Farm Life

David, that snow is pretty. I hate to tell you, though, but it is in the low 80's and rainy here.
 
Nice rustic picture David. Have you considered acting? I can see one of those made for TV feel good Christmas specials in your future. Buck knife related of course. You know, Rancher saves the lives of stranded travelers and is repaid with a new Buck knife he lost on the trail while helping them. Or town folk pull together to buy a new Buck knife for the farmer who saved everyone's Christmas dinner with his fresh farm raised chickens. I would certainly watch it.
 
Doc, glad you're having nice balmy weather. Sounds like you don't get much winter. I did use my 334 Trapper a few days back to shave off some oak strips to smoke the turkey with. It did the job. Thanks, DM
 
BuckShack, thanks. I wish I had your imagination. It is blowing here and causes 33* to feel much colder. (20 mph westerly winds)We are keeping our animals in shelter with heat lamps. We think they should be doing fine. More snow is coming and much colder tonight. More later. DM
 
I've been searching for this as I knew I had the photo somewhere. Here is the snake I mentioned earlier, a Regal Ring-neck (Western). A very poisonous snake.
One to look for in your area, just not this time of year. They're hard to find and photograph and have a small diameter body and head. Maybe they couldn't find a decent area to bite you and deliver their venom. But I'm not taking that chance. DM
 
Is that guy about 3' long?

FYI, throwing your .22 shot shells at them is far less effective than shooting them. :D
 
The winter scene/weather is what I enjoy about the seasons changing....had some pretty heavy-duty winters growing up in northern IL.
But here in KCMO, the winters are different. While "up north" winter abounds, yesterday we had +65 degrees and sunny. This morning is another mild and sunny start to the day. Also less snow here than back in IL or southern WI....but the ice storms are a challenge, as those happen too often in this area.

Gosh, that poisonous snake photo is something to see for this mostly city-dweller. I trust you used your zoom lens for the photo session, DM!;)
Tread carefully.

Have a great day, and keep warm!
 
i'd never make it in that kinda cold. anything below 65f and i'm jacketed up and shivering. add some wind and i'm inside and miserable.

man do i dislike snakes....that one looks evil, course they all do to me. good thing most slither away.

was just looking at 6 acres over grown commercial property in polk, stomping around the weeds to get to the edges of the property line and i see the old black racer make a run from my boots, bet i jumped 3 feet up away and back from it.
 
Pokt, I didn't measure him but that was my estimation. Thanks for the tip. That's a .22 magnum shot shell which I layed near before snapping the photo. I was carrying that pistol and could have dispatched him but refrained. DM
 
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boz, remembering that day,--- I recall I knelt down in striking range to get the photo. My more common sense wife was not with me on this hike, giving me adult supervision. DM
 
jb, that's funny! While we do get winter weather here. Going down to 18* tonight, with wind and cold ground. It pulls the warmth out of the house, making it hard to keep it warm. Still, some others on here tell me about harsh winters they get and I feel lucky I only live in the Rockies. DM
 
Atleast, should you gents see one, you will now know what it is. Not your everyday garden snake. DM
 
David, let me play environmentalist again. The snake pictured has fast acting toxic sailva which it uses to catch their principal prey of other snakes and lizards. David lives in the ideal habitat of the mountain desert which this snake prefers. It is found only in the SW and Mexico, so you folks in other spots don't need to chop up every Ringneck snake you see. Several other snakes have mild venom or saliva, especially those that seek other snakes or reptiles as prey. But, you don't drop dead from it. The Regal ring-neck is considered almost non-aggressive to humans if you encounter one in the wild. Just don't put it in your pocket. You can go to U-tube and watch folks letting them bite them to show the venoms reaction if you care to. It actually is a beautiful snake, but I will look at it from a couple of feet away if I see one in trips to west Texas, AZ or New Mexico. I have handled the eastern Ring-neck snakes without being bit on several occasions doing school nature walks. I have been bitten by a King Snake while holding the head so kids could touch it, it left the bite marks red and itchy and got better the next day. Don't be like my sister who chops them all to pieces with her sharp hoe. She has killed a couple of snakes that eat other snakes in her fear. 300Bucks
 
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David Martin said:
I've been searching for this as I knew I had the photo somewhere. Here is the snake I mentioned earlier, a Regal Ring-neck (Western). A very poisonous snake.
One to look for in your area, just not this time of year. They're hard to find and photograph and have a small diameter body and head. Maybe they couldn't find a decent area to bite you and deliver their venom. But I'm not taking that chance. DM
Click to expand...

David, did you mean to say, "mildly poisonous" by chance? If I remember correctly, the snake's venom is so mild it is often considered non-poisonous to humans.
 
Is that the western version of the Coral Snake? They are rare around here now, but I remember seeing Coral Snakes when I was a boy (in the woods along the Pamlico River). We learned this rhyme at Scout camp; "Red and Black - friend of Jack, Red and Yellow - kill a fellow". OH
 
Hunter, I think that rhyme is still valid. We have Coral snakes not far away. Just not this high. DM
 
Winter has greeted us and we'll see no more snakes until June or July. So, for another photo of one you'll have to wait until then. DM
 
David Martin said:
Doc, I read it here. DM
http://www.wild-facts.com/2013/regal-ringneck-snake/
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Hi David, I think that article is a little misleading. It might be the "most poisonous of the ring-necked snakes" but that poison is so mild it does not affect most people, in reality. Here is an article that is more scientific: http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/d.p.regalis.html#description

Unless it is an import, there are the usual pit vipers (rattlesnakes, cotton mouths, copperheads) and coral snake varieties (very deadly. Coral snakes are relatives of the cobra, mamba, and sea snake.) in the USA. We are blessed that way.

Since ring-necked snakes eat other snakes, they will help with your rattlesnake problem.
 
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