For awhile, postings to my blog are not going to be as frequent as they have been in the past. Simply said, I just do not have any new material to blog about. I haven't had anything all summer so that is why we've just completed re-visiting the Bodie Ghost Town trip from two years ago. Although I have many other trips from the past I could re-visit, I just do not enjoy rehashing old material. I learned this while re-doing Bodie. I'll try to continue visiting the blogs I follow meanwhile.
I am loosely planning a fall trip to the desert but this kind of hinges on Sinbad's health. He just turned 17 (as near as I can reckon his birth date based upon his age when I adopted him) but if the trip seems to be taking a toll upon him I'll abort and return home. The well-being of my scrawny little deaf cat is of high priority with me.
So if I post anything, it will stuff like this: Here is a beautiful fat rattlesnake, around four feet long, I discovered on my bicycle ride yesterday.
Here I have greatly cropped the photo (you didn't expect me to get up real close did you?) so you can make out the rattles on his tail next to the X. A rattlesnake will add a rattle each time it sheds it's skin and if generally snakes shed their skin once a year then that would be a good judgement to its age. Not necessarily so with rattlesnakes. In their first year they shed their skin multiple times. As they mature their growth rate slows down to where they may not shed their skin over the course of a year.
In case you are wondering, no he wasn't rattling at me. He was quite calm. So was I.
These photos were taken with my old iPhone and whereas some people get really good pictures from their phones I don't seem to do so well. I just cannot hold the phone all that steady while trying to tap on the screen to set focus and exposure. I need to take my regular camera with me more often.
11 comments:
Its something we don't find on our daily bicycle tour. Nice find and the best with Sinbad.
That is something we never see here cycling around, it is a big one. Sinbad is reaching a respectable age by now 17, sending him hugs from me.
Bud sees these guys on his hikes, but I have not seen one since I left Florida back in the horse and buggy days... thank goodness. Still, you got some great shots. You take good care of your SInbad. Hope you will be able to take your panned upcoming trip, but Bud and I will certainly understand if you can’t. Trouble is the joy of his life...I come second :-).
you can keep the rattlers there. glad we don't have them in this part of texas.
Ber well - hope you do have a nice trip with the guy!
Glad we don't see the rattlers around here.
Dag, brings back bad memories. Best to come across these babies in the morning when they're still warming up. Don't see the rattlers so much around anymore since moving to Southern Virginia, but copperheads are more prevalent....bad news, they don't rattle a warning. Not a bad photo, John. Glad you cropped it for us.
Nice fat rattler. I hear you on the iPhone pix. Unless it's bright light, the pix are blurry. Hope Sinbad stays healthy and enjoys the desert trip. No fall colors trip in the works?
Nice snake! Snakes are why people invented zoom lenses!
Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
I like this sort of post, actually. So if you take photos of what's happening close to home, that's good with me. I do hope Sinbad is OK, though!
Great capture of the rattlesnake. I like seeing them ... in photos, but in real life I prefer to keep my distance.
Hope Sinbad feels well enough to accompany you on a trip to the desert.
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