My work schedule today had me roving in the morning, and working the VC in the afternoon. I chose to use the refuge Chevy Impala today rather than the electric cart. I would be sharing the vehicle with Kathy, an intern, who had the opposite schedule from me.
As I crept slowly up and down the Swamp Island Drive, I was surprised to see the alligator mama in the water so early in the morning. With the cooler temperatures of fall and winter, the alligators usually don’t come out until a warm sunny afternoon. I added the red-headed woodpecker to my list of bird species seen on the refuge, and found another buckeye butterfly resting in a mowed area between the tall longleaf pines.
As small flocks of sparrows were flitting about, I captured this chipping sparrow to add to the list. There were also white-throated sparrows, but I just couldn’t get a good shot of them. I never did run into any visitors to the refuge, but that’s really not surprising at this time of year during the morning.
Yesterday during the warm afternoon sun, I found this snake sunning itself on the paved road but didn’t want to post the pictures until I knew what kind it was. Turns out it is a pygmy rattlesnake. Yes, it’s venomous. I remained in the car to take these pictures. 
Before heading in to work the VC in the afternoon, I stopped at the rig to let Emma be outside for a while and to eat my lunch. While I was there, I broke down and ordered something on line that I never thought I’d buy. There are a couple of things that I’ve associated with really growing old, and swore to myself that I’d never own. The first thing is one of those chains that you wear around your neck to hold your reading glasses. To me, that screams an old fogey librarian. (probably because the old crabby Miss Wenzel used them and she was the librarian in my elementary school)
The second thing I thought I’d never own is Velcro closure shoes. I always felt if you couldn’t tie your own shoes you might as well pack it in. That is until I read the booklet from the Mayo Clinic on full hip replacements. They suggest bringing these kind of shoes with you to the hospital or having elastic shoelaces for your regular shoes. So, I bit the bullet and ordered a pair from online shoes where I get my favored Saucony kicks. Growing old isn’t for sissies. 
Shucks!
THE END!!
Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later, Judy
