Timber Rattlesnake

Timber Rattlesnake - Author's Picture

The above picture, as well as the one below, was taken by me in October of 2025. The green "thing" seen in the photos are part of a plant stand that got knocked over by heavy winds.

Timber Rattlesnake - Author's Picture

As I reported elsewhere, the pictures show a venomous Timber Rattlesnake, aka Crotalus horridus. It was one of three that I found on our property. I was amazed, finding one snake after another over a period of about 20 minutes. They weren't very big. Maybe mama had recently had babies. Snake sightings were frequent in October of 2025, and really all throughout the year. I hadn't seen that many snakes before. These snakes are also called canebrake rattlesnakes.

Red Spider Lily

Lycoris Radiata - Author's Picture

I grew up thinking these were called "naked ladies," and that's one of its names. I think they grow in the early spring, though some sources say late summer. They're also called "Red spider lily" and Lycoris radiata.

Wildflowers of Texas

Wildflowers of Texas - Author's Collection

I use this valuable guide quite frequently. It's laid out in color-coded sections for an easier experience. I bought this book from a Hastings bookstore, back when Hastings was still a "thing."

"In her popular Wildflowers of Texas, native-plant expert Geyata Ajilvsgi gives lay readers the most comprehensive field guide currently available on the state’s abundant wildflowers.

This latest edition contains information on 482 of the most common species found in the state’s major vegetation zones. Each entry includes a full-color photograph of the flower on the page facing the entry, bloom period, range and habitat, and botanical description. A special note in each entry explains the plant’s therapeutic, culinary, and other traditional uses, such as landscaping value.

A color map of Texas shows the state’s major vegetation zones, corresponding to the range codes used in the text. Other supplementary material includes a glossary of botanical terms, an illustrated glossary of plant parts, and a selected bibliography for future reading.

About the Author: Geyata Ajilvsgi writes and photographs from her home in the Hill Country. Considered among the state’s top plant and butterfly experts, she is the author of Butterfly Gardening for Texas and many other books."

Source: tamupress.com

Wild Petunia

Wild Petunia

The picture was taken in July of 2025. It shows the Ruellia humilis, also known as the wild petunia, hairy petunia, or low wild petunia. I happened upon it accidentally in the backyard, and I don't ever recall seeing one before. It would be nice to have a flower bed with these in it. Edit: An insect is sitting on the very top leaf.

Crepe Myrtle

Crepe Myrtle - Author's Picture

I couldn't tell what this beautiful tree was, as I'd never seen one exactly this color. Google Image Search states, "The plant in the image is a Crape Myrtle, specifically a variety with purple flowers like the 'Catawba Purple Crape Myrtle' or 'Petite Orchid' Crape Myrtle." I took this picture at the historic William Becknell Robbinsville Cemetery.

Eastern Copperhead

Eastern Copperhead

The image shows a venomous eastern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix). I think it appears flat and wider because it's in a defensive position. Of all poisonous snakes in Texas, these command more of my respect because of how they behave. It can sit in plain view in the leaves, and you'll never know it's there until you step on it or accidentally pick it up if you're doing yard work. I almost picked one up one time. It sits still, possibly, because it's an ambush predator. Wikipedia states that "Copperhead bites account for half of the treated snake bites in the United States."

Image Source: Meta via Texas Snake Identification.

Walking Stick Insect

Walking Stick - Author's Picture

"A walking stick insect, also known as a stick insect or phasmid, belongs to the order Phasmatodea. These slow-moving insects are green or brown in color and resemble twigs as a protective device. They are well-known for their impressive camouflage abilities, blending seamlessly into their surroundings. Walking sticks are herbivorous and feed on plants." Source: Britannica.

Timber Rattler

Timber Rattler

I've found several of these (but none this big) at our place. "The timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) is a large, heavy-bodied pit viper species native to eastern North America. It is also known by the names canebrake rattlesnake and banded rattlesnake. It is a very poisonous snake with a deadly bite." Source: Google. Image: Meta via Texas Snake Identification.

Find out more on howstuffworks.

Skink

Skink - Author's Picture

According to Google Image Search, the picture of this creature "shows a five-lined skink, likely a Common Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) or a Southeastern Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon inexpectatus). You can get an idea of its length by the porch boards it's lying on. They are 2"x6". This picture was taken in July of 2025.

Pygmy Rattlesnake

Pygmy Rattlesnake

The pygmy rattlesnake, or Sistrurus miliarius, is a venomous snake. It can grow to a length of about 2'. It can most definitely be found in East Texas. See Wikipedia for more information.

Image: Meta via Texas Snake Identification.

Moss

Moss - Author's Picture

The pictured flower is called moss, or Portulaca. 2025 was the first year that I got it to grow, because (in previous attempts) I didn't give it enough sunlight. It's native to South America. It's a plant that survives/thrives in full sunlight. Check out the Martha Stewart website to learn all about this very pretty plant. The picture was taken in June of 2025.

Rat Snake

Eastern Rat Snake - Author's Picture

My mom's dog, Chaos the beagle, found a rat snake on the front porch. The picture was taken in the summer of 2015. It had dropped by to try to steal the eggs from a bird that had nested on the porch. These snakes can grow to be 7' long. This one looks like a long one.

Eastern rat snakes used to be called black rat snakes. When I was little, we called them "chicken snakes." When (as an adult) my daughter raised some chickens, we frequently found them raiding the nests for eggs. They ate little chickens, too.

Orange Day Lily

Orange Day Lily - Author's Picture

According to Google Image Search, the plant is the Orange day lily, aka Hemerocallis fulva. Cats are allergic to it. They are edible, but I don't think I'd take the chance. The picture was taken in July of 2025. Check out the article on Wikipedia.

Terrapin

Terrapin - Author's Picture

Tentatively named, "terrapin," because I don't really know what s/he is.  When I was young, we called them "terrapins." We pronounced it "turpen" (like turpentine) because of our weird Texas accents. This one was crossing the driveway when we returned home. We stopped and picked him up, kept him around for a little while, took pictures, and then let him go. He was moving fast, trying to get away. That week had been very wet because of a lot of rain. All kinds of turtles and snakes were moving about.

Another Raccoon Guest

Raccoon - Author's Picture

I guess I post too many animal/wildlife shots. This is the third sighting of a raccoon in the front yard this year. It's not the same coon that often visits. He's a bit skinny. He had been eating some leftover food that had been tossed out. Then he came onto the porch where I was sitting. He was wary of me, and I of him. He didn't stick around long, though, and then he made his way into the woods. Woods surround my house on three sides.

5 Facts About Raccoons

Lantanas

Lantanas - Author's Picture

Lantanas are native to the tropical areas in the Americas and Africa, but they are considered an invasive species in many places. They are poisonous to most herbivores. They do attract butterflies. There are many species of lantana. The picture was taken in the summer of 2025.

Cottonmouth Snakes

Cottonmouth - Author's Picture

I got a poor picture of a venomous northern cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus). I've seen a few too many this year, and I'm always on the lookout for them. I don't think they've ever chased me, but I have had them roll into a defensive position and "gape" at me. The "gape" is where they open their mouths and hope that you go away. The inside of the mouth is very white, thus, "cottonmouth." They're also called water moccasins. Oh, the time that one "gaped" at me, hoping I would run away? It happened when I was a teenager, and I ran away. Seriously, though, I was terrified.

Agkistrodon piscivorus

Technically, a cottonmouth is not "poisonous." The way it works, if you bite it and get sick, it's poisonous. If it bites you and you are envenomated, it is a venomous snake. So, a cottonmouth is a venomous snake. They're dangerous if you mess with one. Source: Meta via Snake Identification.

Agkistrodon piscivorus

Source: Meta via Texas Snake Identification.

Blue Jays

Blue Jay Feather - Author's Picture

The above picture was taken in June of 2025. I had been seeing a lot of blue jays in the yard. I saw bright blue birds and some that were not quite as colorful. I think the bright ones are male, and the less bright ones are female. They're very vocal creatures.

I'd been trying to see if I could find a feather. It's not too impressive, and I have found beautiful, perfect feathers in the past. Officially, the bird is called Cyanocitta cristata. There are four subspecies of them. Oh, I took the feather back outside and put it on the ground.

More sources about Blue Jays:

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/bluejay/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_jay

Blue Jay

Image by Nick on Pixabay.

Black-eyed Susan Flowers

Black-eyed Susan - Author's Picture

Black-eyed Susan - Author's Picture

I was raised to call these flowers and others similar to them "black-eyed Susan." The pictures were taken in June of 2025. According to various sources, the flower has been used in folk medicine and even to make dye. There are several varieties of them. It is the state flower of Maryland.

Sources: Wikipedia, Almanac.com, and Wildflowers of Texas by Geyata Ajilvsgi.

Rattlesnake Information

Rattlesnake Information