Common Garter Snake...

While out walking Rusty I came across a sluggish common garter snake warming itself in the sun on the penultimate day of November. It's unusual to see a reptile out and about so late in the year, but autumn has been very warm and so it may have been about to hibernate.

The snake in the grass.

Autumn Sunset...

A warm autumn day culminated in a beautiful sunset in the middle of November. Here are some photos. :)

 A lovely late afternoon stroll along the road.

 The wonderful colours of autumn.

 The Barn in the late afternoon setting sun.

 A hawk keeps watch from his perch.

 Sunset through the trees.

 The sky was really beautiful.

Pretty reflections, too.

Cooper's Hawk...

A few days after I saw the broad-winged hawk, I came across this cooper's hawk in the very same tree. It can be found all-year-round in Indiana. Several days later I came across a different individual with its prey on the streets of Washington. I only had my cell phone so didn't capture a good photo. I really enjoy spotting the interesting birds and other animals here in southern Indiana!

 Cooper's hawk perched in a tree.

On the side of the road with its prey.

Broad-Winged Hawk...

I spotted this broad-winged hawk sitting on the tall trees near our gravel road in the middle of November. The broad-winged hawk is not usually found in Indiana so late in the year, but with warmer days stretching well into November, this individual was probably a little late in flying south for the winter. I've seen a large variety of birds in recent weeks, and will share these nature shots here in the next few days.

Perched high on a tree, a hawk can see a rodent over a mile away!

 Preparing to take flight.

Sierra Leone meets Washington, Indiana...

Candace, Riaan and I had the privilege of listening to a Sierra Leonean pastor share his testimony at a Bible Study at a local coffee shop last month. Pastor Jeremiah shared his amazing story of God's faithfulness and protection over his life during the conflicts in Liberia and Sierra Leone during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Candace and I enjoyed talking to him about Freetown and Mercy Ships memories. He had been on the ship back in 2011 when we were there! It really is a small world. We also enjoyed singing and dancing a traditional Liberian/Sierra Leonean worship song, Tel Papa God Tenki. :)

 Pastor Jeremiah shares his testimony.

 Singing and dancing to Tel Papa God Tenki.

It was a fantastic evening! :)

Another Eastern Box Turtle...

After coming across my first eastern box turtle back in June, I came across another one in early November. It was another unseasonably warm day and this fellow was sunning himself on the road. I quickly snapped a few photos and then moved him off into the long grass. I love how the patterns on his shell are replicated on his skin. That's a difference from tortoises in South Africa. 

Really attractive patterns on the shell.

Birds Galore...

It may look like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, but these blackbirds were far less sinister. They were swarming above the recently-harvested soybean field, looking for a tasty morsel. I don't think I've ever seen so many birds together before!

 A terrifying scene if you have a fear of birds.

 There were quite possibly 1000s of them.

 A line of black on the field where the birds have alighted.

A closer view of the large flock of birds on the field.