Some sunflowers from this morning's walk - by now, they are plentiful all over Eldorado. And then the state flag, in Ohori's, where we went to stock up on coffee before our return (yes, I know we order it by mail, but it's always good to come back with some).
This evening I rescued my third snake of the summer from the road - two have been sunbathing, foolishly, and this one - I don't know, but he had a puncture wound (hawk? early evening owl?) and won't, I think, be long for this world. Next summer I fully intend to go on a snake recognition, rescue and recovery course - I rarely do more with them than check they don't have rattles attached to their tails, and only remember some time afterwards that I should have checked their pupils (rattlesnakes have disconcerting vertical pupils, whereas the gopher snakes that look very like them have round ones, like cats). But there again, I don't spend a lot of time bending over and chatting to reptiles - "sweetie - can I stare into your eyes?" - I just look for two long sticks and lift them up and remove them to the side - or in the case of the big bull snake last week, escort it off the road. Still, I think some slightly more formal training might be a wise idea. And then I can become one of those local volunteers who's on call with thick gloves and a bucket.
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