The Eastern Rat Snake, what most people just call a Black Snake, is an excellent tree climber. They will often nest in the cavities of hollow trees. The one pictured here was seen climbing into a large Sugar Maple tree at Old Smicksbug Park. The Eastern Rat Snake can reach lengths of slightly more than 8 feet. They are non-poisonsous and do a good job of controlling mice and other rodents. The other 'black snake' found in Indiana County is the Northern Racer. They can reach lengths of 5 feet and are known for their fast movements and tendency to hold their heads up in a periscope position when seeking out prey in fields and meadows.
Fresh snow provides a dusting over the lawns and sidewalks at Memorial Park. This 2-acre park is our smallest, yet most historic park site. The graves in the foreground with the flags are two of several Civil War Veterans buried here. The park also contains many other graves since it served as an active cemetery from the early 1800s until 1875. The portion of the park shown here was the German Lutheran Cemetery. Many of the graves are unmarked.
Our parks received their first dusting of snow this year on November 13th.
