Surrounded by Wildlife

Exhibit A

Even when school is not in session and we lack student-generated noise and activity across the street at Small College, we do not lack for wildlife at the House on the Corner. Take Exhibit A, which was WITHIN INCHES of my feet as I did my cool-down (ha!) walk around the block yesterday.

IT IS A SNAKESKIN.

I'm sorry for shouting, but did you catch the implication in this statement? Not only is there a skinless snake slithering around my neighborhood, that nude snake is less than a block from WHERE I SLEEP. Oh, heavens. It could be THIS SNAKE:

Is this the most horrifying video you have ever seen? Yes, I thought so, too.

After I saw, shakily photographed, and scurried away from the snakeskin, I went into the backyard to give Our Dog Pepper her breakfast. That's where I saw this:

Exhibit B

Ewwww. Not so horror-producing as a snakeskin, but Exhibit B chronicles (in my signature out-of-focus style) where mulberry-eating birds have snacked upon Our Dog Pepper's food, then left their tips in the form of purple poop.

Our Dog Pepper is now old enough that she just watches the starlings chow themselves into a Purina-induced stupor before they poop and waddle away.

Awww, it's okay, Pepper. You invite your friends over to breakfast any time you want.

We just love living in the middle of a game preserve.