Their probably isn't a day that goes by that I don't long for the days of my life in the big city. I seem to have had alot of those days lately. I always weigh the pros and cons of living out in rural America. Yes it's cheaper, yes its quieter, (sometimes the silence is deafening) I doubt I will ever get used to the fact that you can't do anything it seems without everyone knowing your business. That grapevine gets tighter and tighter it seems.
Animal life in the big city was usually a squirrel on the power lines and an occasional parrot that escaped from the old Busch Gardens at the brewery. I once heard if you caught one they were worth thousands of dollars but never knew of anyone that actually got close enough to catch one.
Since moving here we have had alot of wildlife around. At one time we had rabbit families living underneath our shed but after a good windstorm blew that down several years ago we really don't see alot of rabbits. Owls, the occasional hawk and one possum has somehow made it into the yard but with our two boys guarding the yards they don't stay long either. Deer, fox, and coyotes are found outside city limits, so we are shielded from that wildlife in town.
About three years ago we sold Matthew's basketball backstop which hadn't moved from it's spot for many years. When a friend of mine came to take it off our hands as we moved it away a baby "snake" slithered under the slab. I am not a reptile person, and snakes have always scarred the crap out of me. I won't even go to the exhibits at the zoo or fairs if that says anything. So I figured if I never saw it again it was fine by me.
Fast forward to last week. Since we re-sodded the front yard the boys have been passed between the large backyard with no back fence and the dog run I borrowed from a friend. They haven't been happy that they lost their front yard but have adjusted to exploring the backyard, something they really haven't done in their seven years of life. One morning I let them out and stepped off the back step to find a rather large remnant of shed snakeskin. Of course I knew if it was off , the actual snake was probably not far away.
The last several days I have cautiously tiptoed out every time I am out their. Believe me if I saw it my screams could probably be heard for miles. Well the search ended last night. David took the boys out for a stroll in the yard and he yelled out "Cindy your friend is back". That's all I needed I flew back in the house with him yelling "get the shovel". As far as I was concerned he could go get the shovel himself without any help from me. As I flung the shovel over the fence to him from about 20 feet away. With two swipes the snake was in two pieces. Of course in the typical male form he picked it up to show me his kill. What is it about men!!
It's times like this I really would rather be back in the city....
1 comment:
Cindy, I'm not fond of snakes either. I really enjoyed your snake story.
At least that wouldn't be quite as bad as coming across the 5' Gator that escaped in Morgan County. The article in the paper said if you see the alligator, stay away from it. Duh!
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