Monday, December 30, 2013

OUR WORLD & Nature Notes - The Intrepid Explorer


One of my friends sharing my garden and helping to control
the birth of too many snakes.

Snakes and lizards use the same breeding holes and in a dispute,
being equally matched, the snake will often back off.

Well, here is Bill, the Stumpy Tail, 
who likes to snack on my strawberries, 
if I have any,
ambling the whole length of the house on a swelteringly hot day.
Is he looking for a drink? I did put out a little milk for him 
but he wasn't interested


around the corner into the shade house


along the dry and unkempt floor


around the water tank and under the weeds,
singlemindedly toward his goal


ah, bliss! at last a good feed of my only plant of pink clover
which I had purposely left there.


Replete and happy, he turned  . . .
and smiled at me

before wending his weary way back to the other end of the  house.


Linking with 


and


at

23 comments:

  1. Elephant's ChildDecember 30, 2013 at 12:40 AM

    How lovely. And I would much, much rather have Bill in my garden that snakes. We had a red-bellied black which lived under the front steps in one of our homes - and I only used the back door for about nine months of the year.

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  2. Red Nomad OZDecember 30, 2013 at 1:28 AM

    Gorgeous!! I've sometimes mistaken stumpies and blue-tongues for snakes when I see their scales amongst the dry leaves - and jumped a mile!!! But ... snakes don't 'rustle' in quite the same way!!

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  3. JoDecember 30, 2013 at 4:12 AM

    Oh how beautiful he is, Arija. And I love that you also subscribe to the natural way of deterring snakes. There's a rule here in Mwadui that if you come across a snake, you call the safety officer who calls the snake catcher. This man takes the snake into the bush and releases it. Often though the Tanzanians and many Mzungus take matters into their own hands and destroy the snake. Bill is quite scaly and quite unique with that stumpy tail. Here's to a wonderfully blessed New Year to you. (((Hugs))) Jo

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  4. UnknownDecember 30, 2013 at 4:33 AM

    I have had both a goanna and a snake in my yard recently. I don't mind the goannas but I am petrified of the snakes.

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  5. TexWisGirlDecember 30, 2013 at 6:30 AM

    what a marvelous creature!!! so prehistoric looking!

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  6. Sylvia KDecember 30, 2013 at 7:44 AM

    I do agree with Tex, a marvelous, prehistoric looking little critter! Great shots for the day, Arija!! Hope you have a very Happy New Year!

    Sylvia

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  7. GaelynDecember 30, 2013 at 12:38 PM

    Hard to tell which end is which with Bill. Such a lovely friend to keep the snake population down.

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  8. maryaustriaDecember 30, 2013 at 12:45 PM

    Beim ersten Foto hab ich mir noch gedacht, das ist aber ein seltsamer Tannenzapfen! Großartige Fotos! Der gefällt mir, den könnte ich mir auch durchaus im Garten vorstellen! ;)

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  9. EG CameraGirlDecember 30, 2013 at 1:45 PM

    Bill,the Stumpy Tail, sounds like a helpful friend if he's keeping the snake population down. ;)

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  10. AnonymousDecember 30, 2013 at 2:12 PM

    Great photos of a fascinating critter ~ Happy New Year to you ~ carol

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  11. Fun60December 30, 2013 at 2:27 PM

    That's such a great way to control the snakes.

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  12. eileeninmdDecember 30, 2013 at 2:45 PM

    Bill is a cool and different looking lizard. That is for sure, the front and back ends look alike. Cool photos, thanks for sharing your neat friend.

    Wishing you all the best in 2014, Happy New Year to you and your family!

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  13. ElaineDecember 30, 2013 at 7:01 PM

    Interesting looking critter! We don't have snakes or lizards here, which makes me happy.

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  14. amandaDecember 30, 2013 at 7:44 PM

    What a character he is! I've never before seen a stumpy tale.
    I've always been partial to lizards. And flustered by snakes.

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  15. Reader WilDecember 31, 2013 at 1:54 AM

    At this moment I am melting in Oz! I have not yet seen a stump tail. It looks a very interesting animal to me! Happy New Year, Arija!

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  16. Carole M.December 31, 2013 at 4:28 AM

    quite the charmer Arija

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  17. LauraDecember 31, 2013 at 5:58 AM

    I love the way you've told his "tale" even though his physical one is far shorter:-) Happy New Year Arija!

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  18. AnonymousDecember 31, 2013 at 6:17 AM

    What a cool lizard! Wishing you a wonderful 2014.

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  19. theconstantwalkerDecember 31, 2013 at 9:41 AM

    Nothing like that in my garden...
    Happy New Year Arija I hope all your wishes for 2014 come true.
    Hugs Drew xx

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  20. TiffanyDecember 31, 2013 at 10:53 AM

    Wonderful pics.

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  21. LouisetteDecember 31, 2013 at 2:02 PM

    Special lizard,
    。❊ * 。❊ 。 ❊ _█_ ❊ 。 * ❊
    _Π_____ (•.•) * 5☆★☆★☆
    ❊ /______/~\ ( ♥ ) ❊ 2014 Happy Day ❊
    ｜田 田 ｜門｜ ( ♥ ) Happy New Year❊
    •♫♥♫*♥*♪♥♫•♪*♥♫•♫♥♫*♥*♪♥♫•♪*♥•♫♥♫*♥*♪
    http://retriever-louisettesblogs.blogspot.com

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  22. Rambling WoodsDecember 31, 2013 at 5:55 PM

    Oh neat looking lizard.... Happy New Year dear Arija... Michelle.

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  23. Sallie (FullTime-Life)January 2, 2014 at 3:43 PM

    What a great snake repellent this guy makes! I like our lizards a lot (they are tiny compared to yours).

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