Nature Study Archives | Page 4 of 6 |

Meet ‘Webington Ringaling’ – a Ringneck Snake

September 7, 2008 By Laura Leave a Comment

I swear that half the fun of getting a new pet, is naming them!

‘Webington Ringaling’ was rescued by {A}. She was on a job site with her Dad on Friday, when she spotted him, with his tail all caught up in a spider’s web. (Thus his cool name.) He’s a Ringneck snake. He’d probably been dangling there for hours, but just couldn’t break free. He had been in the shade, and lucky for him, {A} saved him before the approaching late afternoon sun got to him.

Aside from our formal lessons, every day occurrences like this, are how Science is taught at our home. Natural, real curiosity leads to research, and research leads to reading, and learning. Real life observation provides even more.

There are 12 subspecies of ringneck snakes found over much of the eastern and southern parts of the United States, as well as parts of the Pacific Coast States. ‘Webington Ringaling’ is just a baby, only about 4 inches long. But adults can range from 10-27 inches in length. {A} has learned all kinds of facts about ringnecks, and exactly how to care for this one for awhile, providing for him a safe and healthy environment while she observes him. She’s handled him some too, but not much, because this variety of snake is edgy and nervous, and shouldn’t really be handled unless necessary. (The photo below counts as ‘necessary’ in my book.)

Not sure how long we’ll allow her to keep him. It may depend on how fast he starts growing. He has everything he needs in his terrarium, and she feeds him small insects and slugs. So he’s in a pretty happy environment for the time being.

Just makes me wonder what lessons God has in store for us next.

One Crazy Fascinating Tree – the Dewey-Granby Oak

August 26, 2008 By Laura 1 Comment

dewey granby oak
We’re got to show you this fascinating tree we visited recently; the Dewey-Granby Oak. But first, a quick update on unrelated happenings.

Life is still pretty busy here, with work still flowing in steadily, but I’ve found I’m getting better and better at this balance thing I have worked at all of my life. For one thing, we’ve been distracted with the excitement of a new school year beginning just around the bend! The more organized we get, the more exciting it is!! The school room is almost ready, from umpteen summer crafts and projects the kids had going on. Somehow, I can look at an after-mess, born from creativity flowing, a little longer, than other kinds of messes. But it was time to tidy up, clean out, pack away and make room for new books and supplies – and all that we’ve begun.

But back to our recent family vacation we’ve mentioned; My father (the kids Papa) was determined to bring us to see a tree he has told us about, for what seems like forever. It was a beautiful sunny day for a drive, so we headed out from his house, on our tree adventure. We knew it had to be something, because he talks about it ALL of the time, and how we just needed to see it. Well let us tell you….he wasn’t kidding! This tree is worth the trip!!

Now let me preface this by saying, it was a bad time of a very sunny day to photograph this tree (or much else). It was not ideal lighting, whatsoever. Really bright out, and pretty much high noon. Had I know it was so photograph worthy, I would have asked to come later in the day. What’s more….this tree is SO gigantic, and crazily spread out, it’s tough to find an angle with a camera, to really appreciate it’s stature. It’s really one of those things you need to really see in person, …walk around…and climb, to appreciate the reality of it. And you would do so in absolute awe. Nonetheless….I took photos anyway. Try to look closely at the enormous width of the trunk, and the great big limbs that so gracefully just flow and dip to the ground.

dewey-granby-oak

The tree is known as the Dewey-Granby Oak Tree. As equally fascinating as the sight of this tree, is it’s incredible history. This tree is rooted in the middle of nowhere, in Granby, Connecticut-just on the other side of the MA line, I believe. It is 450 years old!! The town of Granby goes to great lengths for the protection of this tree. The time, seasons, and changes in civilization that this tree has stood through, is so amazing to stop and consider. If you Google, you should find a great brief history, by Carol Laun. As well as more other information.

Here are the kids hanging out on one limb that comes right down to the ground.

kids-on-dewey-granby-oak-limb

This is on the other side of the tree, on am equally crazy limb. Just look at it!

kids-in-dewey-granby-oak-tree

And to think it was once just a tiny acorn . . .

Our Surprise Little Pumpkin Patch (and a Peek at the Frogs, formerly Tadpoles!)

August 9, 2008 By Laura Leave a Comment

We just realized what we have growing outside our window in the back – it’s a pumpkin patch!! Ok, a very small patch, but it’s a surprise one, so we’ll take it!! We did throw our old and soft pumpkins out there last year, and the squirrels had a feast. But it seems some seeds took root in our very sandy earth.

Granted, it’s a brand new patch. Not sure what we’ll harvest in such a small patch, especially in it’s first year. But wouldn’t it be something to get at least 4 good pumpkins? One for each of the kids. That would just be awesome, as hopeful as it is. We don’t see any pumpkins quite yet though.

They’re probably not growing in the most ideal place either. This is right where the squirrels (and birds) spend their days frolicking about. We have good reason not to trust the squirrels, even with our big hard pumpkins we purchase from local farms. We try to adorn our steps and deck with such Autumn-themed harvest, but the squirrels haven’t much cared about our decorating. We put a pumpkin out on the steps, and they take a bite out of it! So we turn it so it doesn’t show. They take another bite, and we turn it once again. This goes on until there isn’t a good side to show. One year, we came home to find a squirrel sitting INSIDE our big pumpkin, having a feast from the inside-out. I was mad, but he was pretty cute in there, with such an innocent expression on his face. (The same misleading one they always have, and never changes. lol). They made an absolute mess of a corn stalk we ONCE put out there.

So we’ll see what becomes of this surprise pumpkin patch. Perhaps it’ll be surprisingly fruitful! We’ll keep you posted. Which reminds us: remember our 6 tiny potted-plants?? They didn’t make it. Ok – Daddy’s has a few remaining green leafs left, but the rest are as dead as can be. Not sure if it was the transplant, or the quality of the kit. SURELY it could not have been our plant care skills. : )

Had to throw in a shot of {A}s frogs. I actually took it through the observation window. They have their own pond-container now, and the still-changing tadpoles are in their own next it. They’ve all got a pretty nice pad out there. No pun intended. <croak>

Thanks for dropping by!

Ssshhh…Chipmunks in Training!…by Alexis Grace

July 3, 2008 By A 2 Comments

I’ve trained yet another chipmunk!! Meet my new little friend, ‘Chipmouse‘. You may or may not have read my last post about my other chipmunks I have trained. I really love training chipmunks, and this is my third.

My Mama was the first one to spot this new one. At the time, he was such a youngin’ that she said,”What is that!? It looks like a mouse!” Dad and I said at the same time, ” It’s a baby chipmunk!!” He has grown a lot since we first saw him, only 2-3 weeks ago.

This little one was not as skittish as the other two, and caught on quickly to what I wanted him to do. First, I had my hand, full of seeds, on the ground, and slowly lifted it up until he had to jump in to eat. Then he jumped off to go spit out his seeds at his burrow. When he came back, I had my hand higher. He could jump in easily. Finally , I put my hand so high, that he could not jump in, so he crawled on to my legs, and ran up my arm to get to my hand.

It was only a few feedings later, that he let me start playing with his tail and really having fun with him. The last chipmunk, Flash 2 would only come out to eat if it was just me out there. Chipmouse went back and forth from his borrow to me, passing Mama, and letting her get some photos.

Isn’t he so cute!?

We’ve got a frog with a tail!

June 25, 2008 By Laura 1 Comment

Just a quick update on the tadpole observation, from our recent Bullfrog Tadpole Hunting trip .….one isn’t much a tadpole anymore!! Look!! More like a frog with a tail!

You would not believe the eruption of excitement in our house, when {A} discovered this change in one of them. She had gone down to feed them and observe the ones she could, because the habitat container needs fresh pond water once again, and sometimes all of them are hard to see. She came running up from the observation window, screaming “Mama!!! Guess what!! I’ve got a frog with a tail!!!!” She was beside herself with excitement, and the whole family went running down to see. Then her and Daddy went outdoors to the window well, to get our new frog, for a little photo shoot.

Below is the same little amphibian, only 3 weeks ago! What an amazing transformation, huh? It’s making us wonder if this one is a bullfrog, after all, considering that their metamorphosis is said to be a full 14 months. This change we’ve observed seems like a big one in such a short period of time. But all research and comparison of images seem to support it’s a bullfrog.

Below: Here’s one more shot of him now. (or her.) lol

Haven’t had very much time to blog with our busy work season, but had to take the time to post this update, for anyone following our tadpole study! It’s a pretty exciting event we’ve been waiting/hoping for. Thanks for checking in!

And to think it was once just a tiny acorn . . .

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