Here I was...Earth Day 2010...trying to make my little corner of the world more tidy. Now, I know that we have snakes in our yard. My first family dinner was interrupted by a snake climbing the spruce tree to get into a dove's nest. He was hungry and wanted to eat some eggs. Then I found a snake in a flat of flowers, that I was taking over to Church. I had left the flat on the driveway and while I was in the garage getting my supplies...he crawled into the flat. Then last year, while sitting on the red bench...Joe yelled, "Balisha sit still!" There was a snake coiled at my feet...under the bench. As I said before, I know that we have snakes, but why do I forget them when I start out each season. I move about the perimeter of the house, putting my hands in weeds and pulling them out. I move things around and lift leaves to scratch the soil underneath. Why do I forget them? Yesterday, I went to sit on the porch to rest...looked over the railing and lo and behold...there he was...sunning himself. I made a noise and he hissed, rattled, and coiled in his favorite pose...an S shape with head held high. Then before I could move he was down the hole and under the porch. To tell you the truth, I hoped that he would be back, so I could take his picture. I went in the house, for the camera, and came back out...there he was in the same spot, just posing for his picture. I snapped a few..inching closer and closer for a good shot. He didn't seem to mind my being there at all. I tried to make him move so I could see exactly where he was going under the porch. Then I thought that I could squirt him with the hose. That crazy snake just stood up and with his mouth open enjoyed a bath. By now, I'm sure that you think that I'm crazy, but they don't scare me. I was always the little girl with a jar of bugs, salamanders etc. but now if I was pulling weeds and a snake appeared, it would be a different story. I would be startled and probably fall off my favorite green gardening chair. This morning it is cold out and I'm sure he's under the porch. I wonder why I call little birds, rabbits, and chipmunks... she....and the scary things in nature...he? Maybe too many fairy tales in my childhood.Balisha
3 comments:
I know they are beautiful and useful creatures in the garden, but I have such a phobia of snakes (and spiders!) that I'd have fainted dead away. Shudder! :)
You said rattled, is this a rattle snake? I've never heard of one here in north central Illinois.
I hate snakes and no amount of political correctness will change me. Thankfully, the cats keep them away or kill them.
Marnie
Hi,
There was a definite rattle sound. I've read that some snakes make that noise to scare. I opened the garage door, just a minute ago, and there he was all stretched out, lying right next to where the door shuts. He went half way across the doorway. I really got to look at him and didn't see any rattles on the end of his tail.He had a bulge in his body...I guess he'd had lunch already. Then he moved quickly into the garden inching his way next to the house.This is one big snake. I think if we see him again...Joe will have to kill it. I'm afraid that he will climb up into my car and scare me to death, when I'm driving. I know he can get into the garage.
Balisha
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