Snow Mould Spider Webs Emerge From Drifts

Snow Mould  © SB

I saw the first snow mould in the garden today, and now I know why I've been sniffling for the past few days.

Fascinating stuff: While we're huddled inside, sheltered during seven months of winter, a fungus grows like spider webs across the dead leaves and stalks left in our garden. Under the snow! Beneath that weight of frozen water. 

Rain is forecast tonight, and then more snow... Then sunshine.

As soon as the ground dries, we'll rake* the snow mould — it emerged only in the last few days, as the  months-old drifts across our garden magically receded.

(*Or, then again, if eyes turn red and sneezing overcomes the rakers, we'll pray for heat and sunshine... Either way, the garden will be cleared for new growth; the snow mould will be gone. Until next spring...)

Achoo! 

What is this? Snow Mould. 
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  

Photo date: April 29, 2013.

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Lakeside Shells at Buffalo Pound

I lived beside the ocean for so long as a child that when I see a shell, I automatically think, 'seashell.' But there are land snails, too, and molluscs that live in lakes.

On Saturday, we drove out from Regina to Buffalo Pound Provincial Park to enjoy the late summer weather (33+C). These pictures were taken at the edge of Buffalo Pound Lake, where these (not sea!) shells lay in a line of debris washed along the shore by waves from speedboats and the wind.

What are these? Prairie lake shells, washed ashore?  (or land shells?
Location: Buffalo Pound Lake, Saskatchewan.
Photo Date: September 24, 2011. 

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Western Plains Garter Snake

Saskatchewan garter snake © SB   

Oh, what a lovely snake! Truly, this Western Plains Garter Snake is gorgeous, though completely unnerving if it twitches in front of your foot, where you thought there was only grass...

I came across this snake in the cemetery at Lebret, Saskatchewan, a day after being startled by a similar one near Fort Qu'Appelle, SK.

This is a Thamnophis radix, a common Saskatchewan garter snake. As the University of Alberta says, the quick way to ID this species is this: If you look down into the grass and see a dark snake with a red or orange stripe, it's likely to be the WPGS, aka, Thamnophis radix haydeni. 

This garter snake seemed totally unafraid of me. A good thing, as that meant it was prepared to pose!

All pictures taken September 10, 2011, in the Lebret, SK, Cemetery.

A loooonnnngggg snake © SB

I am now very scared... © SB   

Okay, maybe I'm not frightened after all... © SB  

What is this? Thamnophis radix, the Western Plains Garter Snake. 
Location: Cemetery, Lebret, Saskatchewan.

Photo Date: September 10, 2011.

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