Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Country Life = sssssSnakesssss

Last Saturday, George and I sorted a pile of barn wood that was stacked in the edge of the field below our house. We knew some had rotted and would need to be burned.

We also knew what else we would find in the pile. Any time there is a pile of wood or something similar in the country, there are also...

Snakes.

Shudder. I know, I know. Black snakes and garter snakes and their other cousins are harmless. And they are great to have around for mice control. And, and, and....

We still don't like them.

Earlier in the day, we had been looking for something in the shed. All at once, George said,

"Don't move Barb"

And just a few feet in front of me, a BIG black snake was slowly slithering down a pole. He tried to get it, but it got away.

A little later, I was weed-eating behind the same shed, and I hit another snake with the weed eater. I don't know if it slithered away and died, or just wished it did. But it disappeared into the ground.

So, when we started moving barn wood, we knew to be prepared. We had 2 garden hoes nearby, and as we worked our way down thru the pile, sure enough, we encountered snakes.

3 of them. Who met their demise with a hoe.

Later that evening, at a picnic, the conversation turned to an article that had been in the newpaper. It told of a house that had been built on a snake den. The new owners were going to have it torn down because there were dozens of snakes in the house, hidden in the walls etc.

And we thought we had a snake problem. That story certainly put ours in perspective! So far, we haven't seen any near the house. Just in the shed and the barnwood pile.

Where we keep a hoe handy.

2 comments:

Mabel and Edgars Early Goods said...

I HATE snakes....I am terrified of them.We moved from a beautiful 1760 house because...I could not take the snakes !!I kept finding little ones in the basement/laundry. Everyone kept telling me ...they are so good.The only good snake is a dead snake !
We moved to a subdivision...and anytime I see a black cord or anything like that...I look twice.I think about snakes everyday !
As we drive past these beautiful old houses....I always say "Oh I love that house " and my husband and daughter chime in....I know it has snakes !

Barb said...

We've never had one in the house, I would have a hard time dealing with that! We knew someone who had trouble with snakes in their basement. If I remember right, once they cut down a big pine tree that was close by, the snakes disappeared.

Our chickens have caught a couple baby snakes. As much as I dislike snakes, I have to admit it was comical watching the chickens fight over who got to run around with the snake! We don't know if they ever ate them, or just made a game from them!

What a shame you had to leave a house you loved!

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