In the yard a few minutes ago...

If you can't clearly see what the cats are all so interested in, here's a close-up:



It's not a rattlesnake- leaving aside the absence of the diamond scale pattern that's the trademark of both the endangered species of rattler native to the Big Thicket, there's no rattles on its tail. It shook its tail in warning anyway, basically patting the ground with it.

It's also not a cottonmouth, copperhead or coral snake- which runs the list of venomous snakes we have here. I don't know what kind it is specifically- yellow-green belly, dark gray back studded with little white spots.

My grandmother, when she wasn't shouting at me to kill it, kill it now!, guessed it was what she called a "gray runner."

Anyway, shortly after I snapped the pic, the snake found a gap in the ring of cats and made for the woods, seven or eight cats in cautious and curious pursuit- you know, the "let's get 'im, you first" kind of chase.

That's the first snake that's been in the yard for a year or two, and the first photo tends to explain why we have less of a snake problem than other places.

Pity the cats won't do anything about the possum or the raccoon...

In the yard a few minutes ago...

If you can't clearly see what the cats are all so interested in, here's a close-up:



It's not a rattlesnake- leaving aside the absence of the diamond scale pattern that's the trademark of both the endangered species of rattler native to the Big Thicket, there's no rattles on its tail. It shook its tail in warning anyway, basically patting the ground with it.

It's also not a cottonmouth, copperhead or coral snake- which runs the list of venomous snakes we have here. I don't know what kind it is specifically- yellow-green belly, dark gray back studded with little white spots.

My grandmother, when she wasn't shouting at me to kill it, kill it now!, guessed it was what she called a "gray runner."

Anyway, shortly after I snapped the pic, the snake found a gap in the ring of cats and made for the woods, seven or eight cats in cautious and curious pursuit- you know, the "let's get 'im, you first" kind of chase.

That's the first snake that's been in the yard for a year or two, and the first photo tends to explain why we have less of a snake problem than other places.

Pity the cats won't do anything about the possum or the raccoon...

I've uglified my LJ for a reason...

If you look directly at my LJ, rather than via a friends page, you'll see that I've done a very quick and dirty change of the color scheme from the old S1 default to... well... it's green.

And that's about all that can be said for it, is that it's green.

I didn't do this for aesthetic purposes. I did it to show my support for the people who are protesting and being beaten or murdered for the crime of opposing the current regime in Iran.

The inspiration came from Andrew Sullivan at the Atlantic, and I hope it spreads to some of you as well. (EDIT: the link originally pointed to a post Sully has since removed- he erroneously thought the BBC had changed its website's color to show solidarity with the protesters. The Atlantic has, however, changed the color of its site header.)

I really doubt there were any Iranians reading my LJ before the election- much less likely now. On the off-chance that, in their efforts to find news about their own nation through the tiny keyhole which is all the Iranian government has left of the Internet there, let me say: keep up the fight. Keep protesting. Keep striking. Do not accept empty platitudes from the evil men who have been forced to turn to terror to maintain their own power. This is your best chance to make the same choice your parents made thirty years ago- the choice to take your nation into your own hands and determine, for yourselves, what direction it shall take.

The good wishes and hopes of the United States go with you, and though there is precious little we can do to help, at the least we give you all the moral support we can. Allah be with you, wearers of the green.

And to my more regular readers: if you want to show your support for the protests in Iran, follow the lead of the Atlantic and the BBC. Green your LJ or other blog or website, at least until the issue is decided in Iran. Remind the rulers of Iran that, although our government cannot take a firm position without poisoning the waters, we the people have a very definite and firm position- against brutality, terror, and electoral coups.

I've uglified my LJ for a reason...

If you look directly at my LJ, rather than via a friends page, you'll see that I've done a very quick and dirty change of the color scheme from the old S1 default to... well... it's green.

And that's about all that can be said for it, is that it's green.

I didn't do this for aesthetic purposes. I did it to show my support for the people who are protesting and being beaten or murdered for the crime of opposing the current regime in Iran.

The inspiration came from Andrew Sullivan at the Atlantic, and I hope it spreads to some of you as well. (EDIT: the link originally pointed to a post Sully has since removed- he erroneously thought the BBC had changed its website's color to show solidarity with the protesters. The Atlantic has, however, changed the color of its site header.)

I really doubt there were any Iranians reading my LJ before the election- much less likely now. On the off-chance that, in their efforts to find news about their own nation through the tiny keyhole which is all the Iranian government has left of the Internet there, let me say: keep up the fight. Keep protesting. Keep striking. Do not accept empty platitudes from the evil men who have been forced to turn to terror to maintain their own power. This is your best chance to make the same choice your parents made thirty years ago- the choice to take your nation into your own hands and determine, for yourselves, what direction it shall take.

The good wishes and hopes of the United States go with you, and though there is precious little we can do to help, at the least we give you all the moral support we can. Allah be with you, wearers of the green.

And to my more regular readers: if you want to show your support for the protests in Iran, follow the lead of the Atlantic and the BBC. Green your LJ or other blog or website, at least until the issue is decided in Iran. Remind the rulers of Iran that, although our government cannot take a firm position without poisoning the waters, we the people have a very definite and firm position- against brutality, terror, and electoral coups.