Snake Alert: There is a picture of a snake in this blog post!
The bull dozer guy (not the bull sizer or the bull fighter or the bull fixer as the auto correct on my cell phone kept saying) was here again today. I am looking forward to a day without him here, as is my checkbook! Every time he thinks he’s done, Vince decides he wants something else done.
Today he spread more rock on the driveway and cut more paths through the back. He also scraped up some dirt and made a couple of big piles of dirt for a project Vince needs. When Vince got home from work, he said “Let’s go see what he did today.” So, off we went.
We were walking along and I only had my cell phone for a camera. I took a picture of the dirt — in some places here, we have dirt as black and fertile looking as dirt can be. In some places, we have pure rock — big rock, little rock, not much soil at all. In some places we have sand. We were walking through sand with small rocks and I was looking down at it and all of a sudden, I saw this:
I screamed like a girl! Were were right up on it and Vince still didn’t see it. When he finally saw the snake, we didn’t have a clue what he was. Vince grabbed a stick and tried to see his tail and the snake was hissing at him . . making lots of noise! We let him live — Vince decided he wasn’t poisonous. When we got home, Vince looked him up and thinks he’s an Eastern Hog Nose something . . . I forgot what he’s called. All I know is there are too many darned snakes around here.
And, bad girl in the country . .
What is it going to take for me to put the flip flops away and never wear them again? If all the close encounters we’ve had with snakes in the past year haven’t convinced me to put the boots on and wear them every day, summer, fall, winter and spring . . and get rid of the flip flops, I may need to have my head examined. Every time this happens, I say I’m not wearing flip flops again and I don’t wear them for a week or so and then I go back to wearing them.
It’s no excuse with all the snakes we have around here but . . I go out in the garden and my flip flops are covered in mud and I hose them off. I walk through the yard and step in chicken . . manure . . and then I hose off the flip flops. We don’t wear shoes in the house and it’s so easy to kick the flip flops off at the door. It’s really hard to get used to wearing boots and taking them on and off 100 times a day as I go in and out of the house and in and out of the sewing room but once again . . I’m telling myself I’m going to do it — flip flops will be exchanged for boots for a few days at least.
I think the real problem is that I need old boots to wear every day for garden and yard work and I don’t have any . . all my boots that are relatively snake proof are new and if you’ve bought boots lately, you know they don’t come cheap and I hate to get a pair all muddy and full of chicken “you know what” but I guess it’s time to decide if I’d rather get a nice pair of boots dirty . . boots that were made for working . . or if I’d rather get snake bit. Pretty easy to answer since I put it like that, huh?
Jo says
What about rubber clogs? I have a pair i keep by the door for running in and out to the guinea pen and pastures. Be careful!
Joanne Caglione says
Croc’s – That’s what you need! They slip on and off really easily and you can wash them right off. They are my chicken run shoes of choice:-) You can even get them with a furry lining for the winter when you tootsie’s are cold.
JudyL says
Crocs don’t offer any more protection from snakes than do flip flops really. No cold tooties around here . . it was over 85 degrees here today.
Connie Stack says
I think I see a quilt design on the back of his head! I totally hate snakes but that one is a real beauty I think. You could maybe start a series of quilt designs (maybe a book?) on quilts inspired by the snakes of Texas 🙂 And you really should get out of those flipflops!
Debra says
Boots are a state of mind. you’ll get it or you won;t. I think you’ll get it soon. Winter helps. Not this freakish weather, though that is probably why the snakes are out. Cool picture. I’ve never seen one of those.
I can’t tell what I’m writing with this cursive comment text, can i change it on my own computer? ha! maybe it is only on my computer 😉
Mel Meister says
The script text is there for everyone.
Dora, the quilter says
Hmmmm….for an old pair I could get really dirty, I’d probably be willing to shop at a charity thrift store.
Angie says
Judy, Do you get the Duluth Trading Co. catalog? Look at the new Bogs Rue show, or even the Bog mid boot. Even if you were your flip flops around the homestead, always change your shoes to something more durable for walks….I don’t head out for walks with out some good mid high hiking shoes. They make walking so much easier, and safer.
Angie says
Bog Rue shoe–not “show”. :o)
Diane in CA says
You know, they make Crocs without all the holes, and they have boots too! But hey, wasn’t there a post all about the new rubber boots you and Vince bought a while back? Won’t they work ?
Karen Langseth says
Yuck, just looking at a picture makes makes skin crawl….I’d be wearing boots all the way up to my chest just to be sure those nasty things wouldn’t get me…..I hate snakes!!!
Patti Tappel says
the blacksmith thinks it is a hog nose snake. Here in Missouri he said we call them spread heads.. so see you just didn’t see them when living in Mizzouri!
JudyL says
That’s exactly what it is and it’s a harmless snake so we left it alone. Also, it was a pretty small snake so . . he lives to scare me another day.
Maria do Carmo says
CUIDADO!
wanda says
We call them spread atter here. And yes they will scare the fool out of you. they spread their heads just like a cobra does. I’ve not seen one in about 50 years around here. Once again thanks for the memories of olden days. I wear rubber boots can get them at local Walmart. (Just in case. of close encounter of the snake kind) I wear them each time I go to yard to do any work. Fellow next door got bite by diamond back rattler. Usual for out area . Many people get bite by copperheads too. So be careful Judy get some boots girlfriend.You thought spider bite was bad. Snake bite is hospital time.
Roberta says
Go back to TWC, they have nice fairly cheap boots there. the ones I saw yesterday at ours, yes I was buying winter boots, were all rubber so very easy to hose off. AND if you aren’t wearing them in the house, or just inside the door then keep the flip flops there and just put them on when you come in. That’s what we do and don’t bother hosing off the boots, besides our hose is in the garden and have to walk through the whole dirt driveway with wet boots, be dirtier than when I started. AND no way would I get hubby to do that. sigh…..
Nice looking snake, he will keep the rodent population down.
Hugs!!!!
Helen says
Judy, thanks so much for the warning of snake picture. I get the heebie-jeebies just LOOKING at snakes, so when I read your post, I quickly scrolled past the picture.
I thought I had seen rubber “rain” boots lots of places, and I didn’t think they were an expensive proposition…although, since I don’t need them, I didn’t pay very much attention. Would those kind be enough protection for snake-encountering?
If I lived where you do, I’d have to have a whole drawer full of underwear cause I’d always be peein’ my pants!!!
Hugs
wanda says
Remember if you leave shoes outside to bang and shake before putting on. All kinds of things like to get inside. Like spiders and other biting things. just a thought……..,
Judy Laquidara says
After being bit by a black widow that was in the boots that I shook and beat against the concrete, I am extremely careful about that.
shirley bruner says
Judy….Judy….Judy…..sigh!! if you get bit in the foot by the snake….your toes and foot will be all swollen up and hurting and you WON’T BE ABLE TO PUT ANY SHOES ON. i really think you need to think harder about those boots. especially walking out on the property or working in the garden.. we want you to stay healthy….even your feet. think how pretty your feet will be in your new boots.
Lee Ann L. @Unfocused! says
You sound like my Dan. I always wear sneakers, even inside my house as there is always scorpions (and black widows) in the back of my mind. We’re in the middle of scorpion country. In fact, just last night, there was a scorpion in my bedroom. Fortunately, Chessie (my cat) alerted me to it. And fortunately, we don’t see them often. I am doing everything I can to deter them from coming inside including killing bugs/insects OUTSIDE the house using a cobination of DE and orange guard and lavender oil (inside)..
Anyway, I am a proud owner of snake proof boots (bought from Bass Pro) that are also water proof. I refuse to go wandering without those suckers on as I can’t hear! If a Rattler should ever cross my path (or I his), I wouldn’t hear the warning. The boots makes me feel safe. And since it is waterproof, I plan to use them as wellies too while gardening. 🙂
Dorothy Matheson says
I too saw a Eastern Hog Nose Snake for the first time last week. I also looked it up to find out what it was.
Also I do not wear boots but sandles to walk out in the pasture. I just try to make lots of noise to let the snakes go away from me.
In 32 years I have seen lots of snakes and have never gotten close enough to be bitten. So just make lots of noise as you walk about in your flip-flops.
Judy Laquidara says
I was actually singing Jingle Bells and trying to get Vince to sing with me. We weren’t wearing orange, though there shouldn’t be any hunting on our land, I was trying to make a lot of noise. Between my singing and Vince’s laughing, I’m surprised we didn’t see more than a snake.
Toni in TN says
When in Texas do as the Texans and wear boots! That was one of the few things I didn’t like about TX. Too many snakes.
Diane says
We care about you Judy, wear boots, or at a minimum leather shoes with jeans.
I completely understand. I was told 2 years ago and everytime I go to my doctor since then to wear shoes even in the house. I have bad tendons in my feet and need the support. I am so dumb I will wear them as long as my feet hurt, then as soon as they feel better I will go back to bare feet in the house. I hate shoes in the house. Then the pain returns and I remember the shoes and swear I will wear them like I should…then I don’t. 🙁
Judy Laquidara says
Oh, that sounds exactly like something I would do.
EagleKnits says
Diane, you’re not alone… I’ve been told the same thing by my doctor to ease the arthritis in my feet, but I do just exactly what you described — shoes while the feet hurt, then barefoot again as soon as the pain stops. Guess some of us will never learn! 🙂
Michelle says
We have snakes up here in Oklahoma too. One day I was hanging laundry and all of a sudden my 9-year old DD was screaming “Snake” at me. It was coiled up right where I was about to step. Copperhead. We also have pygmy rattlesnakes. As to the auto-correct…I think bulldozer is a single word and that is why it wanted to make it something else.
Jevne says
You’re right, Judy, protecting your toes is more important than protecting your boots. Try spelling bulldozer as one word and your spell checker will probably take it.
Emma says
Didn’t you get a nice pair of rubber boots a while back? Those sound like they’d fit all of your needs quite well. As for slipping them on and off, after a few months of wearing my cowgirl boots, once they’re the exact perfect shape of my feet, I can take them off without using my hands. Just be patient!
Judy Laquidara says
With boots, I need to wear socks and then I have to take them on and off every time I take off the boots. I’m just making excuses and being lazy. I will go better.
Helene says
Exactly! A good pair of wellies is just the ticket walking around the garden and the chicken you-know-what. You can easily hose them off.
Doe in Mi says
BOOTS for sure.
scrappyhappystarfishy says
Humm, I would get a pair of those rubber boot socks that you keep inside your rubber boots – a few pairs so you can always have a clean pair! Then you don’t have to wear socks to wear the boots because the socks are in there. You know the ones I mean? They fold over the outside of the boot and are usually made of fleece. Also – a boot jack is a wonderful device. We always had boot jacks. My grandpa made them. I wish I had one now for my son. I am going to ask my brother to make some – he is a genius when it comes to making things – he cut out crossbows for the kids this summer and gave them a bunch of sandpaper – kept them entertained for hours, LOL!
Linda says
Now that you are a Texas gal, where are your cowgirl boots? Now that is what you need! Get some really pretty ones so Vince will be impressed! Regardless, wear your boots when you are outdoors. Even non-poisonous snake bites can be very painful, and well, you know about the poisonous ones…better to take an extra minute and be safe, not sorry.