Taking Up Serpents
After an early supper, youngest came running in. "A snake! A snake! I found it! A snake!" Everyone follows him out and sure enough:
a really huge, really long racer. At least five feet, probably more like six. We didn't really bother him, just watched for a long time. He didn't race with us watching. When he moved, he kept his body really straight, and as long as he knew we were watching him, he moved about an inch a minute.
Everyone was of course trying out their Parselmouth on him, telling him how welcome he is here. Everyone except Dilly the cat who did stalk him a bit. Usually when we see plenty of black snakes, and we've seen several this year, we don't see so many copperheads. This is a good thing.
Here is the little ringneck daughter found the other day. They are really cute and about the only snakes we actually handle 'round here. I believe it may have been a ringneck that, when I was a little girl and helping my mother thin the phlox along our driveway, I picked up and said, "Mother, this worm has eyes!" After which my mother screamed.
Yesterday also yielded several frogs and yet another box turtle with only three and a half legs.
4 comments:
My sister had a pet snake that dissapeared in the house and re-appeared after three years, obviously totallly wild after that amount of time it bit my her and my brother and was found another home.
I think I'd be with your mother on that one and scream and run away.
My mom had the usual snake-o-phobia. I wouldn't have a pet snake myself, but the ringnecks really can't bite you, not and hurt. We didn't pick up the blacksnake, you see, even though he is not poisonous or anything, because he CAN bite. It was so interesting watching him inch away though.
My four year old is enamored with anything that she finds under rocks, in the weeds, etc. Of course, when I accidently picked up a small eastern brown snake with an old fence post, I may have set her back a bit as I squealed, well, like a GIRL.
I don't like snakes. Even the ones I know logically are good to have around just freak me out...that and scorpions! We have seen more and heard from neighbors more about snakes this year than in many. Wonder why?
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