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... And G-d heard Jake's prayer and it rained on Bennett. Earth animals never seen before came out of their earthly dwellings: frogs, Tiger salamanders and snakes were all among them. A river of these creatures flowed through the chicken house. Kittens headed for higher ground, goats stood knee deep in water unknowing what to do. And only the chickens and Vitya the turkey were safe, for although they had lost their ability to fly, stood on higher ground...

July fifth was the fifth day in a row with the five o'clock rain. Is 555 the new sign of the devil? I don't know, but in any case, what was suppose to be a friendly campfire turned into an indoor gathering instead. The outside fire pit ended up under half a foot of water, potatoes and hotdogs had to be done in the oven, yet everyone managed to have fun, anyway.

Vitaliy refused to light fireworks in the middle of all the water - the boys shot plastic pellets, instead.

Shai, who turned out to be somewhat of a lizard expert, fished out this Tiger Salamander from the chicken house. (The creature's coloration appears to be somewhat in between that of a Blotched Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma Mavortium Melanostictum) and a Barred Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma Mavortium Mavortium), but closer to the former.) After the kids had their fill of this "aligator" and a photo op with everyone's camera pointing at the catch of the day, the creature was released into the biggest remaining puddle-lake.

Pictures of the Blotched Tiger Salamander posing for the picture and a frog on its way out of the chicken house after the flood waters receded somewhat are attached.

P.S. My cousin tells me that the frog in the picture is really a toad. Perhaps, he is right.