Bounty on Mr. Snake

It has happened. The first snake sighting of the year. Pretty early for it to happen. I generally am lucky enough not to see one until summertime. Even though I know there are snakes out there, it takes that first-of-the-year sighting for me to get the heebie-geebies enough that I don't want to work out in the yard as much. And that's saying a lot. I love being out there. I would work out in the yard all day long if my schedule allowed. Now I will do it with a large dose of fear. The thing is, when I first saw Mr. Snake, he was lounging in the shade... all stretched out in a long, straight line. It looked very much like the pruned branches that we have lying here and there, that somehow missed getting into the dumpster. I am pretty sure he was mimicking a branch so as to scare the living daylights out of me when I got within a foot of stepping on him. I was only armed with weed spray, and as I found out last year, weed spray does not hurt, maim, or kill a snake. It might make them laugh inside, but not much more. I don't know if I could have killed him with a shovel if one was close by. I wish I could say that for sure I could have, but I doubt it. In fact, when I ran in to the house, I got my camera, and I very easily could have (should have) got the shovel, but I didn't. Then, I came back out and he was still meandering along back by the dog run.

Bleh. I. Hate. Snakes. Oh, and did I mention that this one is easily 2-1/2 feet long? I was close enough to look at him all stretched out and do some calculations. This was important to do, because the first question Bob or any of my kids asks is "How big was it?". And, by the way, my snake-sightings are almost always guaranteed to happen when I am out there alone. I know Bob or Robbie would kill Mr. Snake without a problem... just to help me rest easier, but they are NEVER out there when that snake is.


I might add that I put a very nice bounty on his head last year, but try as he might, Robbie could not find that beast. So, Robbie, if you're reading this... he's in the back by the dog run - probably resting quite peacefully - right next to the arbor. The bounty is still in place.