Before I get to the title of this post lets look back to the beginning of this week.  Monday began like any other awesome school day (yes we are on an up roll right now).  Anyway, there we were in our school room, when my eyes wondered out to the pasture.  There I saw not 1, not 2, but dozens of vultures.  Some flying some on the ground and many on the trees.  I yelled for the children to hurry, I grabbed the camera, and we headed out to find what had attracted so many vultures to our yard.  The children walked around in circles looking everywhere but we could not find anything of interest for 1 vulture much less the 27 Aubrey counted.  We headed back in knowing that if we went in and took the dogs the vultures would “show” us what they were after.  We had barely left the pasture when 1 very brave vulture returned to her meal.  I sent Joshua back in with the camera.  He was able to get with 15-20 feet of her before she backed away.  As you can see all the excitement was over an armadillo.  But the story does not end there.  The sheer number of them and the dogs kept them from enjoying their meal so the next day the poor armadillo was still in the same place as the day before.  I only noticed because I was running around like a loon trying to find the phone that was ringing.  As soon as my friend Christine said “Hi Sussette, I hope I am not inter……”  at that moment, I screamed a thanks to God for such a moment and threw down the phone.  Again with yelling, screaming, and general freaking out.  Why you ask?  There in MY pasture, eating a very dead armadillo, was our national bird!!!  Yes, a Bald Eagle!!!  Unlike the vultures, this is a very shy creature.  I took as many pictures as I could from my front porch, however, it made him very nervous and the crows were dive bombing him, so these were the best I could do. (Anyone want to send me a high powered zoom digital camera I accept gifts :-))    

OK, next we were very fortunate to be given a 60gal. freshwater fish tank from Sarah on FreecycleLakeCity.  It came with fish and all :-).  We spent a bit of time picking it up getting it in the van and bring it home and resetting it up.  The children and I are thrilled.  Pat likes the light at night and looks forward to sitting on the couch with his music playing and just the tank light on……such the romantic.

Finally, at the end of the day just as everything is winding down we hear Joshua screaming ” A SNAKE, A SNAKE!”  I head for the back door Pat follows.  We get about half way when Aubrey opens the door saying “he has it in his hands”.  I start praying “Please Lord, keep him safe”.  That is just about the time he announces with all the joy and enthusiasm an almost 6 year old boy can have “It bit me and I didn’t die”.  Such comforting words for a mother to hear.  NOT!  OK, for those of you who may be as concerned as I was, we did identify it as a harmless corn snake.    It is currently incarcerated in a 10 gallon tank.  I will let you know what it’s ultimate fate is.  We are waiting a few days to see if it will eat in captivity.  If not it will have gain it’s freedom back in the woodpile.

Well, today is Halloween how eventful can that be…………………..