Cold Blooded Encounters - Monroe, N.C.

Sue and I went to the Reptile Zoo yesterday; it’s located in Monroe, North Carolina, which is about 45 minutes from our home in Concord. Admission is $6 dollars, and you really do get your money’s worth out of the visit. These two friendly lizards are a good example of the activity displayed by many of the reptiles. Of course, some were docile and immobile; as is their nature; while others were quite excited to have visitors.

This corn snake was very active; I even took some video of him as he slithered quickly about his cage. Sue and I had a couple of these fine reptiles in a house we lived in a few years back. We buried them by the footers to root out a nest of mites that were driving us mad. They are harmless to humans, but deadly to rodents and small insects.

An abundance of turtles rounded out the visit, along with a variety of spiders, frogs and toads. All of the reptiles were kept in natural settings, with appropriate lighting and well cared for. The exhibit is small, housed in a unit of a strip mall. With time, this museum will grow larger and become a major attraction. The love and care of the owner for his hobby definitely makes this museum a delightful experience. The contact info is located on the business card below.Be sure to visit the web site at coldbloodedencounters.com for more information on this unusual and educational exhibit.

Daveste’ Vineyards - Troutman, North Carolina

Sue and I went to the Davesta' Vineyards, located about 25 miles north of us in Troutman yesterday. North Carolina has some very good local wines, a resource that dates back to colonial days in the area, and has recently enjoyed a revival. Daveste' Vineyards is the first one to open in Iredell County, just north of Mooresville. With 52 acres of grapes, this little vineyard puts out some fine wine.

The grounds are beautifully kept, the white building to the right in the photograph houses the actual winery, where tours are available twice a day. There is also a "Tastery" where you can sample the various wines, or, if you prefer, order a glass of your favorite locally grown wine. I chose a Merlot, which had been aged for 14 months in a wooden cask. Full bodied and smooth, it was a fine change from the more "thin" tasting Merlots that one usually encounters in more expensive wines.

The Daveste' Vineyards is also a wonderful place to simply stroll around, looking at the pond and the animals is both soothing and educational. Luckily, we arrived on an "educational" day.

The tree at the edge of the pond is home to a large birdhouse. Two black snakes, probably looking for food, were in the birdhouse, and having already eaten the eggs, were trying to make good their escape from the scene of the crime. But every time they got about 3, or 4 feet of themselves out of the birdhouse, someone was there to take a picture, forcing them to retreat back inside.

It went on in this manner for some time, as people came and went, taking pictures as they did. To complicate matters there was a tree across the pond, upon which sat a huge hawk, watching and waiting out the two snakes. I don't know what happened after we left, but my money was on the hawk.

A great local excursion for a cloudy Sunday afternoon. And the glass of Merlot made it just that much better.