In relation to the first two images, I can truelly relate. However, my experiences aren't with the mammals, but the reptiles and amphibians, or insects.

It reminds me of the times I would walk outside and look up into the neighbors hedge to find a colossal rat snake looking back at me. The times that I would help smaller rat snakes into that same hedge so they wouldn't be easily hunted by the outdoor cats, only for one to literally crawl up my arm and into the sleeve of my shirt. I guess my body heat was perfect for the little thing (but damn was it awkward XD).

The multiple turtles I would find cross the road and help get to the other side, stopping practically in a busy intersection and risking getting clocked to whisk one into the passenger seat and move him to a local lake nearby. Actually had some drivers cheering, only for another time to encounter a damned snapper with an attitude in the middle of the road. One for the book of comedy that one.

Perhaps my favorite times of such encounters are at work. We reguarly get dragonflies that fly into the store, and get stuck because they can't fathom the massive glass panes keeping them from flying further. It's always nice to find one still alive and move it outdoors, only to have it sit upon your hand for a while just feeling it vibrate it's wings in curiousity. Or opening the umbrellas to my retail cart and finding a tree frog sitting near the top. Little bastards always piss on you (which is to be expected) when you try to move them to safer territory. One I found was literally a pure white, almost pearl-like. If it had the red eyes, I'd have considered it an albino.

As for the boyfriend thing, weeeelll....who knows. Potentials could be closer than you think. Yes, I have no shame. XD

I'm more of a mammals person. Plus, we have two really good cats that keep the snakes away. You don't want these kind of snakes anyway, as most of them in her area are poisonous. I guess the nature I enjoy is just bigger. Either way, cicadas singing and all these little peeper frogs at night... it's pretty magical. Definitely makes up for my mom talking from the time I get there to the time she finally passes out. If it weren't for mosquitoes, it would be utterly perfect. But that's what happens when you live on a lake and have an inlet behind your house.

I've always loved nature. It's why I go to every camping related convention I can afford. It just feels damned good sitting outside, enjoying the scenery and exploring (even though Oklahoma has scorpions.... *shudder* no thanks. they're like if a roach and a spider had babies.)

Used to adore dragonflies, though they aren't in this area, they're in Washington state. Every summer I visited there to see my great grandparents, me and this what I now realize were really really poor kids used to catch hundreds of them and stick them under a huge cardboard box upturned. When we had enough, we'd lift up the box and it'd just be a cloud of them. *sighs* Childhood.

Far as the boyfriend. Eh, potentials best be in Texas damnit. I'm not moving out of my state for someone again! :P

Oh trust me lass, I know the fun of having the out of state relationship. Only mine ended on a sad note for a different reason.

And yea, if I've learned anything about the south, it's that about 90% of the wildlife down here, wants to kill you.

I'm sure most relationships end on a sad note. Unfortunately, that's kinda how it goes. Not many leave completely without sadness and no hard feelings