Monday, September 3, 2007

Critters

I am not fond of most critters, especially the creepy/crawly variety. But I am very much afraid of the slithering kind! Those really give me the heebie jeebies! I don't enjoy spiders and bugs, but I'm not afraid of them and generally don't freak out if they land on me. Scorpions on the other hand have me screaming like a mad woman. And snakes? They terrify me. They give me nightmares. All of them, not just the poisonous ones.

It's been interesting how close I have come to some creepy crawly things for the sake of a photo opp. I don't even like lizards but you'll see where I've photographed them....being held by my husband of course. 'Cause I'm not gonna be the one to make a lizard hold still for a camera! But Marty wanted me to see the blue of its belly so he held it up for me. So, for you, here he is:







Snakes have caused me to really come unglued on a few occasions. Thankfully, when I was in school in Arizona my roommate Dar waited until I moved out to purchase a ball python as her pet! As much as I hated the thought of being in the same room with a snake, since I love my friend, I did continue to visit her. And she always made sure the snake wasn't anywhere near me because she knew how great my fear was/is. The only time I have ever touched a snake was once while riding my bicycle someone (I can't remember if it was my sister Regina or one of our ever-present cousins, who threw a dead snake at me and when it landed, became wrapped around me. I've never in my life flown off a bicycle so fast as that day and went running after the culprit. The largest snake I've ever encountered was also when I was in school in Arizona. I attended a technical school for advertising design and during our life drawing class one of the students decided to introduce us all to her snake. I was the closest student to the door, with my back to it . I heard someone walk in and turned to see who it was and all I saw was the biggest snake I've ever seen staring back at me. I wanted to leave that classroom so fast!!! But, she quickly moved to the other side of the room and my roommate seated next to me convinced me it would be ok to sit back down and stay for class. My daughter Heather tried to convince me to pet a snake when we were at a zoo in Sydney, Australia. We almost stepped on a snake that was let loose to sun himself on the path. Heather was encouraged by the zookeeper to pet the snake and hold it!!!! I was not going to let her, but my calmer, braver husband stepped in and said it wouldn't hurt to let her hold the snake, especially since Heather wanted to so badly and does not in the least share her mother's fears. So, the only time I have ever photographed a snake, it was in the arms of my baby. It just felt so wrong!




Heather is on the left (8 years old) with Anastasia on the right, a friend she made while we were in Sydney.
OK. After that, we have to get my mind (and yours?) off the snakes! So, here are some of the more pleasant critters we encounter and usually enjoy photographing.


While I'm not particularly fond of bees, I'm not afraid of them and do understand that if I leave them alone, they won't bother me. I will, however, cry like a baby if stung. So, I was very careful as I photographed this one.

And this little guy was just hanging out on my deck when I got up early one morning:

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

WHERE DO HEATHER AND DANIELLE GET THE IDEA THAT REPTILES ARE COOL??!!! YUCK!!!!`

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