SIGNS OF SUMMER

Mr. Lizard thinks he is hiding from me since he is up under the edge of the green Lantana leaves. We have many lizards and a back yard full of skinks. I like the lizards much better since they are so pretty. The skinks leave a lot to be desired in the looks department. I saw a skink sunning on the back deck a couple of days ago-sans his tail. This is an indication that some other varmint has been in the back chasing the skinks. I do not want to know what that varmint is since this is out the deck door and I found the markings of something that has been digging to get under the same deck.

Look carefully and you will see the young butterfly. In a very short period of time, they will grow into a large and beautiful butterfly. I love watching them flying around the blooms all summer.

Mr. Copperhead. While running this AM, we saw just such a snake, only fatter where we had run by earlier. From the time we turned out on 167 and ran our downtown route, he had been run over. NOTE TO SELF-watch where you are putting your feet and THINK before putting your hand under the bushes in the flowerbeds. If you have never jumped over a snake slinking between your feet, you just don't know what a "GOOD SQUEALER" you can be!

It is definitely beginning to be summer as all of the varmints are moving about. One of the sure signs of warm weather is the multitude of road kill up and down the highways. It seems that once the weather begins to warm all of the varmints become active. For every carcass on the highway, you have multitudes running loose in the woods surrounding us. HUMMMM! It will not be long and the armadillo will be digging in my beautiful flower beds. Time for a little target practice before the Annual Armadillo Hunt!

We ran only 9 this AM. I had a hard time after missing a couple of weeks of long runs. I WAS SO SLOW! Larry & Ivory ran along with Grandma and took pity and slowed to run with me. I do not think I can get much slower!