I came out of the woods near the top of the steep grade of the driveway. This is probably about 1/3 of the way up toward the house. My driveway is about 1200 feet long so it's quite a hike up this hill when it's hot. This is the view turning back toward the road. That next bluff is probably on the other side of the Tennessee River. So far, it's almost always been a hot humid view but I look forward to seeing it this winter. That little pink spot is a Crape Myrtle bush along my driveway, one bloom still hanging in there.
I saw a shadow go by my feet and looked up. I never would have known, if I hadn't seen it, the vultures were above me circling very close. 
As I was photographing this one, another snuck over me just above the trees.
Now at this point I decided to head home. I took some photos around the house and called it a day with the photography. Soon it was time to go down the driveway to meet Morgan as she got off the bus. "Should I bring the camera? No, I'd already carried it with the heavy 400 mm lens, I won't see anything!" BIG MISTAKE! The next series of pictures were taken later after I went back to get the camera. For as I waited for Morgan to come off the bus (I wait half way up the hill usually in the shade) a 2 1/2 foot Rattlesnake came out of the grass and crossed the driveway just as Morgan got off the bus! It went into the ditch but I never saw it come back out! Now I was watching Morgan so I may have missed it but I wanted to make sure I kept a good eye on her too.
I saw a shadow go by my feet and looked up. I never would have known, if I hadn't seen it, the vultures were above me circling very close. 
As I was photographing this one, another snuck over me just above the trees.
Now at this point I decided to head home. I took some photos around the house and called it a day with the photography. Soon it was time to go down the driveway to meet Morgan as she got off the bus. "Should I bring the camera? No, I'd already carried it with the heavy 400 mm lens, I won't see anything!" BIG MISTAKE! The next series of pictures were taken later after I went back to get the camera. For as I waited for Morgan to come off the bus (I wait half way up the hill usually in the shade) a 2 1/2 foot Rattlesnake came out of the grass and crossed the driveway just as Morgan got off the bus! It went into the ditch but I never saw it come back out! Now I was watching Morgan so I may have missed it but I wanted to make sure I kept a good eye on her too.Here is my description of the event!!! Clicking on the photo will probably make you laugh.
After I got her home, I grabbed the camera and went back to try to get a picture of it, but no luck. It was gone. Where it had disappeared I found this beautiful Garden Spider instead. 
It was having a hot lunch. 
Then I spotted a Velvet Ant, which is actually a wingless female wasp.
They are beautiful and will sting AND if you disturb them (as Morgan has discovered) they make all kinds of noise.
Then I had to add this picture of the Buckeye I took yesterday. Every time I walk down the driveway I see one. 
After I got her home, I grabbed the camera and went back to try to get a picture of it, but no luck. It was gone. Where it had disappeared I found this beautiful Garden Spider instead. 
It was having a hot lunch. 
Then I spotted a Velvet Ant, which is actually a wingless female wasp.
They are beautiful and will sting AND if you disturb them (as Morgan has discovered) they make all kinds of noise.
Then I had to add this picture of the Buckeye I took yesterday. Every time I walk down the driveway I see one. 
Now I have to say that for all these months that I've walked up and down this driveway, nearly 5 months, I've said to myself, "you'd better stop looking up all the time or your going to step on a Rattlesnake." I think it's time I start listening to that little voice in my head.
My mission, no matter how long it takes, is to get a photo of a Rattler!
10 comments:
Oh Eve I love your "Oh NOOOO" face on your stick drawing, had it been me you would have had to draw a little puddle around my feet! Morgan looks to be wearing shorts and I think a backpack.
A Velvet Ant. I had wondered what they were. What an ending Eve. Great walk through the woods!
I will be shooting you the recipe as soon as I can get it and oh, CH never eats it without heavy cream!
My, what great hair you have!
Excellent drawring!
Never heard of a velvet ant...Cool!
Good luck on your Rattler! We can live with Drawrings for now!
I have rattlers for days out here, but that's it. Rattlers and fire ants. You even get pretty trees and pretty birds... and funny stick figure kids.
Great stick drawing of yourself Evie (I mean that in the nicest possible way of course)
Your hair stood on end when you saw the rattler.
Great series of photos Eve, and yes I particularly enjoyed the reenactment of the rattlesnake incident! I have only ever seen one rattlesnake in my life and that was years ago when we lived in California. A baby rattler had curled up in the shade on my neighbor's concrete step. Her husband picked it up using a broom handle, deposited it in an empty trash bin and drove it up into the hills away from any populace. Never seen one of those velvet ants/wasps before. She was a pretty one, as was the spider and the butterfly.
I lived in Arizona for awhile and saw enough rattlesnakes to last a lifetime. I never got a photo which would have been cool of I did. Good luck and be careful
Hmmmm. My comment didn't make it across the blogging ether. I'll try again...... Great finale to the woodland walk Evie. That Velvet Ant thing is AMAZING! Never seen anything like that before. Would love to hear one too! Thanks for showing us around your place.
Glad to be back here, finally. Computer gremlins, you know. A rattlesnake!?!?! ....um, how much wine will you have in your fridge when I visit? Hum? LOL!!! LOVE all your posts - you blow me away, dear!!! Later - keep your fingers crossed that my computer decides to live for a bit!
Okay, so I am rethinking about coming for a visit. You have to be tough to live in the South, truely one needs body armor or snake proof pants and boots. Obviously one does not wear Croc's around the yard!
Another adventure for Eve and Morgan! :) Where there is one rattler there are usually two. :) The Velvet Ant is said to have one of the most painful stings of any insect. That is why many Southerners refer to them as "Cowkillers". They are extremely hard bodied- so even stepping on them with boots on while the Velvet Ant is in the grass usually will not kill them- if they were on concrete- then you can kill them by stepping on them- but otherwise they are extremely hard to kill. I usually just let them be.
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