Christmas

Lots of people think Christmas is just a holiday to get gifts. They hang out with friends while they open gifts. They think Santa clause brought the gifts. But non of that is true. I can tell you why there is Christmas. 

About  2,000 years ago Caesar Augustus declared that a censes should be taken of the entire roman world. At that time a girl named Mary was pledged to marry a man named Joseph. One day an angel of the Lord came to Mary and said,”Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. You will be with child and give birth to a son. You are to name him Jesus.” When Joseph heard about this he was greatly troubled. He was going to divorce Mary, but one night an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream and said,”Do not be troubled for the baby Mary will have is from the Lord.” The next day Joseph went to Mary and told her all that had happened. Then Joseph took Mary and set out to Bethlehem because  that’s where he was from. When they  got there Mary felt like she was going to have the baby. So they quickly found an inn. When Joseph went up to the inn the inn keeper said,” I’m sorry but we are all full.” Each inn he went to said the same thing. Then one of the inn keepers said they had a stable that they could stay in so Joseph took up the offer. A few minutes later Mary had the baby. Meanwhile in a field outside of Bethlehem some shepherds were herding their sheep when all of a sudden an angel of the Lord came to them and said,” do not be afraid for I bring you great tidings of joy. In a stable in Bethlehem a baby was born. He is your Savior.” Then a whole bunch of angels joined in singing “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace goodwill towards men!” Then they left. Once the angels left the shepherds headed to Bethlehem. A bit farther three wise men saw the star. So they decided to follow it. A few days later the shepherds and the wise men got to the stable. They gave Mary and Joseph some gifts, bowed down to  Jesus then left. Now that’s what Christmas is about.

~Shayden~

Milk Snakes Pt.2

BRIGHT AND COLORFUL SNAKES                                

Most milk snakes have bright colors on their smooth, scaly skin. Their body colors are mainly red, orange, brown, or gray. They also have black and either yellow or white rings. They are often said to be tricolored, or marked by three colors. Milk snakes can vary greatly in color. A pale milk snake has a whitish body color with red or orange spots that are often bordered by black rings. A Utah milk snake has a greater number of rings than most other milk snakes have. Its rings are often red, black, and white. An eastern milk snake has a pattern of tan, brown, gray, or brick red blotches. On the back of its neck, it has a Y-or V-shaped patch of tan.

Shannen

Milk Snakes Pt. 1

HOW THE MILK SNAKE GOT ITS NAME

    Milk snakes are not the color of milk, so that is not why they are called milk snakes. Many years ago, farmers saw the snakes in their barns. Sometimes when the farmers milked cows, the cows had very little milk. The farmers believed that the snakes had drunk the milk, and so they called them milk snakes. Today we know that milk snakes do not drink milk. They were most likely in the barns hunting mice and rats. However, the name has stuck.                          

   Nine kinds of milk snakes dwell in the United States and Canada: the eastern, Louisiana, New Mexico, Mexican, Central Plains, pale, red and Utah milk snakes, and the scarlet king snake.

                              

Uncle Kiwi (Shannen)