Yes Carola, it is a real snake skin.

A comment on my blog made me smile today.
Yesterday I posted about the wonderful gifts I received during the One World One Heart event and one eagle-eyed reader noticed the snake skin I have displayed on a shelf in my living room.

Carola asked.... " Is that a real snake skin?"     

Yes it is.

I usually have it displayed with photos and books and stuff

I like the texture and I do think it is beautiful.

Here it is without all the stuff around it

My daughter hates it and when she visits for any length of time I move it to my office.

I have had this skin for several years now. What I like about it is that it is intact from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. Mother Nature has gifted me with several snake skins, but this one is the only one that is complete. I feel that it is a miracle that a 5 ft snake can shed its skin and manage to keep the whole thing intact. They usually have long tears or are found in three or four pieces. This one is also so very fragile and becomes more delicate as the years go by. 

My family has become very accustom to me bringing nature indoors. I have a few food storage containers with "gifts" inside.  Feel free to click on any of these photos to enlarge them. You may copy them to use in your art. The Cicada wing makes makes delightful fairy wings. Just reverse the image to get a perfect pair.

Dragonfly Wings

Butterfly

Cicada Wings

I also have a large collection of maple seeds, acorns, dried leaves, rocks, shells, feathers, bones....yes bones.... and some bumble bee wings ....but I can't find them  :(

So tell me. Do you have any gifts from Nature that you treasure?  I'd love to see them.

                                 Please post your gifts from Nature on your blog.