Just in time for Halloween: Snakes and Spiders!

It's been a while since we encountered snakes - - having cleared out 12"+ of leaves from around the house when we moved in two years ago, we've long since seen large ring neck or black snakes around. And it's been a little over a year since I nearly stepped on a smallish copperhead that was lounging just off our patio.

I was surprised to come across this little fellow out front near the front steps, lounging near a hole that went under the cement foundation. Because the snake is juvenile, I can't identify this one properly. I think it's a ribbon snake or an eastern garter snake. Regardless, I know enough to tell that the head isn't triangular and the pupils are round, not vertical slits.

Great resource, just discovered: The Virginia Snake Identification Guide, courtesy of the Virginia Herpetological Society.

Also making an appearance in the front flowerbed was this fine lady, the Yellow Garden Spider. We're used to seeing these when we travel to South Carolina - - we often see these in the palmettos, with massive webs framing the large females.

Fungus Amongus.

The scene: Our front yard









The time: September, early Saturday morning









The scenario: Husband looks out the window and grabs camera, tearing out front door, spends next 15 minutes hunched over various areas in the front, side and back yards, shooting pictures of wild mushrooms that have sprouted up almost overnight. Wife looks at husband and shakes head sadly, acknowledging that while husband finds pleasure in this activity, that maybe, just maybe, his cheese isn't resting squarely on his cracker.

editor's note: Due to time constraints, I can't do much more than offer up these "cool shroom photos" with no reference to species or varieties. What amazed were the sheer variety of types that showed up at once, with at least six or seven different colorations and textures in evidence. That said, I will make a token nod to my favorite common mushroom name, the poisonous "Death Cap" mushroom, Amanita phalloides. (Photo via Flickr courtesy of Gianpiero Meazza)