Snakes!

Look what we found in our yard!

 This is a gopher snake that we found lying under some cardboard in our yard.  At first I thought it was a baby rattlesnake because it's markings looked just so: but alas no rattle.  Since we live in the Pacific Northwest where they do not live I knew I shouldn't worry.... but for a brief second I thought that maybe the previous owners may have let their pet escape under the house and this baby crawled out....  I can think of more things to worry about.

Killing the grass in our yard with cardboard boxes....

Happy little Rubber Boa snake wrapped around sister's wrist...

 

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Sitting on big brother's snake cage....

For school that day we studied snakes, of course, what else could one do after such an exciting event?  Not to mention, a few days before, my oldest son found a rubber boa snake on our property.  Since big brother has studied snakes before and immediately looked his up and identified it, he went on to design and build a double compartment snake cage to house their new pets.  I’d say I could give him extra credit for shop and science class on this one!

I love educating my children at home.  They are truly exposed to all sorts of people, adventures, jobs, attitudes, and learn such flexibility in it all.  They are gaining real life experiences daily as they plan, set goals, and then they go awry but still have to be revisited until accomplished.  Sometimes, they get tossed out completely, goals that is, and exchanged for new ones, sometimes not.  BUT this is life, and it happens and we roll with it.

Oh, just for fun, we studied the bombardier beetle this week…. AMAZING!  Totally defies evolution, just saying.  He mixes chemicals and catalysts and POW, at temperatures of 212 degrees F he shoots it out at his enemies. 

By the way, I am beginning to understand what a catalyst is because my 17-year old son comes home from his chemistry class at George Fox University every other Monday, and explains what he’s learning to me and his siblings and his Dad and anyone else who’s interested.  The class is being taught by a grad student to a class of homeschoolers, and being graded by the Professor.  I’m so proud of my son!