Looking Back: August

Can you believe the last official month of summer is over?!

Next month will be the start of fall!

At least that is what is they teach you in school...here in Texas the months don't

exactly follow the typical seasonal changes.

 

At any rate, we are starting a new month, and in my experience,

these last few months of the year go by faster than all the rest...

kind of like the last quarter of gas in your car goes faster than the first.

 

August was full and eventful for myself and my family,

but sadly we don't have many pictures to show for it! :)

What I do have are some cute pictures of a couple Horny Toads, or Horned Lizards,  we happened upon in our outdoor wanderings.
We have been seeing a lot more of them as of late.

For the last couple of weeks, I have been helping Dad with another big job
and we have been working on a ranch way out in the rugged boonies.
That is where we came across this little guy! 

 

 



It's a baby Horny Toad!
 So tiny!
I have never seen one this small before!
His body, not including the protruding legs and head,
was probably the size of a 25 cent piece!

Here he is in my little brother's hand.
If you stroke their soft underbellies and neck, they will fall right to sleep.
This little guy however didn't like getting his belly rubbed...but he did like getting his head pat.

 

 

Isn't he cute?!

He calmed right down after being stroked and petted a bit... just sit there and fall asleep.

 

Now here are some pictures of what a full grown Horny Toad looks like!

See how bit this fella is?
And he is even in Dad's hands this time!

The big ones look a little more intimidating,
not quite so cute and cuddly,
and their spikes are more firm.
But they aren't really sharp or dangerous.

Their underbellies are soft, just like a toad's.
This one was really fat!
When upset, they puff up...so obviously, he must have been a bit upset.

 

 

Horny Toads are endangered, so it is illegal to keep them as pets.

So after their brief, glimmering moment of fame,

we put both our spiky friends back where we found them.

Though I have to admit, I was really tempted to keep Baby!

 

I hope you all had a wonderful August!

Scorpions, Snakes and Horny Toads

I'm pretty darn proud of myself this week y'all!

Some groundwork, let me explain somethings. If you remember, I live in Texas and spring lasts about two weeks, meaning summer is in full swing here! Oh yeah baby, temps up in the 90's already! It is crazy stuff.

Having said that, with summer also come the various creepy crawly specimens of this climate, namely scorpions, snakes, and horny toads (oh my!) among other things. (The tarantulas don't show up much until July, so we don't have to worry about them for now.)

And, wouldn't you know it, I got to meet all three of these natives this week.

While digging up a flower bed for Mrs. P, I came across Senior Scorpion lurking in the brick pile-- there may be some who mourn his passing, but I'm pretty darn proud of myself for disposing of him with nothing more than a stick!

Encounter #2, while my brother and I were out cruising around in one of our new toys (a post on that later) I spotted a baby horny toad going across our path. We were able to safely capture him and bring him back for the rest of the family to see.

I made up my mind then and there to touch him, and before it was all said and done I was holding him, petting his little spiky head and, in truth, became quite attached to the little fella'. I felt a twinge of a 'free willy moment' when we took him back and released him where we found him.

Horny Toads look like a cross between a lizard, toad and small dragon.
Surprisingly, all the spikes you see weren't sharp, they were pretty
flexible, except for the head horns. This is a baby.

If you rub their tummies, they calm down and even fall asleep!
This one was so calm, you only had to rub his head.

Encounter #3 happened just this morning. We had a Sunday morning visitor, Sir Hog Nose Snake. They are a non-venomous snake, but look rather impressive and intimidating because they flare like a cobra and hiss rather loudly. I was pretty proud of the fact I was able to stand right next to the bucket he was in, standing there watching in, can you believe it, actual amazement as his entire body shrunk then expanded while he inhaled air to produce his menacing hiss. It may sound gross to you, but in all honesty, I was a little transfixed watching it, thinking how God's creation is amazing.

Wow, God does work miracles. I wouldn't have gotten within 10 feet of those creatures before, and certainly never would have looked upon a snake with anything but murderous thoughts!

Have you done anything recently you are proud of?