I checked the blackberry bushes yesterday evening (not many berries) and discovered this Racer Snake curled up six feet off the ground in the brambles.

I reached into the dark tub of dog food and jerked my hand back at movement. This is what I saw.

Just a cute little Didelphis virginiana, I says to myself. What to do? It will have a broken neck if the dogs get hold of it. When the coast was clear, the cute little Virginia Opossum was transferred to a cage for transportation and loaded into the back of the Land Cruiser.

Just as it was let loose in the tall grass on the hill behind the barn, up come two dogs. The dogs’ attention was easily diverted by offering them a ride in the Land Cruiser.

In the last few day, I’ve seen 4 different turtles in the hollow. Three were box turtles, but the 4th was this beauty, a common snapping turtle, seen from behind.