We had a new visitor in our yard last night–an adult cottontail, which we viewed from our living room window. Sometimes we see rabbits from our kitchen window but we have not seen one from there in months. There are raspberry thickets in back, I believe, they hide under. The new visitor was there a few minutes and disappeared into the bush. I have lived here for over ten years and this is the first time I remember seeing a cottontail from my living room window. Once my wife actually saw a turkey in our front yard. I have never seen a turkey in our yard. A few days ago she saw a three foot black snake on our lawn from the bathroom window. You never know exactly what you are going to see from our living window or in our yard.

Yesterday I saw my first snake within the yard.  It was lying in the grass and I was curious what kind it was.  Eventually I identified the two foot snake as the common garter snake.  I went back to the spot but by then it had disappeared.  I had never saw a garter snake before.  I knew about them but that was it.  It was my biggest discovery of the day.  I keep looking out for the large black snake but I have not seen it yet.  Maybe it does not live in that room anymore but I still keep my eyes open for it.  It was at least four feet long.