After our somewhat disappointing but at-the-same-time overwhelming marsh trip, I made Scott run us by the cemetery to look for my GPS unit. While I was packing that morning I hadn't been able to find it, and then I couldn't find it in my car either. That left the last place I'd used it as the logical place to check next, and that place was the cemetery.

It was not easy to get there. From our apartment at 46th and Spruce it seems like a quick shot, but starting from I-76 it's a little bit longer, especially when traffic is thick, half of all West Philly is double parked. and all the red lights are conspiring against you.

So, we get to the cemetery, I a little embarrassed, Scott doing a fine job of not kicking my ass for dragging him out there. It would be just plain silly to expect us to look for the GPS unit without flipping AC for brown snakes (Storeria dekayi).

We quickly turned up some yearlings (one of which is a lot bigger than the others now that I look at it - a big one or a year older?)






Then, under a completely ordinary asphalt roofing shingle, I discovered the most beautiful brown snake of ALL TIME!!!

The brown snake fans out there will see what I'm talking about - that pale gray stripe set off from the tan sides by the sharp black double row of spots, the delicate black head markings - this girl is just plain gorgeous.

As for the brown snake nonbelievers who are wondering about what I'm talking about - all of you can go to hell. This snake rocks, and if you can't dig it, go read another blog.

(and then I found the GPS unit at the bottom of a bag we had actually had with us the whole time - I thought that was funny. Scott didn't agree).