SNAKE!! Those memories of you and snakes, so many close calls..

Hi honey,

 Dad called me last night. I was a bit surprised as it was late, but then I remembered that dad does stay up later than mom. He had something very important to tell me. But then, doesn't he always? I have to give him credit though, this one was worth the late evening call. It seems that he and Michael's son-in-law were out behind the building at dad's and they saw something move in the bush. Dad didn't get a really good look at it, but Jason did. He said it was a huge copperhead. That was what dad was calling about, to warn me to be careful when ever I'm down that way and watch for snakes, all snakes. You know what that means, don't you? Yep, those boots and snake gators that you laughed at me over, will be back in use.

 It brought back some memories, talking to dad about the snake.

Remember that time when we were still living in the mobile home and you went out to feed the dogs and almost stepped on that huge copperhead? I heard you holler all the way inside for me to bring you your gun. A 22 rifle with a bad scope. You couldn't have hit that snake if you'd been right on top of it, with the barrel pressed against its head. I called Michael and he came over with his weaponry. I don't remember the caliber of the gun, but it sounded like a cannon going off. It scared the dogs which both escaped the pen and ran for the woods, I jumped and the snake was in pieces. I went out there in the dark and buried the head. The dogs came back for their dinner and you went in to sit down and calm those nerves. It wasn't long after that we had the power company come out and install that outside light.

 The time that the dogs were raising cane only to find that racing snake on the porch. I tried to simply scare it off the porch and back into the woods only for the thing to go in a hole under the house. Right... under.. our.. bedroom. I didn't sleep well that night.

 The time the snake got onto our back porch. That snake was almost as long as the porch. I was going crazy trying to make sure that thing didn't get into the house. Michael came up and was going to dispatch that one but it came back out the hole it used to get on the porch and fell down behind the steps. It was right after that we had the siding put on the house and all entrances were sealed.

 There was the time you were going around the house and almost stepped on the snake in the high weeds. The windows rattled with that one. This was a harmless black snake but you acted as if it were the deadliest of reptiles. I was going to try and get some photos, but you almost had a breakdown. The snake went on about its way back down into the woods. It probably thought it needed to get away from the insanity that was this place. Your son and I both laughed until we hurt because of your reactions. You weren't all that happy at first but you eventually joined in. If you could have only heard yourself. But then, you did almost step on it, something you weren't expecting. Which is odd in itself being our house sits in the woods.

 You were not happy with me at all last year when I went down to start on the garden and when I pulled back the old plastic I almost stepped on a young blacksnake. The temperatures were still cool enough that it wasn't moving much. I called James and asked him to bring me my cameras without explaining why I wanted them. When he saw the snake he wasn't happy with my plan either. I took over 50 photos just to get a few good ones. The snake wasn't happy and you could tell the more I took, the more agitated it became. I finally listened to James and walked away to let the snake leave in peace.

 I was walking one day and saw something on the fence around the pond. I thought something looked odd, I couldn't tell exactly what it was until I got close and it slid off the fence and into the woods. That was one long snake. I was glad to be wearing my boots and gators. Stylish, no, safer, yes.

 So anyway, when I go down to the garden, or if I go to use dad's garden hose, I'll be careful. Black snakes or other non-poisonous snakes don't really bother me.. the poison ones are an entirely different story. I'm glad too that he warned me, I was digging up and moving all of that dirt to fill up another, yes another, flower bed. I was trying to be careful since I was in the woods, but now I'll be even more so. That and yes, I will this weekend, clean up the back yard. Those leaves from last fall have been on the ground long enough.

I love you honey and miss you..funny how the smallest things bring back the silliest of memories..