Just When You Think You've Seen It All ... (OR: Even Armpits Have Great Things to Offer)

When I attended a small college in the corner of Iowa for one year, I didn't exactly "fit in." I was very shy, which was interpreted as snobbery after it was learned that I was from NJ. I was told I was from "The Armpit of America." Sheesh.

I really like this state, one which has everything you could wish for: culture, diversity, history. It has four incredible seasons, each of which is beautiful in its own right -- spring, which produces a crayola explosion; summer, which is warm but not unbearable; fall, which is stunningly glorious; and winter, which is ... well, winter. We've got it all.

Even wildlife.

In our own little plot of backyard, we've had a family of rabbits and many families of birds. I've seen raccoons, opossums, and ground hogs. But the trophy for the most bizarre wildlife sighting goes to Don, who saw this lovely critter yesterday while riding to a job site:


Yes, if you guessed RATTLESNAKE you'd be correct. Almost four feet long, this slithery creature was taking its time crossing the warm pavement on a cool morning. Don was truly stunned. He's a mountain man, having spent almost his entire life in the Pocono Mountains of PA. He's had bears come to his front door; he's seen every sort of wild creature you can think of appropriate to the area. But one thing he has never, ever seen in his entire life was a rattlesnake.

Until he came to NEW JERSEY, that is.

He drove past, hesitant to believe that he really saw it. He circled back to make sure. Yep. He took a picture. He drove closer, just a few feet from the snake, and leaned out the window for a better shot (above). Throughout his photographic maneuvers the snake didn't make a peep ... until Don started to drive away. That's when he heard the rattle.

Interesting, huh? Glad it was him and not me, though. Not a fan of snakes.
Wonder if Grizzly Adams himself will come moseying down the street some day ...
(Oh, wait ... that's only my father-in-law ...)