SLITHER

When we were hiking Tuesday in Arkansas, we saw deer and all sorts of birds, but the only critters that stayed in one place long enough for me to get pictures were the reptiles. I almost speared this garter snake with my walking stick but saw it just in time to leap over it and warn Big Bore, "Snake!!" Poor creature didn't want to be bothered...just laid there sticking out its tongue at us until we moved on.

This lizard was more elusive. I don't know how BB saw its butt end in the first place, but it was sure intent on finding something in this hole. It quickly scampered off when figuring out it wasn't alone on the trail.

There are supposed to be black bears living on Magazine Mountain, but the odds of seeing one are remote, at best. They try to avoid people. I overheard one man say he'd lived in the area for 45 years and had yet to encounter one. That news was a relief since we left our "anti-bear spray" back at the campground. Kind of like an umbrella. You never have bear spray when you need it.