Bread, Snakes and Frogs

This week, using my flour and a new recipe, I finally made good, soft, well-risen bread again.

I took Violet back to the archery range for the first time in a couple of months, and what did we see, but a huge rattlesnake crossing the main road just past the turning for the range. I drove closer to get a better look. 

Very clearly a rattler, with the diamond shaped head and long rattle. Yikes!

When we parked at the range, a man was leaving and I asked if he had seen any snakes in the arena. He said no, so I told him about this one. He asked me if I wanted him to go get it for me(!). He said he was from Acton (a bit rural) and was in the army, and had killed and eaten many a snake. I politely declined.

Violet shot her arrows, and then we walked over to see the poppies. So pretty, and short-lived. I know they might not be here next time we come.

Yes, we were keeping our eyes peeled for snakes, but I wasn't exactly expecting to see another one. But we did! You can see it in the center of this photo. Not as large as the first, but, yes, another rattler. 

We gave it plenty of distance, and all was well. Just gotta be aware of your surroundings!

We also saw a few quail.

The next few days were cooler, and on Friday, during our typical nature walk, we went to Whitney Canyon and were surprised to see dozens of tiny frogs hopping across the path!

They were so cute!

You an kind of see the creek in this photo - that's where the frogs were headed, or coming from. We also heard coyotes yipping. That's a lot of nature for just a few days.