a high pitch buzz, much like the sound of a summer cicada. On quiet, calm nights, the chorus can be heard some distance away (click to hear.)

After a quick series of photos, I'm happy to say I released my friend early this morning in the culvert that stands in front of our inflation building. I hope to see more in the future and I hate to think it might take another 16 years! Regardless, I know I'll enjoy a chorus of toads, maybe as soon as tomorrow evening, when the threat of rain again brings out their song.

Narrow-mouthed Toad in Darlene's Hand

My Subject, the Great Plains (Western) Narrow-mouthed Toad (Gastrophryne olivacea)

~~Happy~~*New~~Year~~

2010-01-01T00:01:00.001-06:00

~~~ Happy Holidays ~~~

2009-12-23T16:30:00.002-06:00

Charlie Don't Mosh

2009-12-02T13:43:00.016-06:00

I've never been more out of my element than at the Megadeth Concert this past Monday night up in Corpus Christi. Don't get me wrong, in spite of the cold, wet weather, I enjoyed Megadeth. It was the three "death metal" bands (as Darlene called them) that proceeded Megadeth that made the night that much more miserable. I've never been a fan of the so-called speed metal bands so I've never had the "pleasure" of seeing any in person. But, Darlene has always wanted to see Megadeth so when she got the e-mail alert from The Concrete Street Ampitheater that they were coming to Corpus, she bought tickets on-line immediately.

The gates opened at 6 pm and, of course, we where there on time. The first band, "Arcanium" started shortly after we arrived. Honestly, I don't remember much about them because we proceeded over to the Megadeth merchandise "shack" to browse the tee-shirts and such. I bought Darlene a $45 "tour" shirt (long sleeved) and then we headed down to the stage area. We were happy to see the area covered since there was a 100% chance of rain that night. There were even flame heaters spaced across the back that a few people were already gathered around. As we found a place to stand, the lead singer said there were 2 more songs in their set. Honestly, I really couldn't discern any real music so it could have easily been just one long song. I'm not sure. They incited the sparse crowd to make enough noise so that Megadeth could hear the cheers in their tour bus then they were gone. One down, two to go.

The crews efficiently changed the stage sets, exchanging drum kits and microphones. Two large posters of a bloody woman laying on a rusted box spring were spaced evenly on both sides of the drums. They were hung on flimsy PVC frames and it reminded me of the first banner stand I made for the Venomous Expo. In other words, CHEAP! The final touch to the stage was a large, black wooden box, placed in the middle. The lights dimmed and the crowd was suddenly a lot bigger than just a moment ago.

"Suicide Silence" erupted into an unintelligible, screaming rage that caused me to cringe. "I don't get it!", I screamed to Darlene (she reminded me later that our parents once said the same thing about the music we listened to growing up). If the guy was singing, I never understood one single word and I KNOW the Beatles never sounded this bad to my parents! As a matter of fact, all I heard the entire set was a high pitched scream that sounded like, "rah, rah, rah, rah, RAH!" Between the first and second song (I think!) the lead singer incited the crowd to "open this place the f*** up!" When he started screaming again, the place suddenly erupted into a huge mosh pit. Finally, something entertaining! I was amazed to see the kids, and I do mean kids, slamming one another to the ground. The person on the ground would get up, hug the person who knocked him or her down then the whole killing-one-another thing would start over again.

By the time the 3rd band, "Machine Head", did their set, the pit seemed to have become a bit more sophisticated. The circle pit, as the singer from Machine Head called it, began to rotate in a counter clock-wise movement. Then, as if someone dropped a flag to begin a drag race, the pit would erupt into a killing field. I zoned in on one person who constantly walked back and forth, seemingly untouched, as the people around him smashed their bodies against each other in total chaos. For some reason, I found myself thinking back to the scene in "Apocalypse Now" when Robert Duvall's character, Colonel Kilgore, walked along the beach unafraid and untouched as incoming rounds from Charlie hit the ground around him. My mind wandered further and suddenly, Kilgore was trying to get me in the pit.

Kilgore - You can either mosh or you can fight!

Me - Are you crazy? Don't you think it's a little crazy for some R&R?

Kilgore - If I say it's safe to mosh this pit, Sailor, then it's safe to mosh this pit! I mean, I'm not afraid to mosh this pit, I'll mosh this whole f****** place!

Me - I don't know sir, it's a..

Kilgore - What is it Sailor?

Me - Well, I mean, it's pretty hairy in there. It's Charlie's pit.

Kilgore - Charlie don't MOSH!

I know, it's a bit far-fetched but that's what actually went through my mind at the time. After all, the music was unintelligible and we were really never safe from getting punched anywhere we stood. As a matter of fact, during one of the sudden mosh outbreaks, I took either a fist or an elbow or maybe even a knee in my left rib cage before Darlene drug me to safety!

It was finally time for Megadeth to take the stage. We eased up as close as possible but once Dave Mustaine took center stage, the pushing began. We had positioned ourselves where we could make a quick exit so we dropped farther back and to the right of the stage where we stayed safe the rest of the evening.

I'll be the first to admit, I'm not a huge Megadeth fan and during their set, I recognized MAYBE four songs. But the recent addition of lead guitarist Chris Broderick made me pay close attention and I left the concert feeling glad we made the trip.

Dave Mustaine and Megadeth Rock Corpus

Gone But Not Forgotten

2009-06-22T14:00:00.004-05:00

The streetlight outlined an unmistakable image as I left for work around 3:40 this morning. The mallard drake that adopted us to be with his new mate, lay dead in the street in front of our driveway.

This year was the first in the past three that our "pet" mallard hen brought a mate to our door. He had been by her side ever since. I cringe at the thought of how close she must have come to being hit too by the uncaring soul who took her mate's life. I thought about her all day, while at work, and worried that she might be injured somewhere. But, as I got home just now, I was greeted by a forelorned quack, as if she was trying to tell me her mate was gone. Darlene and I will repay the joy she has brought us with comfort now and we won't ever forget her handsome gentleman.

A Sprinkler Bath in Early April

My Dad Left Me a Present on His Birthday

2009-04-29T14:01:00.006-05:00

Today would have been my dad's 95th birthday. You'd think each year would be easier but, since his passing in 1997, I still miss him as much as the day he died. It was his gentle and forgiving nature that I admired most. He chose to see only good in everyone he met.

I still have many regrets regarding my dad. For example, I regret not taking the time to let him teach me how to play the guitar. I remember my aunt telling me matter of factly, "you have the greatest teacher in the world and you need to take advantage of it". I never did. I was always too busy running through the woods that surrounded our house. But, he seemed to take some satisfaction of my interest in all things living and he never seemed to mind building yet another cage for whatever came out of the woods with me.

When the day came to make the now infamous choice for my Christmas present one year, I took a 20 gallon aquarium over a Hoffner bass guitar. I refer to that day as "my fork in the road". I went down the "nature" road and turned my back on the "learning to play the guitar" road. He never seemed to mind. I think that's why he dropped yet another present in my lap this morning on his birthday. What better way to let me know he's still not upset with the road I chose.

The Campbell Clan in December of 1957

Rescued From the Pool This Morning

Happy Birthday Papa! Thanks for the 'possum!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-11T18:02:00.010-05:00

It's said that Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life in spring. Easter came two days early for us this year and the eggs we received definitely fit that description.

Just outside our snake room window is our tortoise pen. It houses a pair of Venezuelan Redfoot tortoises that I bought from an online reptile friend several years ago. Other than local box "turtles" I kept as a kid, I had never kept tortoises but had always been intrigued by their personalities and relatively "easy to care for" husbandry.

After I got home from work Friday, I took time to do my regular rounds about the house. The routine consists of turning on lights, checking various cages and opening the blinds in the snake room. When I looked out into the redfoot pen, I noticed the female in an odd posture, making side to side movements. As I watched through the window, I realized she was digging a nest. I quickly grabbed my camera and headed outside. Sure enough, she had already dug a small hole and I could see the unmistakable shape and color of eggs.

Mama tortoise digging her nest.

A couple of eggs are barely visible.

The proud papa had to come see what I was doing!

Later that evening, I dug up the nest and found 9 perfect eggs.

This is our second clutch of eggs in less than 7 months. The first clutch of 3 eggs (one was punctured and had to be discarded) was laid September 24th of last year. After incubating 150 days, the first baby hatched February 22nd and it's sibling began hatching on April Fool's Day.

Baby number 1 after hatching 2/22/2009.

Baby number 2 still mostly in the egg on April 2nd.

The Easter Bunny was indeed good to us this year. Darlene and I wish you all a Happy Easter!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T06:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-25T15:11:00.003-06:00

Darlene and I wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Getting Acquainted

2008-10-18T19:47:00.012-05:00

It's that time of year again! Each day, I check the breeding cages for newborn eyelash vipers. The first litter of the season was born this morning with mom here giving birth to even more after Darlene shot this video. As you can see, this vividly banded baby took the opportunity to hitch a ride on it's mother's head.

A Sad Goodbye

2008-09-28T14:23:00.015-05:00

As Darlene mentioned in her blog, this past week we became emotionally attached to a crustacean, a beautiful Giant white land crab we dubbed "Ms Thing". We came upon her crossing Highway 4, near Boca Chica Beach, last Tuesday night during a light rain. Trying to catch her was no easy feat and I'm sure if Darlene had gotten it on video, we would have been hard pressed not to win the grand prize on America's Funniest Home Videos. Of course, I probably should have used something larger than a 16oz deli cup to subdue something that big. I was finally able to get her into the back of the Jeep but she decided to cram her body between the seat backs. I decided enough was enough and coaxed her into a 33 gallon garbage bag for the quick drive back home. I guess it's a good thing the agents at the Border Patrol checkpoint DIDN'T search the car. Imagine their surprise if they had grabbed the suspicious looking black plastic bag in the back of the car!

Wednesday morning was spent at the zoo where Darlene and Patty took LOADS of photos of this amazing animal, in the rain, no less. Brian and I became crab wranglers as they took photos of Ms Thing in the herpetarium's photo set.

Later that afternoon, after an emotional tug of war aimed at Ms Thing's safety, we drove back out to the salt flats to release her, where we found her the night before. Even as she walked towards the shallows, I felt a sense of sadness and worried that she was too visible from the road. We watched until she disappeared from view.

A Closing Shot as Ms Thing Returns to the Shallows

The Family That Photographs Together, Stays Together

2008-08-17T19:58:00.006-05:00

Darlene has a saying, "the family that (whatever we're doing at the moment) together, stays together". That saying came to mind this past Friday when we struck out with cameras in hand with no real itinerary except to drive to Port Mansfield. We hadn't heard much about the town in the 3 weeks since Hurricane Dolly. Most of the damage occurred on South Padre Island from the wind and in other points in the Valley from the rain. We were eager to see if our favorite fishing village survived the storm. It was on this excursion that we began to hash out ideas for another web presence, one that would show others our hidden paradise here in deep south Texas. After spending the day taking photos together, we launched "Photo of the Day" that evening. We plan to alternate days, one day my photo, the next day Darlene's. We hope you'll enjoy our photos and the stories behind them.

Never Doubt the Purple Sage

2008-07-31T10:39:00.001-05:00

Summer is flying by and I'm playing catch-up. It seems like summer just started and we're already going into August. June flew by because we kept Anevay. She attended Summer Safari Classes at the zoo where she learned about different classes of animals and their habitats. July has flown by because of the weather. It started off with a bang when 6.17 inches of rain officially fell in Brownsville during the first 8 days of the month. Some parts of the city received over 10 inches. We quickly returned to the hot, dry weather pattern we're accustomed to in Brownsville but the unusual rain event made everyone happy and made for great conversation.

Fast forward to the evening of July 16th. Darlene and I attend the Summer Social at the zoo. We enjoy a wonderful Cajun supper and casually chat with friends. As the event begins to wind down and folks begin to leave, we spot Carol, one of our favorite people in the world. Carol is a local artist, a noted naturalist and absolutely one of the nicest ladies I've ever met. We all chat about this and that before the conversation turns to the heavy rain event earlier in the month. At some point during the conversation, Carol nonchalantly says, "we'll have another heavy rain soon, the purple sage is blooming". I absorb the information but never follow through with any questions about how this weather proverb originated. However, during the next few days, everywhere I look, purple sage is blooming, including the one I have in a pot in our back yard.

Fast forward to July 20th. Darlene and I are in Hope to celebrate her mom's birthday. I'm gathering oak limbs to use in my eyelash viper cages when Darlene walks out and hands me my cell phone. The voice on the other end is Rob, our intern from work. He tells me about "Dolly" a storm that has quickly formed in the northwest Caribbean and is forecast to make landfall near the mouth of the Rio Grande River around Wednesday. We gather our belongings and around noon, begin the drive back to Brownsville.

Fast forward to Wednesday, July 23rd. Dolly, now a Category 2 hurricane, makes landfall just north of Brownsville. Her slow forward motion of 7 mph is our worst nightmare. Over 7 inches of rain falls in Brownsville (officially 7.02) while other parts of the county receive up to 18 inches. Most of the mid and lower Valley easily receive over 8 inches of rainfall. Even today, some areas are still under water.

Weather lore has been around forever. As a child, I clearly remember my father saying, "if the sun sets behind a bank of clouds on Sunday, it'll rain before Wednesday". More times than not, he was right. When I was in the Navy, it was common to hear, "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky at morn, sailor take warn". I never quite figured that one out. If weather lore is to be believed, July is a good example of how Mother Nature can predict the weather and how we should look for the clues. I know from now on, I'll pay close attention to the purple sage!

My Lateralis Are Blue, But That's a GOOD THING!

2008-05-29T14:22:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while, Lady Luck hits you right smack dab in the head with something that's just too good to be true. That was the case when, in June of 2006, I purchased a pair of newly imported, weeks-old Bothriechis lateralis, more commonly known as the Side-striped palm pitviper. From time to time, I had seen freshly imported adults for sale but, from bad past experiences with imported, wild-caught snakes, I never took the chance. Imported babies, on the other hand, were too tempting to pass up.

They arrived promptly in McAllen on Delta Airlines on June 26th at 12:52 pm. But, anyone who has ever shipped live snakes knows the nightmares that evolve during the process and this shipment was no different. Even before leaving Brownsville for the hour-long trek to McAllen, I had called Delta Cargo to make sure the snakes were en route. Yes, I was told, and the flight from Atlanta was on time. Upon arriving at the Delta Ticket Counter in McAllen, I was told no live animals were on the flight. Before I pitched too big of a fit, I asked them to check for a Delta Dash package. Yes, it was on board and the air bill number matched. I started to wonder exactly where they had put the box since "no live animals" were on the flight. Was it actually in the plane or stuffed in the non-pressurized luggage hold. Would the snakes even be alive?

Once the box was brought to the counter, I was asked to sign off on the air bill. By signing, you're giving your assurance that the contents are alive, undamaged or whatever the case may be. Since I didn't know where the box had been during the flight and the gentleman at the counter couldn't tell me, I refused. I then asked if I could open the box to check if the snakes were alive. "NOT IN THE TERMINAL", which was exactly the answer I expected. I quickly walked to the car and unscrewed each wood screw with my re-chargeable screwdriver. Upon removing the lid, two small brown heads looked curiously up at me from inside their individual deli cups.

In their native habitat of Costa Rica and Panama, lateralis (as they're known in the herp world) are typically emerald or bluish green. A very few prized specimens in private collections are brilliant turquoise blue. When I purchased mine, I had no way of knowing that with each shed of their skin, a special color would emerge. Lady Luck has indeed smacked me.

The typical color phase of the Bothriechis lateralis. This is one of our "normal" males.

After a few meals, the new babies pose for photos. This is the male.

This is the female.

Several months later, the female, in the middle of her color change.

The male showing off his adult colors this past Sunday evening.

The female with her black mask and smoking "gun-metal blue" color.

Recently, I've posted the female's photos on two different venomous snake forums so people around the world can see her special color. So far, no one has seen this color in an adult lateralis. Just how rare is she? That's the question I hope to soon answer.

What's That Smell?

2008-05-20T14:16:00.000-05:00

Several times a year, Mother Nature plays a prank on me. The smell of rotting flesh sends me into a panic, making me wonder if someone has placed a sizable dead animal in our yard to make some kind of point. The classic "horse torso" scene from The Godfather usually comes to mind. I quickly come to my senses after I realize our Stapelia gigantea is blooming.

The Stapelia gigantea is 1 of around 90 species of succulents called Carrion Plants. This particular species is native to southern Africa but was given to us many years ago as a house warming gift by a fellow herper. Several times a year, and typically after a heavy rain, it produces huge buds and flowers, which measure 8 to 12 inches across. Each flower is 5-pointed. A number of common names have been derived from the star-like appearance such as Hairy starfish flower, Star cactus and Starfish cactus. The last two names are a bit misleading since it's not a cactus at all.

So why the odor? These flowers have evolved to produce properties that attract flies. As I mentioned earlier, the odor is strong and putrid, similar to decaying meat. The flies are lured to the flower and, in turn, pollinate neighboring flowers as they move on in their search for a host to lay their eggs. Personally, I like the good ole bumble-bee and simple wind pollination systems better but, you have to admit, the flower is something to behold.

The Stapelia gigantea, also known as the Zulu Giant, Carrion flower, Hairy starfish flower, Star cactus and Starfish cactus.

Surely, You've Made a Mistake!

2008-05-12T12:27:00.000-05:00

I've always admired writers. I don't mean "bloggers" like myself who attempt to write. I mean real writers. People who are good enough to put words into meaning and can even make a living doing what they love. I envy such gifted souls. So what a surprise it was when Darlene showed me a "Google Alert" she received this morning that La Vibora had been given the Blogging With a Purpose award from a REAL writer, L.A. Mitchell. What? La Vibora has a purpose? Surely, she made a mistake!

OK, it probably helped that we had supper with her and her husband last Tuesday night in Port Isabel. You see, we've actually known them for some time but, like most people in today's rat race, we really haven't kept in touch that much for over 8 years. It's sad now that I think about it. We had such good times together back in the mid and late 90s before they left Brownsville for greener pastures. After all this time, it was a pleasure to catch up on their lives and family.

I know I'll have an even bigger complex about my writing now, knowing that a real writer is reading it. I encourage you to take time to visit L.A.'s website and be sure to spend time reading her blog. You'll recognize she has a gift for writing from the first sentence.

Like so many of her peers have stated, "one day I'll be able to say I knew her when".

The Aaron Catastrophe

2008-04-07T20:07:00.000-05:00

Catastrophe - a violent and sudden change in a feature of the earth.

There was a violent and sudden change in my world last Saturday night. For weeks, no make that months, I had worked on a plan to make my life simpler. That all changed in the blink of an eye. From now on, the event will be referred to simply as the "Aaron Catastrophe".

The evening had been planned for weeks, and was even given a name, "The Probing Party". The name was tossed around and refined and became "Dinner and a Probing". It should have been quite simple really. Friends from the zoo, specifically the herpetarium, would arrive around 6:30 in the evening. We would socialize, look at snakes, have an informal meal then probe snakes. What had been an annual event, with mainly just Brian and myself, was expanded to include everyone from the "herp", as it's affectionately called. After dinner, the real business of probing (sexing) 76 baby snakes would get down to business. It never happened that way.

Two invitees to the event were late and, as it was discovered later, even had supper at a local restaurant. They weren't just a little late, they were 2 hours late! While we patiently waited, alcohol was introduced. As soon as the rum and coke started flowing, I knew the probing would never take place. You don't mix alcohol and venomous snakes, it's just not a good idea. But what happened next would take me a full 9 days to correct. Yes, I'm talking about the "Aaron Catastrophe".

Anyone who has been around me for any length of time knows about my attention to detail. That attention really comes into play regarding the husbandry and care of my snakes. Over the years, a method has evolved that lets me give the greatest possible care in the limited amount of time I have during my work week. That same standard of care had come into play with last year's sizable amount of babies that needed to be fed on a regular schedule. So, to not totally overwhelm myself, I devised a plan where equal rows of babies would be fed on a certain day and, by keeping notes on an everyday wall calendar, I would have detailed records on when they fed, shed their skins, etc. Simple and efficient, correct? I thought so until the "Aaron Catastrophe". As soon as I heard "Aaron, Jim is going to be upset!", I knew there was a problem. I had NO idea how big the problem actually was...

The "Aaron Catastrophe". My neat, equal rows of babies (The Viper Bouquet) were now in shambles because Aaron was left unsupervised.

Nine days later, peace is restored to my universe. All babies have been fed and placed back in the proper order.

Mr. Way Too Proud of Texas Guy

2008-03-29T17:01:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure if all the country is privy to the Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" commercials. Each one-minute commercial pays mock tribute to some "unsung hero". A couple that stand out in my mind are "Mr Foot-long Hot Dog Inventor" and "Mr Really Bad Toupee Wearer". However, the most recent commercial that's making the airwaves here in deep south Texas is aimed right smack dab at us Native Texans. It's simply called "Mr. Way Too Proud of Texas Guy".

Announcer: Today we salute you Mr. Way Too Proud of Texas Guy.

Horrific singer: Mr. Way Too Proud of Texas Guy!

Announcer: Men from lesser states might know their state's capital, but you? You know your state's bird, tree and even reptile.

Horrific singer: Love that horny toad!

OK, this is where I sort of got lost because I began going down the state's check list in my mind. State bird. Mockingbird. Check. State tree. Pecan. Check. State reptile. Horned LIZARD! Check.

The Texas horned lizard is the earliest reptile I remember seeing or catching as a child growing up in Bedford. They were always a welcome site in dad's garden and were quite abundant in the school yard of the Old Bedford School.

Even while living in Midland in the early 80's, it was not uncommon to find them in the alleys behind our house and on most farm roads going south out of the Midland/Odessa region. My daughter, Angela, will attest to this because I frequently made her jump out of the car to see if she could catch them. She was barely 5 years old at the time!

Because of habitat loss, the novelty pet trade and the spread of the imported fire ant, the Texas horned lizard's numbers have steadily declined over the years. They are now considered a threatened species across their range in Texas.

Since living in deep south Texas, I generally see one or two a year, mainly on the roads in Brooks, Jim Hogg, Starr and Zapata counties. It's still a treat to see one stand up as the car approaches, then dart across the road to safety. I still send my sightings to the Horned Lizard Conservation Society.

The names "horned frog","horned toad" and "horny toad" (re: Love that horny toad!) come from the round body and blunt nose which actually give it a toad or frog-like appearance. But this is no toad and it's sure not a frog! The most recent one I found was near Escobas, the most God-forsaken patch of earth I think I've ever seen. Survivorman couldn't survive in Escobas, much less a frog! We're talking Hell on Earth folks! But the hot, sandy habitat along with an abundance of harvester ant mounds (their preferred food), makes it an ideal location for the "horned toad".

Texas horned lizard photographed last year near Escobas.

By the way, I looked up "Mr. Way Too Proud of Texas Guy" on the Internet. I'll pick it up from the Horrific Singer:

Love that horny toad!

Announcer: You display your pride with your Lone Star tattoo, "Native Texan" bumper sticker, and contempt for any state that doesn't start with "Tex" and end with "as".

Horrific Singer: That spells Texas!

Announcer: Sure, there are 49 other states in the Union, but they are smaller, wussier, and the people talk funny.

Horrific Singer: Yankee wussies!

Announcer: So crack open a nice cold Bud Light, oh lover of the Lone Star state. Because all that flag waving must have made you thirsty!

Horrific Singer: Mr. Way Too Proud of Texas Guy!

OK, guilty as charged.

Would Someone Tell These People it's Just a GAME!!!

2008-03-08T18:19:00.001-06:00

An innocent lunch with a good friend has changed my simple life as I once knew it.

Darlene: Oh my GOD! Rambo just brought me a promise ring!

Her "Oh my GOD" rattles me from concentrating on the eyelash viper in front of me. I should be use to it by now. These outbursts have been going on pretty much daily and sometimes several times an evening since that fateful day when it was suggested that Darlene get "Nintendogs" to play on her Nintendo DS.

Don't let this cute face claim you as another victim!

It started with one dog, a boxer she named "Rambo". Of course, one dog wasn't enough and now there are three. Along with Rambo, she "owns" a Dalmation named "Cookie" and a Beagle named "Cartman".

Darlene: Cookie has already won 1st place in the beginner level obedience trails.

Me: Blank stare while hoping someone will pass me a can of gasoline and a match.

If that's not bad enough, now there's a "several times a day" e-mail thread that's passed between Darlene, our GOOD FRIEND who started all of this and now, another good friend who folded to the temptation of owning a "dog". Of course, I endure the misery because I'm ALWAYS cc'd on the e-mails. Example:

1st Friend: Daisy (Golden Retriever) will be participating in the Championship disc toss today. Wish her luck. Maximus will be in the championship agility trial. Wish him luck. Crazy (Siberian Husky) still insists on not lying down. Maybe she really is crazy. Jim, why are you resisting? :)

2nd Friend: Mitzy's update:2 championships for obedience and disc, beginner of course. she's learning tricks quickly too, but the training "mic" doesn't come up sometimes when I want to teach her what she just did, frustrated with that.- got my first stick (umm, yea?)

Darlene's response is TOO LONG to post here but she congratulates both friends on their "dogs' " accomplishments and gives any "doggie" updates that have happened in the FEW minutes since the last e-mail.

Me: Delete, delete, delete.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy Darlene is having fun and corresponding more with our friends but this is one of those interactive games where one actually talks to the "dog". OK, now she's got me doing it...talks to the GAME! Our African grey is already mimicking Rambo's bark. It's only a matter of time until he mimics Darlene, saying "sit", "roll-over", "spin", "paw" and my new favorite, "hiney".

Can someone pass me a match?!

The Viper Bouquet

2008-02-24T12:08:00.000-06:00

I'll be the first to admit I have a problem. When it comes to lines, they have to be straight. I still press my pants, including shorts, with military creases. My shirt sleeves, long or short, have to be creased right down the middle. Pictures are constantly straightened about the house and in the workplace. I feel sure it goes back to Boot Camp. I learned how to properly fold socks, shirts and pants quickly after finding the entire contents of my locker on the floor a couple of times. Bed sheets and blankets had to be "line tight" with "hospital corners". I just can't get beyond it, to this day. So when Darlene commented on my last post that I had created a "bouquet of vipers" in the kitchen, she wasn't kidding in the least. The remaining 76 eyelash vipers and bush vipers born late last year are all positioned in perfect order in one corner of the kitchen.

The "viper bouquet". Each baby is housed in 16oz. clear, pre-punched (air holes) deli cups purchased from superiorenterprise.com

Each deli cup is labled, identifying the birth mother and date of birth.

A 2oz. "portion cup" is used for a water bowl and to help maintain humidity. Paper towel pieces are used for substrate. Here, a 5 month old baby eyelash viper perches on the edge of the portion cup.

Now each of you should be able to create your own lovely viper bouquet. Granted, you'll need a very tolerant and understanding mate like Darlene, who doesn't mind venomous snakes in the kitchen. Oh, just one more thing, inscribed wine glasses are optional.

How Do I Choose?

2008-02-17T15:41:00.000-06:00

I'm faced with a dilemma around this time each year. To most of you reading, it would seem trivial for sure. But to an eyelash viper connoisseur, it can mean the difference between average and spectacular. The simple dilemma is that I'm faced with the task of deciding which babies to keep for future breeding stock. Sounds simple, you say? I can't tell you how many times in the past I've been burned by shipping out what looks like an average or even ugly snake, only to see a knockout (why didn't I keep that!) eyelash viper a few years later. So now that a few months have passed and more than a few meals have been fed, I've come to the time when I constantly pull animals aside and wonder if I should keep them or sell them. The photos below are only a few of my favorites so far.

Born from a Christmas tree to Christmas tree pairing, this "reduced" patterned baby was born here September 27th, 2007. I like the faint pattern as well as the obvious mid-dorsal stripe that will only become more dominate with age.

This odd looking fellow came from a "Pink" male crossed with a Christmas tree female. I like him for the bloodlines alone but the light pastel pinks and greens along with the dominate mid-dorsal stripe lead me to believe this guy will be a knockout as an adult. Born here October 21st.

Another oddity produced from a Christmas tree male bred to a Heterozygous tiger female. The pattern is nearly perfect and, although dark, from my experience will turn multi-colored with yellow and green bands by 3-years of age. Born here October 6th.

I keep coming back to this one as my probable favorite. This is another baby produced from a Christmas tree to Christmas tree pairing, born here October 9th. The almost perfect bands will turn gold to lemon yellow within a couple of years.

So do you see my dilemma? With just under 70 baby eyelash to pick from, how do I choose? Let me see, eeny, meenie, miny, moe...

Sure Doesn't Feel Like January

2008-01-14T19:48:00.000-06:00

While other parts of the country are buried under snow and ice, we are experiencing a down right mild winter here in deep south Texas. December and January, so far, have seen daily averages nearly 5 degrees above normal. The mild temperatures have even brought the tarantulas out early. I found this young female at work, in our upper air building, where we inflate weather balloons. I have to admit, I didn't see her clinging to the bottom of the overhead door until it was all the way open. Fully open, the base of the door is approximately 13 feet overhead. Had she fallen from even a fraction of that height, her delicate abdomen would have exploded like a dropped light bulb. So, I eased the door back down and was able to pluck her from her predicament before she fell to a certain death.

In my experience, female Texas Tan tarantulas have always been relatively calm and have never offered to bite while being handled. Males, on the other hand, nearly always display aggressive behavior and have even jumped on my shoes as I've tried to move them on their way. This little lady was a pleasure to work with as I positioned her for these photos.

I hope our mild winter continues and long range computer models show it will. Living in deep south Texas definitely has it's advantages and seeing wildlife throughout the year is only one of them.

Happy New Year everyone!

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-24T11:45:00.000-06:00

May your Christmas Wreaths be full of eyelash vipers! Darlene and I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and the best for the coming New Year!

If You Feed Them, They Will Come!

2007-12-17T20:47:00.001-06:00

In my previous post, I mentioned how living on a resaca afforded us the opportunity to see many forms of wildlife while living in the city. In an even earlier post, I told of my fondness for opossums. It's plagued me since childhood so I doubt I'll ever get over it. So, it should come as no surprise that when I recently saw one walk by the patio door, I decided to try and get a closer look by offering it food.

I began leaving red grapes, bananas and even sliced oranges as an offering only to find the plate empty the next morning with no sighting of an opossum. That all changed last week when suddenly, there was the opossum eating it's nightly offering of fruit right in front of the sliding glass door. It was a nearly all black specimen and, I feel quite sure, the sibling of the one I rescued in the pool earlier this year.

The nightly ritual continued as the opossum began to show up on the patio just after sunset. Although still shy, it seemed comfortable watching us watching it eat. Saturday evening, I went through the routine of preparing a meal for the opossum, including some cat food now for protein. It showed up right on time. About a half hour later, another opossum suddenly appeared, much the same size but obviously lighter in color. For the first encounter, it seemed totally at ease watching us and it even looked up at the television a time or two! I feel sure, too, that this is another sibling because of the size similarity.

If you're at all interested in learning more about these fascinating animals, check out the National Opossum Society. I totally agree with their philosophy, "it's nice to watch an occasional opossum waddle by". It's even nicer when they spend time with you in the evening.

The opossum that showed up this past Saturday evening. Since then, it has been a nightly visitor but always AFTER the black opossum.

The nearly all black opossum that began visiting last week. He/she shows up minutes after sunset.

Right in Our Own Backyard!

2007-11-29T18:31:00.000-06:00

Living on one of Brownsville's beautiful resacas allows us to view many forms of wildlife, literally in our own backyard. Numerous species of insects, birds, mammals and even reptiles have taken time to visit us as they move along the natural corridors the resacas provide through the city. Our latest visitors are a large flock of Black-bellied whistling ducks.

The Black-bellied whistling duck is native to tropical Central and South America and has steadily moved northward in it's range to deep south Texas. Sightings seasonally in the desert southwest and in southeast Louisiana are a welcome sign that their range and numbers continue to expand.

This particular flock arrived on our resaca last week, just prior to our last cold front. What convenient timing considering I had just begun putting food in the bird feeders for our winter friends from the north. Now, without fail, they wait for me to put out food each morning. First comes the unmistakable noisy whistling that echos along the entire resaca. Then they congregate just outside the fence that separates the yard from the water (put up to keep BIG DOGS from tumbling into the resaca). They then take turns on the fence, almost jockeying for position. Finally, the procession begins into the yard, one after the other, until the entire flock is inside the fence.

Now it really gets interesting. How do they get the food from a small feeder you ask? They actually take turns flying up to the feeder to tip it, spilling seed onto the ground. And several times, including today, I've found the bottom of the feeder on the ground. How they've mastered this technique is beyond me but with one lucky hit, the bottom drops out and the entire contents of the feeder is on the ground for the morning feast.

I don't know how long this flock will stick around our yard but I hope they stay awhile. They're becoming braver day by day and have even come all the way around the pool to just outside the back patio where they watch me watch them. It's almost as if they're asking, "Can't you give us just a little more food?" Now that I think about it, it's a good thing Darlene works all day. She would probably already have them eating INSIDE the house, next to By-Tor!

Early morning light casts a perfect silhouette of Black-bellied whistling ducks waiting for their daily feeding.

Hey! I was here first!

The flock converges on the pool. Note the two on the bird bath and the one on top of the chair! The unmistakable yellow breast and black mask of a Greater Kiskadee can be seen on the fence in the left of the photo.

After emptying the feeder, part of the flock moves closer to the house, patiently waiting for a re-fill.

Those Mysterious Birthday Babies

2007-11-27T13:25:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, November 16th was Darlene's birthday. After supper with Angela, her friend Michael and the grandkids at The Lonestar in Harlingen, I attended to my typical late night ritual of checking e-mail after we got home. As I walked into the snake room to access my computer, an unusual shape in one of the African bush viper cages caught my eye. There, to my surprise, was not one but two babies sitting on the branch next to mom (I found a third the next morning). I was excited about the uncommon babies but I was more excited because it was Darlene's birthday.

This is not the first time babies have been born on a family member's birthday. For several years, eyelash vipers were born on Darlene's dad's birthday, October 8th (it's also the birthday of a close friend and co-worker). That became my time-line in telling potential customers when they could expect eyelash babies. Then, in 2005, a litter of African bush vipers was born on my sister's birthday, August 7th. One baby in that litter happened to be the rarest color morph of that particular species, solid black.

Some will call me silly but I view these births as something mysterious, if not spiritual. Can it be just a coincidence that these births happen on family member's birthdays with no manipulation of the breeding dates on my part? In my Native American culture, snakes are regarded as "supernaturals" with special powers of intercession. And they are widely regarded as brothers.

So, is it just a coincidence that 11 more African bush vipers were born last night, on my BROTHER'S BIRTHDAY?

Red phase African bush viper (Atheris squamigera) born on Darlene's birthday

Multi-colored green African bush viper born on Darlene's birthday

Gold phase born on Darlene's birthday

Black phase male born on my sister's birthday

Several of the 11 African bush vipers born last night on my brother's birthday

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-21T12:11:00.000-06:00

Darlene and I send our heartfelt wishes for a day of happiness, peace and ...

EYELASH VIPERS!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

A Woman on Her Birthday With Her Big SPOILED Lizard!

2007-11-17T14:16:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was Darlene's birthday. One of the things she wanted was her picture taken with By-Tor, her pet Argentine black and white tegu. Believe me when I tell you, a lizard has never had it this good. Like in the above photo, he's cuddled like a child. He's fed chicken from a fork. His bananas are peeled and properly sliced. He drinks water from a glass. He sleeps on the futon. He literally has the run of her office. He is puppy tame and he loves her attention. Just this morning, while waiting to go to work, I heard a slight "honey" coming from the computer room. When I walked in, there was By-Tor, stretched across Darlene's shoulders, looking like the king he's become. In all of my reptile years, I've never seen a lizard seek human attention the way By-Tor does. It's not so much me. Oh, he'll come running across the room to me when he thinks he's about to receive a mouse for lunch. And, he's always the perfect gentleman tegu when I transfer him to the patio for his afternoon sunshine. But, he actively seeks Darlene's attention, even climbing into her lap where he sleeps peacefully while she goes about her business at her laptop. Oh, did I happen to mention that he's SPOILED?!

Do I Really Look That Tired?

2007-11-06T19:47:00.000-06:00

The question is the same every day I work the early shift. "Are you gonna go home and take a nap?" It started as a simple question from one of my co-workers who, by the way, HAS to take a nap after this particular shift. Wimp!! Now, it's spread like a bad rash through most of the office. My response is always the same, "NO, I'm not gonna go home and take a NAP!" You'd have to hear my voice to fully understand but my pitch is probably somewhere between Olive Oyl and Lois (The Family Guy). Now I'll admit, since the time change, getting up at 3:15 AM makes a nap appealing. I even found out yesterday that if I sit down for just a minute, I quickly fall asleep. I nearly missed my afternoon cry with Oprah! But with 79 newborn eyelash vipers and all the other snakes to feed, I just can't rationalize taking the time to take a nap.

So now I have to wonder, do I really look that tired? Why, suddenly, am I being asked this question by most of the staff? If I didn't already have enough complexes about the way I look! Should I contemplate cosmetic surgery? Do my eyelids need work? Maybe a forehead lift? How about a complete facelift? The infamous nap question was even manipulated into a complex question this morning regarding the newspaper (another story in itself!). "Are you gonna pick up the paper after you take a nap?"

With the crew that's working tomorrow, I know I'll be asked "the question" again. Maybe I'll stop at HEB after work and pick up some Oil of Olay Eye Contour.

"Real Men Don't Take Naps!"

Majestic Monarchs

2007-10-29T17:02:00.001-05:00

My mother's words still haunt me. "Why would you do that to those poor butterflies?" Back then, like today, I sat out old fruit to attract them to the yard. Back then the outcome was much worse since I fed them to my Jackson's chameleons. I was remembering that exact conversation (or should I call it scolding) while traveling west to Roma and San Ygnacio this past Friday. Countless butterflies, many of them monarchs, were trying to navigate over Highway 83 on their way south into Mexico. I found myself routing for them, thinking if they could only make it past this last obstacle, they would surely make it to their overwintering sites.

The fall migration of the monarch butterfly begins in the northernmost parts of the United States and even Canada in late August. Monarchs east of the Rockies fly south and those that reach the Gulf of Mexico follow the Coastal Flyway along and just inland from the coast. Their eventual destination is the Oyamel Forest in the Transvolcanic Plateau in Central Mexico. So when Scarlet e-mailed me Sunday morning about their mass arrival on South Padre Island, we made our plans for the day.

Countless monarchs cluster on the outermost leaves of the Tepeguaje trees at the Nature Center. Many are battered, nearly all exhausted, after traveling up to 50 miles a day during the fall migration.

As I approach for a closer shot, orange clouds take flight only to land in the exact spot seconds later.

The majority of monarchs that make the fall migration are in reproductive dormancy. Here, an unusual mating takes place during the migration.

Just before sunset, a small cluster prepares to roost for the night.

The last rays of the evening light up the wings of already sleeping, weary travelers.

"No other animal is more typical of a healthy environment, nor more susceptible to change, than a butterfly" (John Feltwell - The Encyclopedia of Butterflies). As I think about the past, I realize my attitude towards butterflies has changed as I've learned more about them. Living in deep south Texas and watching the array of colors during migration each year has only heightened my awareness. Butterflies have no control over their environment. They can only respond to changes that we humans bestow on them. That usually means surviving or dying. My fruit offerings are no longer meant to bring instant death. I can only hope my mom is watching!

An Afternoon in Paradise - Conclusion

2007-10-25T19:51:00.000-05:00

After completing our tour of the Sealife Center, we walked around Lighthouse Square and enjoyed the late afternoon breeze off the Laguna Madre. A few more photos were in order about town before heading home to Brownsville.

The Port Isabel Lighthouse sits on the now state owned Historical Site situated on just under an acre on the north side of Highway 100 just before crossing the Queen Isabella Causeway to South Padre Island.

The State Historical Marker.

Out on the square, I was lucky enough to get this shot of a Brown Pelican as it soared overhead.

On the drive home, we stopped at the City Docks and found this fisherman cleaning his catch of the day.

Another angle as he begins filleting his catch.

An almost too bright reflection as the sun sets behind a thick cirrus shield. It was my last shot of a most unforgettable afternoon.

An Afternoon in Paradise - Part II

2007-10-24T19:24:00.000-05:00

As mentioned in "An Afternoon in Paradise", Darlene and I were invited to be Scarlet's guest at the Dolphin Research and Sealife Center in Port Isabel. They had recently relocated from South Padre Island to Lighthouse Square, which was right off the Causeway on our way home. Even though it was late afternoon, Scarlet assured us her sister-in-law would be working late and would be happy to accommodate us. It would be a challenge to photograph "Denizens of the Deep" behind glass but we were up to the challenge and eager to see more wildlife.

Front entrance at 110 North Garcia Street between the historic Lighthouse and Pirate's Landing Restaurant.

This mermaid greets visitors coming off the Causeway from South Padre Island.

This Banded starfish was in one of the touch tanks that allows children (and adults!) to have a "hands-on" experience with local marine life.

A Lined starfish in one of the touch tanks.

A Shrimp eel poses perfectly!

One tank was dedicated to nothing but Sea anemones.

A very personable Gulf toadfish.

This Spotted scorpionfish was in the same tank.

A very odd Mantis shrimp. Their punch is powerful enough to break glass.

This Guitarfish was ALWAYS on the move.

A heated turtle pond housed several species of local brackish

and fresh water turtles. This is a female Red-bellied slider.

Our host took this large Florida horse conch out for a close-up.

I was intrigued by this mossy looking fellow, a Portly spider crab.

A juvenile Portly spider crab.

These were just a fraction of the species there. Many of my photos turned out fuzzy so check out Darlene's Blog to see more creatures. I'm still wondering how she persuaded the Moray eel to sit still for her! Next time you're passing through Port Isabel, be sure to make time to visit the nice folks at the Sealife Center. It's only $3 per person and your money goes to a very worthy cause.

Finally, a FROPA!

2007-10-22T14:49:00.001-05:00

FROPA is an acronym used by the National Weather Service to denote a "Frontal Passage". We finally had our first significant cold frontal passage of the fall season in Brownsville this morning. For the past week, this cold front had been perfectly forecast. Even the timing of the front was almost perfectly predicted. So when it blew past our office at exactly 1057 am this morning, the 3 of us on shift were all outside waiting, eagerly anticipating the first blast of cool air felt here since last winter. What a blast it was! Low clouds rolled in, accompanied by northwest winds of 49 mph. The temperature dropped from 89 degrees to 62 degrees in less than an hour. What a difference a day makes. Yesterday, we tied the daily maximum high temperature of 92 degrees! Hopefully, we won't see another 90 degree day until next year. Unfortunately for us, that could be as early as January!

Low clouds on the horizon around 10 am depicting the location of the front. The building on the left is our inflation building where we inflate weather balloons.

On our doorstep!

FROPA!

An Afternoon in Paradise

2007-10-21T11:41:00.000-05:00

Friday was the start of my 3-day weekend and earlier in the week I suggested to Darlene that she take the day so we could do some photography. As the week wore on, it looked like Friday would turn into another work day for her and another snake work day for me. So it was a pleasant surprise when she called shortly after 1 pm and said she had finished for the day and was heading home. The weather was perfect so after she got home and changed, we grabbed our cameras and headed out, not really knowing where we might land. After a quick discussion about lunch, we decided to head for the island.

Thirty minutes to our east lies South Padre Island, a beautiful 4-mile stretch of world class beaches, hotels, souvenir shops and restaurants. It's also the home of the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center, a spectacular 50 acre sanctuary for our native species as well as birds and butterflies on their seasonal migration. We had been there many times over the years and it seemed the logical place to take photos. After a late lunch at "Daddy's", we drove over to the sanctuary.

As I had hoped, the butterfly garden was alive with butterflies. Gulf Fritillary's were everywhere as were several species of Skippers. One or two Monarchs were about which signaled the beginning of the fall migration. As I rounded the bend of the garden, I heard a familiar voice, that of Scarlet Colley. I've ran into Scarlet many times over the years, doing everything from post storm surveys to career days. She's always outgoing and friendly. She and her husband, George, own Colley's Fin to Feathers Photo Safaris on the island. We struck up a conversation about the butterflies and wildlife in general. She then asked if we had ever seen the alligator.

Now, I've heard a lot of people talk about the alligator that lives there in the salt marsh but I had never seen it. It even seemed a little far-fetched to me that an alligator would live in salt water. So when she offered to show us the alligator, we jumped at the chance. Out on the boardwalks we went and all the while Scarlet called "Aloishea!". I stopped to take a photo of a juvenile Great Blue Heron while Darlene and Scarlet proceeded on to the blind at the end of the southern-most boardwalk. To my amazement, through the cattails, I saw the familiar shape of an alligator's head that was slowly moving towards the sound of Scarlet's voice. Scarlet said she had known her 12 years and named her Aloishea from a children's book she remembered from her childhood. What an incredible bond between these two. You can read a tribute to these two special ladies on Darlene's Blog.

The afternoon could not have gotten much better in my opinion but Scarlet insisted we be her guests at the Sealife Center in Port Isabel on our way home. Details and photos of the creatures we met there will be forth coming in another blog. Photos of our "Afternoon in Paradise" are below. Enjoy!

Visitors are greeted to South Padre Island by this "photo-worthy" pull off, coming off the Causeway from Port Isabel.

"Daddy's" is owned by the nice folks who own "Dirty Al's".

The menu there includes Cajun Cuisine.

The South Padre Island Convention Center sits next to the Sanctuary.
You are greeted by an incredible Killer Whale mural painted by the acclaimed environmental artist "Wyland".

The World Birding Center's Visitor's Center is already being designed.

A view of the Laguna Madre from the Convention Center.
A viewing area at the end of one of the Sanctuary's boardwalks is visible in the salt marsh.

The Sanctuary's Butteryfly Garden attracts many species of butterflies.
Here, 2 Gulf Fritillary's take nectar from the same clump of Blue Mist.

Close-up of a Gulf Fritillary Butterfly.

Another visitor, a Painted Lady.

The Monarch migration has recently begun.

A juvenile Great Blue Heron tries to become invisible in the cattails.

A close-up before flight.

A common moorhen posed under the bird blind until...

"Aloishea" comes to greet us.

Detail of Aloishea's head. Her right eye is partially covered by a cataract.

Darlene takes a photo of Scarlet for her blog.

Lovely but Lethal

2007-10-16T18:22:00.000-05:00

One of my co-workers called Sunday afternoon. "I've got a pretty snake," he said. "Do you want me to bring it to work tomorrow?" "Sure," I said. "Will it stay in a shoebox or will it get out?'' "It will escape," I told him. "Put it in a pillowcase." "A PILLOWCASE," he shreaked. It should be noted, I was in a bit of a hurry since he called during the Cowboys-Patriots game and Dallas happened to be winning at the time (we all know how long the lead lasted!). I said a hurried "good-bye" and was sure that was the end of it. I couldn't imagine his wife letting him put a snake in one of her pillow cases. So I was pleasantly surprised when he walked into the office Monday morning holding a yellow pillowcase, tied perfectly at the neck. I even joked he was now a professional snake hunter.

What I found inside was a pretty snake, alright! It was a Texas Coral Snake, which just so happens to possess the most dangerous venom of any venomous snake in Texas. Texas Coral Snakes belong to the Elapidae Family which includes the mambas, cobras, taipans and sea snakes and they possess a highly toxic venom that attacks the nervous system. Granted, very few people are ever bitten by a coral snake since encounters are rare and they have a very small head and mouth. That combination makes bites to humans almost impossible. It's a myth, however, that the coral snake has to "chew" it's victim to inflict a venomous bite. I witnessed this first hand when trying to photograph this particular snake. It bit the black poster board I originally thought of using as a back ground. One bite left a sizable amount of venom and made the entire process of photographing this thing VERY NERVE-RACKING!

If you're ever lucky enough to see one of these beauties in the wild but aren't quite sure if it's indeed a coral snake, just remember this simple rhyme:

Red and yellow

Kill a fellow.

Red and black

Friend of Jack (or venom lack).

That pertains to the banding, of course. As you can see in the photo, the red bands touch the yellow bands. The milk snake, which is so often mistaken for a coral snake, has red and black bands touching. Instead of trying to determine which snake it actually is, it's probably a better idea to just let the snake pass and go it's way. Now that I think about it, I wonder how my co-worker even caught this thing. Hmm, if he only knew!

Art is All Around Us

2007-10-05T16:16:00.001-05:00

The debate over whether "photography is art" has raged for years. Can photography indeed be considered it's own form of art? Many say no. Hardcore artists will tell you photography first has to be considered technical. Since a camera is involved, it's a mechanical process and since the camera does the work, the photographer then has nothing to do with it. I beg to differ.

But what is art? To me, art is nothing more than something that touches you. Be it a painting or a photograph, to me, it is art. A good photograph causes me to pause and reflect. I inevitably wish I had been the one to take the photograph. To me, it's a form of art and maybe even art in it's purist form.

Photography has made me take time to pause and look at the beauty around me. A simple walk through the back yard to feed our Venezuelan redfoot tortoises recently made me dash back into the house for the camera. Two quick shots. You be the judge.

Yellow Plumeria In Bloom

Native Cactus In Bloom

Would you display these in your home? Is photography art? I say a definite YES!

"Back" to School

2007-09-29T14:27:00.000-05:00

I started physical therapy this past Wednesday at the Brownsville Back School, a place I really didn't want to see again. Well, maybe for a visit to see the nice folks there but definitely not as a patient. I had undergone an aggressive 8 week session this past February and March, following back surgery in late December. But since I graciously declined the cortisone shot in the spine, as mentioned in a previous post in this Blog, this was the course of action prescribed by my neurosurgeon. I'll visit 3 times at week for the next 4 weeks.

The routine, this time, is pretty much the same. I start with fifteen minutes on a recumbent bike then do 3 sets of leg curls. Various leg and back exercises follow before I end up with a heating pad under my lower back. However this time, 15 minutes of "electric stimulation" has been added. I'm not sure what is happening when my back is being "electrocuted" but I guess the hope is to relax the muscles in my lower back. Time will tell if it indeed works but the pain is still pretty intense every time I sit down.

I'll be back for my next session on Monday and you can be sure I'll "toe the line" while a patient there. The "Babes" of the Brownsville Back School will make sure of that!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2007-09-27T17:37:00.000-05:00

And it's not even Christmas! Well, maybe it is for me. It's the time of year I check cages almost hourly when I'm home, looking for baby eyelash vipers! Two litters have been born so far this week, one from a tiger and these little beauties from a solid lemon yellow. The one in front is the spitting image of his/her mother! These were born during the day, yesterday. When I got home from work around 1 pm, four were crawling about the cage. By the time I returned from physical therapy (another blog to come) around 3, there were nine moving about. The final count appears to be an even dozen but I've yet to move them from their birth cage. One or two more could easily be hiding under the leaves or even under the water bowl.

A Great Big Pain in the BACK!

2007-09-21T18:36:00.000-05:00

I turned the corner yesterday. About half-way through my shift, I began to feel better and was able to sit at my workstation a little longer. Why was I feeling bad, you ask? You have to go all the way back to the day before Father's Day in 1990. That's when the vehicle Bill Love and I were traveling to west Texas in went airborne and rolled 4 times before coming to rest upside down.

Two MONSTER back surgeries and months of physical therapy later, one would think I'd be feeling great. Since the second surgery, for the most part, I had forgotten I was ever in that wreck. A 4 1/2 hour drive to Victoria last Wednesday night changed all that.

The pain started slowly (more of a discomfort really) much of the day Thursday while Darlene was having her all day allergy test. By Friday, I couldn't even sit without pain stabbing me in the left hip and shooting down my left leg. I stood or laid flat much of the day Friday and Saturday morning. Our plans were to drive home Saturday afternoon. If I couldn't sit in a chair, how would I be able to sit in the car for the 4 1/2 trip back to Brownsville? It was mandated that I would NOT drive and that we would stop every hour so I could at least walk and stretch. Much to my surprise, the drive wasn't all that uncomfortable and we made it home with only two stops along the way.

Now, people who know me will tell you, I don't like Doctors and would pretty much rather die than have to see one. Sunday morning, I actually called my neurosurgeon and begged for help. When pain is so intense that you can't eat breakfast at Shoney's, it's time to call for help! He gave me two options, go to the ER for a shot and x-rays then see him Tuesday afternoon or simply wait until my appointment and he would examine me then. Despite my dislike of needles, I chose the ER. I was instructed to have the nurse in the ER call him and he would order the shot and x-rays.

The shot of Torredol did little to alleviate the pain. I guess you could say it made the pain "manageable" but it never went away. Before leaving, the ER nurse said to take 800 Mg's of Motrin every 4 hours until I could get a prescription from my doctor. This is a good place to point out that my neurosurgeon is not a big pain medication advocate. I found that out while in the hospital after my most recent surgery. I was given two shots following surgery, one in the afternoon and one that night. After that, I was only given Tylenol 3, no matter how much I begged for something stronger!

Much of the time waiting for Tuesday afternoon's doctor appointment was spent flat on my back on a heating pad. I did call the doctor's office Monday morning and asked for something for pain. Much to my joy, they did call in a prescription to Walgreen's. Darlene picked up the Darvon on her way home from work Monday afternoon. Like the Torredol, it has made the pain tolerable, at best. Once in the doctor's office Tuesday afternoon, I stood while Darlene sat patiently for over an hour. Finally, my name was called. After a detailed account of the drive to Victoria and the subsequent pain, and after reviewing the x-rays, I was offered a Cortisone shot in my spine. Again, I have this needle thing and when you combine that with my spine, I politely said NO! My doctor said he was 95% sure if was inflamed muscles, probably from sitting in one position for so long. He suggested physical therapy for 4 weeks but wanted to see me in 3 weeks. If the pain is still there, he will order a MRI.

So, where does this leave me and why do I blog it? I've been in pain for most of the past 17 years, since that fateful day near Comstock. I know my body and this is not muscle pain. My worst fear would be to have another herniated disc and have to face yet another surgery. Could I do it? Yes. Do I want to do it? NO! My friend "XXXX" jokingly said to me, "you only have 10 or 15 years left so just suck it up and take the pain". For everyone who reads this with back pain, you KNOW how hard it is to take the pain for a single day.

That Lil Ol' Band From Texas

2007-09-02T13:51:00.000-05:00

It seems like ZZ Top and their music have been around forever. So, when it was announced they were coming to Dodge Arena, I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to go. I had seen them years ago in Tallahassee Florida on their "Eliminator" tour. By then, they had abandoned Texas for the glitters of California and their videos with the now famous 1933 Ford Coupe were a staple on MTV. For me, they had lost some of their appeal because, after all, a Texas boy wants his Texas band to sing about all things Texas. About all I remember of that concert was they opened with "Got Me Under Pressure" and my ears hurt for days.

Darlene and I danced around whether to go or not for the past several weeks. There was a chance we wouldn't even be in the area as she was trying to get an appointment with her allergy doctor in Victoria. To complete the whole decision part of this story, it should be noted that a dear friend and co-worker was struggling with the same decision on whether to go or not. His wife's sisters might be coming to town but, if we were going, he would go with us. To make a L O N G story short, Darlene wasn't able to get an immediate appointment, his wife decided she wanted to go, tickets were purchased and we all went together.

The show was scheduled to start at 8 pm and there was little information available about who, if anyone, would open. The stage was basically stripped down with only stacks of amps on each sides of the drum kit, which clearly said ZZ Top. Still, we were left to wonder if a local band would perform. Around 8:30, the lights finally dimmed, the crowd came alive and what do I hear? The unmistakable sound of "Got Me Under Pressure". This was different from the first concert. Right away it was evident that Billy Gibbons was on top of his game. The sound was crisp and clear and not overbearing. They immediatley charged into "Waitin' for the Bus" and "Jesus Just Left Chicago". It was obvious they still remembered their roots and they knew they were home in south Texas. From there, they continued the older, Texas based songs with one of my favorites, "Heard it on the X". It was written as their tribute to the old "Border Blaster" radio station run by Wolfman Jack in Acuna. "Nationwide" and Darlene's favorite, "Blue Jean Blues" were only a few of the great old songs they played from their recording days over in Tyler. When Billy started lamenting about all the "Dollar Stores" there were in the area and his shopping trip in one, you just knew it was leading to "Cheap Sunglasses"!

One of the real high points of the concert was when Billy paid tribute to his friend and early mentor, Jimi Hendrix, by playing a scorching version of "Foxy Lady". You would have thought Jimi was resurrected and playing lead guitar!

All the songs from the MTV days followed but this time, I didn't mind as much. This was the ZZ Top I loved listening to during my last years of high school and the years that followed in the military. I remember an interview in the 80's when Frank Beard was asked to describe their brand of music. His reply was "below the waist rock and roll". Maybe that's when I thought they had abandoned their Texas roots. After seeing them live again this past Friday night, I don't think they ever really abandoned their roots at all!

The Doctor Asked if We Have a Possum in the House?

2007-08-29T15:06:00.000-05:00

Thus was the reason for Darlene's sudden breathing problems, CONVENIENTLY the day after I rescued this baby female Virginia Opossum from the skimmer basket in our swimming pool. I found her frantically treading water after noticing an unusual wake in the pool early one recent morning. I saw right through Darlene's plan. I knew the Doctor. He was good, but not that good.

Many have asked, "Why keep a opossum"? I guess it goes back to my childhood. I raised many types of small mammals as a boy but one of my most vivid chilhood memories involves a pet opossum and an old country gentleman I met while traveling to the family farm in Checotah Oklahoma.

I acquired that particular opossum from a classmate in Elementary School. His father found it clinging to it's dead mother and since everyone knew I had a menagerie at home, I got the call. I remember having to actually barter for this opossum though, and after offering several aquatic turtles from my collection, the deal was made.

"Baby" as I named him, became one of my favorite pets. My mom helped give him milk with an eye dropper and he fast became part of the family. He was even able to stay in the house, for the most part. I can still remember my dad finding him asleep in his boot while getting dressed for work one morning.

So when we made the trip to Checotah that one long weekend, Baby went right along. Today the trip from Fort Worth to Checotah takes about 5 hours but back then, it seemed to take all day. I rode the entire way in the back of dad's 1960 Ford pickup with Baby in an old wire bird cage. After crossing the Red River, we stopped at an old country gas station. An older gentleman working there saw Baby in the back of the truck and, I remember this like it was yesterday, offered to trade a mynah bird he kept in the station for my opossum! I politely refused his offer. I've thought about that old man many times over the years and I can still see his face. For the longest time, I wondered why he would want to trade a somewhat expensive, talking bird for a common opossum. Now, after owning parrots for many years, I CLEARLY KNOW WHY! Opossums are much, much quieter!

I don't remember every detail of that weekend. I remember the drive up and the drive back. I remember finding another opossum with my cousin Terry down in the creek. It was a large female with a pouch full of babies. We took her back to his house and put her in his guinea pig cage. I remember throwing the soiled cloth in the bottom of Baby's cage and hitting (and it sticking to) Terry's face. It's funny what you remember from your childhood.

I took a baby, orange-ish colored guinea pig, born there on the farm, home in the wire cage with Baby. They made the trip together fine. Afterwards, they actually lived together, for a time, in a large outdoor cage my dad built for them.

I still remember the day I let Baby go. He stayed around our small farm for several days. I'd find him in the barn, in the garage or under the house. One day I couldn't find him and I never saw him again. I remember how sad I felt that he left me. Over time, I felt sure he wandered off into the neighboring woods and found a suitable mate to start his own family.

I've owned and raised many animals over the years, everything from foxes to bobcats but that one opossum has always had a special place in my heart. You just don't forget a pet like that. So now, many years later, I've told Darlene to tell her Doctor "Yes, there IS a possum in the house"!

They're Not Venomous and MAN Are They Cool!

2007-08-01T14:57:00.001-05:00

When any rare or odd snake becomes available in the trade, my whole being yells, "I've got to have one"! Such was the case when I started seeing photos of the Vietnamese Rhino Rat Snake (Rhynchophis boulengeri).

Originally described by science in 1994, this beautiful snake is still uncommon in collections. So, when I was finally able to stumble across a well started pair in late 2005, I jumped at the chance to own these rare gems.

Horror stories about getting newly hatched babies to feed were the prevalent topics of conversation when I sought out information on the species. And since they naturally occur in the mountainous rainforests of north Vietnam and south China, the semi-tropical climate of Brownsville seemed to pose another challenge. Regardless, I poured food to them through the winter, bound and determined I would be successful in the husbandry of these magnificent animals.

Winter (what we have of it) came and went and by late March, I felt I had put enough size on both animals to attempt breeding. Within minutes of placing them together, the male began courting the female. Copulation was observed a short time later and actually continued over a period of nearly 5 days. 59 days later, 10 perfect eggs were laid in a nest box full of sphagnum moss I had placed in the female's cage. I carefully placed each egg in an airtight container with moist Perlite and waited IMPATIENTLY! It had been my past experience that kingsnake and rat snake eggs typically hatch between 60 and 70 days at room temperature. But these weren't just any rat snakes. I had been raising venomous snakes and it had been years since I actually incubated snake eggs. But right on schedule, the first head emerged on day 65!

Day 64! You can clearly see striations in the top egg, indicating the baby is trying to slice through the egg shell.

First peek into the new world! The egg tooth is still visible.

Several babies out and ready to take on the world!

Now came the challenge of trying to get the babies to feed. I had been told by one keeper the babies would readily accept guppies placed in their water bowl. Did that mean they were aquatic? I was told by another keeper to avoid fish at all cost and offer them pink parts. What gives? So began the tedious task of trying to feed these strange looking creatures (they looked nothing like their parents). Like some of our native rat snakes, baby "rhino rats" lack the adult coloration and are actually an ugly grey-brown at birth. And this whole fish thing had me thinking. If they WERE aquatic and fish eaters for a period of their life, WHY? I was discussing this whole issue one night with our friend, Leo Garrett (happens to be the smartest guy I know, MENSA, the whole genius thing) and he matter of factly stated, "It has to be the monsoons". Now, working for the National Weather Service, you might think I would have thought of that. It made perfect sense. Still, I was reluctant to start them on fish. Instead, I began offering them f/t (frozen/thawed) pink parts to see what happened. To my surprise (and joy), 5 of the 10 readily accepted the split pinks. The other 5 ate the parts with only a little assistance for the first month or so. By fall, all 10 babies were readily taking f/t pinks or pink parts from forceps with little or no teasing.

Not only do "rhino rats" make great display animals, they also make good pets. Granted, a rather expensive pet. Hatchling pairs still command between $1200 and $1400 when you can find them but lone males are sometimes available at a fair price. So, if you're looking for that "hard to come by" animal or you just want something different, I highly recommend this gentle emerald of the Vietnamese rainforest. By the way, our second clutch of eggs is incubating and due to hatch this month!

A year after hatching, one of our hold-back females beginning the onotgenetic color change.

Angela's a Wreck and I'm Feeling Blue

2007-07-30T09:00:00.001-05:00

Angela called first thing this morning and was noticeably upset. "I just dropped Anevay off at school", then she broke down. What is this rite of passage that sends mothers into hysterics and grandparents cratering into depression? Her daughter, our granddaughter, started first grade today. How can that be possible? Why do I feel sad that she's starting first grade? I realize it's not the fact that she's starting first grade, it's the fact that she's growing up much too fast. I guess I'm selfish and would like her to stay young. I'd like her to always be like she was in this photo I took here, her second Christmas.

Anevay has always been smart beyond her years but it’s those innocent, child-like moments I’ll remember most fondly. As an example, for a time, she was convinced Darlene and I lived at the zoo. Her grandmother works there so we must live there. It makes sense to me. In her mind, since we lived there, she owned the animals. Her most prized possessions were the gorillas. She boldly told the crowds who gathered to see them that they were HER gorillas! And, when she was at the zoo, it was always a race to keep up with her. She remembered where every animal lived and she knew the ones she wanted to see. She just never wasted any time looking at any one particular animal!

I hope she’ll always want to “see the snakes” or “feed the ducks” on our Resaca or will want to go to “the animal zoo” when she comes to visit. Come to think of it, I still love to do those things. Maybe there are some things we never outgrow! Still, don’t grow up too fast Anevay and always know Papa and Grandma love you very much!

Nothin' To Do But Feed and Clean...

2007-07-26T15:29:00.000-05:00

It's pouring outside with almost continuous thunder at the moment. The power has flickered off and back on twice in the past 15 minutes. A perfect day for cleaning and feeding snakes. Not that any day is better than the other, because I feed and clean pretty much EVERY day after work. Today seems more pleasant for some reason. I've worked my way through all the African bush vipers (Atheris squamigera and chlorechis) and am now concentrating on the male eyelash vipers and side-striped palm vipers (pictured). This male posed nicely for the camera while all the bush vipers seemed to not want their photos taken with food in their mouths. Go figure...

An Affection for Ackies

2007-07-25T14:54:00.000-05:00

RED ACKIE

I've always had an affection for lizards. It began during my childhood when I caught countless "fence lizards" on the cedar fence posts surrounding the old Bedford Cemetery. That affection recently resurfaced when I obtained a small colony of Ridge-tailed dwarf monitors, commonly called Ackies, in a trade with High Plains Herp. The eagerly awaited shipment arrived last Tuesday and consisted of 2.2 Red Ackies (Varanus acanthurus acanthurus) and 1.1 Yellow Ackies (Varanus acanthurus brachyurus). I already housed a sexually mature red male that I recently purchased (as a pet for Darlene!) at the San Antonio Expo.

YELLOW ACKIE

Although still relatively rare, the Ackie's small size makes it an ideal monitor for both the first time reptile keeper and the serious breeder. Darlene and I have found them to be very personable and overall friendly, although we've both been bitten by Darlene's pet! I am housing them in 20 gallon long aquariums with an elevated rock surface directly under a 85 watt plant bulb. They have been readily accepting peach fuzzie mice, dusted crickets and scrambled eggs. It is written they breed easily when given tons of food and lots of heat.

YELLOW ACKIES BREEDING

Well, it didn't take lots of heat to induce the yellow pair to breed. Within half an hour out of the shipping box, they were breeding! It was raining in Brownsville when they arrived and temperatures were even on the cool side for mid July. Maybe weather conditions played a role in their eagerness to breed. But, I've witnessed them breeding on two separate occasions since that first day. The female has been investigating her new nest box so, hopefully, we'll be incubating Ackie eggs in the not too distant future! Stay tuned!

What's a Birthday Party Without a Snake Hunt?

2007-07-24T13:33:00.000-05:00

Clark's Creek covering FM444 which runs from Hope to Ezzell.

Zoom-in of torrent going over the bridge.

Ferns were abundant due to almost continuous rain in July. I took this macro shot to show the leaf texture.

The old Ezzell Store at the corner of FM531 and Lavaca County Road One.

An older building next to the store has succumbed to nature.

An abandoned shed and barn on County Road One.

The first snake seen was the elusive Canebrake rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus atricaudatus), sadly DOR (dead on road). Canebrake's are listed as a "Threatened Species" in Texas.

A doe grazes near the road, unfazed by our presence.

Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) gather to roost at dusk.

Later that evening, the night was alive with frog calls. I was able to track this squirrel tree frog (Hyla squirella) as he called for a mate.

Early Saturday morning. At first look, you'd think it was foggy. My lens actually fogged up from being in an air conditioned house all night.

The same fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) shot through a clean lens.

Brandon and I drove to Halletsville to buy BBQ for Nina's party. This old meter cover was in the sidewalk on the town square. Please do not molest the gas meter!

A shot of the historic Lavaca County Courthouse in downtown Halletsville. Notice the storm clouds in the northwestern sky.

Back in Hope, a Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis) came out to bask in the brief minutes of sunshine.

Indian Paint Brushes dotted the side of FM444.

Calla lilies in Nina's backyard.

Parasitic fern grows on the bark of nearly all the live oak trees.

Macro shot of an unusually colored mushroom.

Wild "mustang" grapes were abundant along the fence rows. Darlene's aunts and uncles regularly make jam and grape juice.

After the sun came out, we went to the old Lampley house off Highway 77 to hunt copperheads. This is the abandoned shed and store room. Although perfect habitat for both copperheads and Texas rat snakes, none were found probably due to the saturated ground.

Golden garden spiders (Argiope aurantiae) were everywhere!

Record rainfall created perfect habitat for damselflies and dragonflies in "water holes" along the ditches. This Roseate Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea) staked his territory to this stick over the water and, while I watched, fought off numerous attempts by smaller damselflies to invade his territory.

As I watched the chaos over the water hole, I witnessed this Bold Jumping Spider
(Phidippus audax) ambush a yellowjacket that flew in for a drink.

Another shot of the same Roseate Skimmer.

Can you see the tiny American toad (Bufo americanus)?

This young female Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) was caught in a "Havahart" trap, trying to invade Darlene's uncle's chicken house. I was able to save her from a sure bullet in the head and took a few photos before releasing her down at the creek.

You'd think she would show a little gratitude!

Saturday evening, Brandon and I struck out again for a little road cruising. Frogs and toads were abundant. This large female American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) seemed to own the road when we came up on her.

Garden orb-web spiders (Eriophora transmarina) descend from the live oaks at dusk to build BIG webs. At night, they wait in ambush.

The same web, covered in dew, early Sunday morning.

The same female bullfrog the next morning. I don't think she liked spending the night in a snake bag. Notice how puffed up she is.

Another shot as she hopped away (with attitude!).

The last catch Saturday night. A vividly colored broad-banded copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus) that was non-chalantly crawling down the side walk when Brandon and I got in from roading. I waited until Sunday morning to take this shot. Very seldom do we visit Hope and I not find a copperhead. They are easily the most abundant snake per square mile in Lavaca County!

Oh yea, we spent the weekend in Hope to celebrate Darlene's mom's 70th birthday. Photos from the family gathering on Saturday can be seen on Darlene's Blog at: mssnakeman.blogspot.com

Every Picture Tells a Story

2007-07-23T16:06:00.000-05:00

It's cool to have a Blog. At least, that's what I've been told lately. After reviewing several over the past few weeks, I have to agree. For years now, I've taken countless photos and shared them with only a select few. A Blog now seems the logical choice for sharing with the entire world! So this will be my first (and hopefully not last) foray into this new way to share in cyberspace. As the great Rod Stewart once sang, "Every picture tells a story, don't it". It's time for my pictures to begin telling my story.
-Jim-

La Vibora

Signs of Spring (In the Inflation Building)

~*~Happy~*~*New~*~Year~*~

~*~*~ Happy Holidays ~*~*~

Charlie Don't Mosh

Gone But Not Forgotten

My Dad Left Me a Present on His Birthday

Happy Easter!

Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Getting Acquainted

A Sad Goodbye

The Family That Photographs Together, Stays Together

Never Doubt the Purple Sage

My Lateralis Are Blue, But That's a GOOD THING!

What's That Smell?

Surely, You've Made a Mistake!

The Aaron Catastrophe

Mr. Way Too Proud of Texas Guy

Would Someone Tell These People it's Just a GAME!!!

The Viper Bouquet

How Do I Choose?

Sure Doesn't Feel Like January

Happy Holidays!

If You Feed Them, They Will Come!

Right in Our Own Backyard!

Those Mysterious Birthday Babies

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Woman on Her Birthday With Her Big SPOILED Lizard!

Do I Really Look That Tired?

Majestic Monarchs

An Afternoon in Paradise - Conclusion

An Afternoon in Paradise - Part II

Finally, a FROPA!

An Afternoon in Paradise

Lovely but Lethal

Art is All Around Us

"Back" to School

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

A Great Big Pain in the BACK!

That Lil Ol' Band From Texas

The Doctor Asked if We Have a Possum in the House?

They're Not Venomous and MAN Are They Cool!

Angela's a Wreck and I'm Feeling Blue

Nothin' To Do But Feed and Clean...

An Affection for Ackies

What's a Birthday Party Without a Snake Hunt?

Every Picture Tells a Story

~~Happy~~*New~~Year~~

~~~ Happy Holidays ~~~