Snakes of Summer

Summer has returned to Syracuse.  The grass is green, tulips are blooming, birds are singing…. And the summer snakes have returned.

I went to go get the mail yesterday and while trekking through our long grass, a light rustling of grass right by my foot caught my attention.  When I looked down, there was a 2 foot long garden snake by my foot.  I leaped one way with a piercing scream while the snake slithered off quickly in another direction, about as scared of me as I was of it.  However, this was not to be the end of my ordeal. 

As I ran quickly to the mailbox where the grass is virtually non existent and I can see my feet, I picked up a few rocks to defend myself with.  (Keep in mind, my husband is watching all this laughing)  The snake had settled down a ways and was sunning itself on the street.  Since I didn’t want it coming back into my yard, I started throwing the rocks at it.  I have a terrible aim however so the rocks didn’t come anywhere close to the snake, but as I didn’t want the snake in my yard, I needed to come up with another way to get rid of it. 

I debated getting the shovel off my front porch and chopping it up (a move I have seen my dad do several times), but this wasn’t practical as it would involve a venture through the grass again potentially startling more snakes while turning my back on the large snake on the road.  Another option was to grab the snake and throw it.  So not going to happen, neither was running at the snake to scare it.  I finally decided to grab a large tree branch and attempt to beat the snake with it till it ran away and told all it’s snakey friends about the crazy lady living in the little white house.  I picked up the tree branch, walked towards the snake and took a few practice swipes.  Then the strangest thing happened.  Suddenly I felt bad for the snake.  Sure, it had scared me and I still didn’t like it, and sure, if I didn’t kill it, the snake would probably move back into my yard, but it was still a living creature. 

Long story short, the snake is still alive.  But hopefully it will tell all it’s little snakey friends about my random act of kindness and they will stay out of my house this year