###########

Meet Pseudotriton ruber ruber, the northern red salamander. I found this nifty newt on the mulch pile this morning.

copyright 2011 ron dees all rights reserved

Remember this number: 811.000.00. You’ll be seeing it again soon. There are a few people in this county who will be seeing this number in their sleep.

I don’t know if George the Groundhog saw his shadow this year because we haven’t seen him in forever. Groundhogs have an average life span of 6 years, and George was pushing 7. I did check with the Artist George Krause. He says his shadow scares the living begeezus out him, so there you go.

Congratulations to Skeeter’s for making Rachel Ray’s list of the 64 best chilidogs in America! Heck, I could have told her that. In fact, I tried to tell the world last year. Check out my post entitled “I’ll Have One With Slaw.” (Use the Search Box on the lower right.) The eventual winner for the best dog in the South went to JS Pulliam Barbecue on Old Walkertown Road in Winston-Salem, and in the judges’ opinion, the best hotdog in America is sold at Gene & Jude’s in River Grove, Illinois. Course, we all know what they say about opinions. Besides, the pleasure of being served by Miz Elizabeth should have given Skeeter’s extra points in my book.

I stopped by to see Karen and Daryl Dennis last week at Fran’s Deli’s new location next to the Dollar General Store in Wythe Plaza on East Main. We almost lost Daryl last fall, and I can not tell you how happy I am to see the two of them back. Hands down they have the best deli sandwiches in SW Virginia. Daryl reports that he’s lost 20lbs so far but still has a long way to go. He’s also trying to quit smoking, so give him some well wishes and encouragement along with your order.

Finally, the Wythe County Board of Supervisors meets tomorrow morning at 9:00am. I plan to attend to see if I can get a kiss, because I always like to be kissed when I’m getting screwed. I urge all of you to attend and make your thoughts on the new hire and pay raises known.

Chestnut Ridge behind our Humble Little Cottage

I’m declaring peak color day today for the trees on Chestnut Ridge. Some of the other areas in the county are either past peak color or a few days away. I’ve been toodling around the town and county the last few days collecting specimens. Herewith is my collection:

I’m not sure which is my favorite season, spring or fall. I do know that this is the best time of the year to go for a walk in the woods. A stroll through the crisp October air, nature’s palette ablaze with reds and golds, gives you such a sense of place. These hills were made for the fall season.

Wythe County’s latest venue to experience the great outdoors is the family friendly Crystal Springs Recreation Area. Located at the end of Pump Hollow Road off Rte. 21 three miles south of Wytheville, the 1800 acre site was designed to be enjoyed by all ages. Anne and I spent several hours there Sunday afternoon along with a half dozen multi-generational families.

Picturesque foot bridges crisscross creeks and primitive campsites are located along the trails. There is even a bathroom with flush toilets.

Crystal Springs is managed by the Virginia Department of Inland Game and Fisheries and is a participant in the Kids in Parks – TRACK Trail Initiative sponsored by the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. There are numerous learning aides and mini-adventure games for kids located throughout the park. Admission is free.

This one is for my favorite Joisey Goil, Andy Jarvis.

I’m speaking of the praying mantis (not “preying,) so named because at rest, the position of the front legs makes it appear the mantis is praying.

Chinese mantis

I found the little charmer pictured above in the garden yesterday. When I tried to move it to get a better shot, it bit me on my right index finger hard enough to draw blood. Though I quickly washed the bite and applied antiseptic cream, the finger was still slightly swollen and painful this morning. The Chinese mantis, introduced to this country around 1900 as a means of controlling the native pest population in the Pacific Northwest, is the largest of the species found in the United States. World-wide, there are over 2,200 different species, though only 20 are native to the US. Mantids are in the same family as cockroaches and termites.