Pink Rattlesnake!!!

So yesterday, Jillian (the older girl I'm baby-sitting this summer) and I headed off to the Fort Worth Nature Center.

The DFW Herpetological Society was having a display of snakes native to Terrant County....and the gem of the show was a PINK rattlesnake they had found recently.







All in all, the display was a bit of a let down.  They made it sound like there were going to be a number of snakes there, and there were only a handful.  Though we did get to touch a huge (7+ foot) bullsnake.

Venomous Snakes

I've long had a love for Gaboon Vipers and Rhino Vipers.
Seems the breeders have tired of making people choose one of the other and have now begun breeding hybrids.

They call these snakes Gabinos.
And man, are they beautiful:




These two photos are by JAMills on deviantArt.

And he says this one is a venomoid -- which is a venomous snake that has undergone a surgical procedure to remove or inhibit the production of venom.

My first thought was, "Sweet!  Now I can have my Gaboon without worry of it killing me."  But then I got to reading about this surgery...how honestly, inhumane it is.  And how it's generally not done correctly...or that these venom glands can regrow.  That they don't need full venom glands to kill -- as most venomous snakes deliver well over the needed dose in a single bite to kill a human.  And now I'm thinking...."Hmmm, maybe I should just do the work and learn how to properly handle these guys as safely as I can and stop looking to take short cuts."

Not Just a Dream...

So it's looking like I just might be able to go see the wolf pups this year after all!
I made a post about driving to Wolf Park (a 14 hour drive -- not too terrible) -- how it was cheaper than flying -- and my Mom commented that if I let her tag along, then she'd split the cost of gas with me.

That takes this from just a dream, to the possibility of reality.

So my plan right now is to see when the last possible Wolf Puppy Photo Shoot is available (date wise) and start planning for that.
 

Puppy Pile

A photo of Wolf Park's six wolf pups, taken by a buddy on DeviantArt called Guard-of-the-Citadel.

What I wouldn't give to be able to go up there and photograph these guys myself.
But I am beginning to suspect it just isn't in the cards for me sadly.
I might be able to swing it for my birthday....but that's not until November.  *sighs*

80th Birthday Photos

I'm finally getting around with posting the photos from my Grandmother's 80th birthday.  Woohoo!  Don't hold it against us that in some of the photos, none of us are all looking at the same camera.  We had 3 photographers going at a time, so trying to figure out who was taking the photo when wasn't easy!  *laughs*  But it's SO my family!

First up is the birthday girl herself!


Uncle Jake, my mom, and my grandmother:


This is Uncle Jake's side of the family:


My mom's side of the family:


My Grandmother and all the Grandchildren:


And of course we had to get a photo of Holly too!

Harpy Eagle Mask

A month or so ago, I commissioned a hand-carved, hand-tooled, hand-painted leather, and feathered, one-of-a-kind Harpy Eagle Mask.
And this is the mask Brenda Lyons created for me:





It's for my own personal rituals and to hang above my altar.  I just need to smudge it down and then cleanse, bless, and dedicate it.