Catching up from Father's Day 2011 and an exciting herp observation to finish

I only have 2 followers (Thanks guys) but I am flattered by the number of emails I have gotten to nudge me back to posting.  Well I hope the wait is worth it, I'll have a few back to back because I had a lot ideas and pics to share. Plus deer season is coming, so lots to post. I'll start with one I intended to post a long time ago, Father's Day 2011.  The plan was to meet my Dad on my uncle Gilbert's farm in Chesapeake, Va and go fishing with my sons on the Ocean View pier in Norfolk. It turned into a lot more in my opinion and I cannot wait until 2012.

The ride through the back roads of Eastern North Carolina and Southern Virginia is one of my favorites for some odd reason.  From forest to rolling hills, then swamps, tobacco fields, peanuts corn, even a little cotton.  Eventually we got to Chesapeake.  As soon as I pulled into the drive way, I had to take this picture.  It is just a tractor, but the picture just had some hallmark quality about it to me.

So we get in (OK, we got lost and my Dad and Uncle had to come get us.  Long story no need to share.) and the gang is there ready to go fishing and uh oh!  I just noticed the cast on Uncle Gilbert's leg.  It appears that he had some minor surgery the day before and should have been resting........... not him.  We (Grandma, Aunt Ruth, my Dad and Uncle Gilbert) are in the kitchen talking when Uncle Gilbert invites the boys to see what he's working on in the barn.  Let me start by saying, my Dad and Uncle can build anything and this time he proves me right again....... You see, Uncle Gilbert builds horse buggies. 

Yes, horse Buggies!  These pictures really don;t capture the detail and quality of the work.  You could see the pride in his face as he showed us a nearly finished buggy and one in progress. 

Here is one that he's almost finished:

This one is in process

Walking around the barn and looking at the work and craftsmanship gave me a real appreciation for his art.  The only disappointments were those little spike cow horn antlers from a a deer harvested years ago............ Get a real buck, Buck (family joke).

As for the fishing trip, Uncle Gilbert could not make it, but my Dad, sons and I made it out.  A few croakers made the trip worth it for the boys and a night on pier with my Dad brought back memories from when I was their age.  It was great to see the smile on his face and to watch the boys run around.  Better yet, one of my dad's child hood friends joined us and I got to hear about all of their adventures.  Too good to miss.  By the way, Ocean View Pier and Norfolk in general looked really good, nice restaurant, pier and the palm trees were a nice touch for the beach.

Of course no trip is complete without the little man going for a ride.

The following Monday, I was met by my boys and the kid across the street.  All they could get out was, "you have to  come see, this is a picture for the blog...." So, I grab the black berry and follow them off across our back yard.  What I saw surprised me, a female fence lizard laying eggs under an old pine tree:

Had to finish with a strong herp pic!