Warning: There is a snake picture below.
Seeing a snake this early makes me think it’s going to be a very long snake season around here.
I’m trying to think of something to write to get this picture down to where folks who don’t want to see it won’t see it accidentally.
I was sitting in the house knitting. Vince came to the door and said “Grab your camera and come outside. The snakes are out!” I can’t tell you (1) how much I’ve enjoyed not having to watch every step I take and every place I stick my hand and having to listen for every little rustle in the grass and (2) that the first thought that entered my head was “I can’t spend another summer dealing with the massive number of snakes around here.”
With a little self control, I managed not to blurt out “I don’t want to live here any more!” I know every place has snakes but dang it . . we have too many.
Look at that . . all curled up behind the shutter . . just inches from the door we walk through every day. I put my hand on the wall right near that snake almost every day to lean against the wall to take my shoes off before going inside.
As always when something like this happens, I think about the pioneer women who first arrived here and I wonder why on earth they stayed. I guess they didn’t have a lot of choice. Yep . . I do know that feeling! 🙁
Judy In MO says
I don’t know how you do it.
Marilyn Smith says
The snakes are out here as well! Ugh. What kind is your critter. We are dealing with the rattlesnakes and sidewinders here. The rest are ok.
Joyce says
I have never seen a venomous snake around my yard, (knock on wood) but there are plenty of garter and black snakes. I meant to clean out my metal shed this winter, but I waited too long. Now it’s warm and the snakes are out. I know there was a black snake living in there last year, and I don’t want to meet any of it’s extended family..shudder..
April Reeves says
We have a garter snake that visits our pool. Sunday he had giant frog by the foot and my son didn’t think he could eat it. So we watched off and on and sure enough he eventually got that whole frog down and off we he went back home. That didn’t really bother, though if startled by it I would scream.
Later that day, I’m cleaning out the pool skimmers. I am so scared of that job cause when pool was more pond than pool (thus the snake’s habit to come find frogs in our pool), and the frogs like to hang out there. But I am hav been brave lately and I scooped out a few bundles leaves and put them on the side so I could see the basket. I emptied the basket of leaves. Then I go to throw the pile by the skimmer further away from the pool so it just doesn’t blow back in and there is a dead mouse (maybe baby rat). I do not do rodents. So I’m done. I’m never cleaning the pool skimmers again. That thing was in my hand.
Carolyn says
Surely you don’t leave your shoes outside for them to curl up in. I know you are smarter than that! It is that time of the year and there is not a snake that I would ever smile at no matter if they are a good snake. Yes, I’ve lived in the country where we had lots of rattlesnakes. Oh, the stories I could tell!
Judy Laquidara says
Only the flip flops stay on the porch. The other shoes are taken off on the porch but brought inside. We never wear any shoes inside that have been worn outside . . even shoes we wear to town are never worn inside the house.
Joan says
There are no snakes in Alaska, Judy! Come on up! ?
Rosalie says
I would have given him the camera and stayed inside until it was gone/dead!
I don’t mind garter snakes but anything else no.
Mary says
There are no snakes in New Zealand. I was just there last month and it is a beautiful place. They have very few days that it is less than freezing and they think that 85 degrees is hot. Maybe that would solve all of your problems…except being so far away from Chad and his family!
Joyce Barham says
Hi! from Arkansas! We have copperheads here. I haven’t seen one yet this year, but the always come in summer. We live in the country and at this time of year it’s not safe to walk in our woods or yard. A year ago, we found the skin of a copperhead in our crawl space. It was an outside entrance and is as long and wide as our ranch house. The plumber was the one who found the snake skin. The locals say that it was a female snake and she found a way to get into the crawl space because she didn’t want to be pregnant again. Don’t know if this is true, but she is still underneath the house. The male is outside the north of the house where the door to the crawl space is and keeps looking for a way to get in, but so far hasn’t found a way! I’d say the female outsmarted him, especially since a couple of years ago we put a lock on the door! That female sure keeps the critters away, especially the mice! I haven’t seen a mouse since she moved in!! We have to lock everything down here because their are so many thieves that steal copper, or anything else that is not locked down! Have a good summer!
Susan says
I know there are snakes in Tennessee – lots of them – and someone today mentioned a copperhead, but I’ve only seen a couple of small non-venomous types. This neighborhood has been settled since the mid-70s, maybe that’s why. I still see raccoons and possums, though, so maybe they are out in the woods, where I never go. I don’t even hang around much in the back yard. Now those children across the street … maybe I should add snakes to my list of warnings. LOL