2 Snakes in the Yard & More Rain

It is fairly common to see one of the local snakes out in the yard, underneath the bird feeders or climbing the tree with the bird house. Yesterday, there were two in the yard at the same time, each stalking birds in his/her own style. The photo was taken after the tree climber had been forced down by the nuthatch residents of the bird house- angry parents aren't about to let a snake in without a battle. The other, bigger snake, was headed toward the feeders when Breyer all but stepped on him; both were a little startled but no harm no foul and we went on a walk and I'm assuming the snake continued his snaky endeavors; both had moved on from the yard when we returned from our walk.
I'm not sure if the snakes are a couple, buddies, unaware of each other (that seems unlikely) or what their deal is other than they have both been around here for years and as long as they stay outside are welcome to all the rodents they want - if they catch an occasional bird...that's natural selection at work.

Yesterday on Earth: Rain, and then more rain - 0.9" here, which brings the monthly total to over 8 1/2" but areas just west of Charlottesville got that much rain yesterday!! Yes, there was flash flooding and from reports numerous roads are still impassable. Alberto has moved on through Michigan and into Canada but the Bermuda high off the coast is still pumping lots of moisture into the southeast and more showers are likely this afternoon and tomorrow and Saturday with a slow down Sunday and finally a break and cooler drier air into next week. Many Va. locations have smashed rainfall records for May; just another bonus of a warming planet, bigger rain events. You've been warned...
Haven't really checked, just TV news reports but the lava continues to flow on the big island of Hawaii, I'm sure there are earthquakes in the usual spots but haven't done my due diligence on that either.
The clouds are blocking a lovely sky show, the waxing gibbous moon was right above Saturn last night, will move upper left of the ringed world tonight and will have a close encounter with Mars Sunday, late night. Venus still shines brightly, high in the southwest below Gemini's Castor and Pollux, with Jupiter beaming brightly in the south in Libra. Perhaps we'll get back to the evening sky show next week.
For now, I'm waiting for my wandering dog to return from his morning sojourn, so we can venture off into the rain forest to check out things, Today on Earth.  

Retirement, Alberto & Kilauea, A Sultry Memorial Day 2018

Addendum: I wrote this blog with only brief excursions outside and didn't get the full SULTRINESS of the day; whoa, is it muggy, rainforest muggy. Be prepared to sweat and stay sweaty and might as well put on some bug spray to keep the flies, ticks and mosquitoes away, you're going to need a shower anyway. Still, get out and experience the atmosphere full of moisture.

 Getting old has it's perks: retirement. I'm just getting there but I'm liking it already. The Earth doesn't care and continues doing its thing, wild weather and volcanoes. Alberto (is it tropical or subtropical or something else...) the first named storm of the '18 season - although we are not technically to hurricane season, again, Earth not caring - has started in the same southern Gulf/western Caribbean spot as last week's nameless storm - and is looking to do similar damage if spreading the rain/flooding a bit farther west. The eastern seaboard will still get rain just maybe not the 5+ inches in the unnamed system. But, Mississippi/Ohio valleys should be ready for flooding.
One state to the north, in Ellicott City MD, perhaps they need to reconsider calling an event a thousand year flood when it happens every 2 years. As mentioned many times in this blog: build on a flood plain and it's going to flood. 10+ inch rain events are not common...yet, but there is big change coming and luck favors the prepared.
In other "shocking" events, Kilauea opens up fissure 22 on the big island and the natural volcano process continues with no end in sight (reference the last blog for timing - it will be over in this spot in a million years). New island forms and future pineapple fields begin with the weathering of basaltic lava; pay attention and be patient.
If you get a glimpse at the evening sky between the clouds, the moon is full tomorrow and will be to the upper left of Antares, the red giant heart of Scorpio. Jupiter will be bright and off to the right (west) of the moon with Saturn rising a little later than the moon about equidistance to the east. Venus rules the southwest at dark, high up, the evening star.
My monthly rain total crept up over 7 inches yesterday with I'm betting a good shot at 8 or 9" before May is over. Virginia is much closer to rain forest than desert, and while statistics and averages are good to know there really is no average day, just another unique and lovely one. I need to find a wandering dog and get out and enjoy this warm and muggy late spring turn toward the sun.
And, be sure you remember the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to allow me to write this, freely in an amazing place. While we should remember them daily, make sure you do, Today on Earth.

Rain, Rain, Rain!!

It started as a potential tropical system in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, it turned into a spinning moisture flinging machine that turned the entire Atlantic coast into a soggy mess. The sun, after being blocked by clouds for days, makes a reappearance today and quickly the thermometer jumps into the 80's with high humidities - suddenly summer. This much moisture and sunshine set the stage for afternoon T'storms this afternoon and for the next several days. Forecasts predict high pressure and a break in the storm cycle late in the week, just in time for a retirement celebration after 25 years of teaching. Woooooo!!!
Elsewhere on the planet, on an island in the middle of the Pacific, the world's most active hot spot continues to "surprise"locals with more eruptions, new fissures spewing more basaltic lava and even the central lava lake blasting ash clouds thousands of feet into the atmosphere. I heard one "surprised resident say, "I didn't think this could happen in a million years". What!!! You bought land on the flanks of the world's most active volcano, part of an island chain with a record of at least 80 million years of eruptions and you didn't think this could happen in a million years. In a million years there will be a new island (or two) where you are now and your island home will indeed be in a position without fear of eruptions. The current eruption has been going on for 35 years!!! Did you not notice that when you bought your land, built your house? Another example of humans unwillingness to recognize that the planet is still in charge and while we can and do change things on earth (right now for the worse - for us), on the planetary time scale the Earth doesn't care. Will humans be here in a million years? The Earth will, with or without us and there will be plenty of life. Let's hope we can work together to do what we can to make the planet a lovely, livable place for all life forms, not just a overcooked, overcrowded, flooded world, another major extinction event in the grand scheme of Earth history.
Enough gloom and doom, it's time for me to take a large brown dog on a stroll in the lush, damp, rain forest. The birds are chowing at the feeders and with the feeders down at night, the bear has not made an appearance (that I know of) for a few nights. Always an adventure, today on Earth.