I raked up some grass clippings yesterday and found a snake underneath. He didn't seem in any hurry to move. In fact I feared he was dead, but no, just lazy apparently. It is those darting moves that scare me. Otherwise I am happy to have them in the garden.
Love the new blog banner picture. You are so lucky to have snakes in your garden. We have bats and frogs in ours. We do get grass snakes in the UK, but I think it'd be too cold for them most of the year where I live.
They are great for pest control. I used to carry them wrapped around my wrist when I was a child. We only have garter snakes up here - no danger from them. Which may explain why I've never been afraid of them.
Eeek! I appreciate their usefulness in the garden, but I'm terrified of any snake. :( I adore your lilacs in the header -- I believe I can smell them from here!
The first summer I was a librarian, a little boy, maybe seven, came in and asked for a book on "garden" snakes. I thought he meant "garter". He thumbs through the whole book and shrugs. "Nope," he says, "not here." I asked him what he meant. "Well, the snake I picked up this morning in my yard didn't look like any of these," he explained, "Mine was big and brown." I located his nanny and shared that he was picking up unknown snakes. She was not so happy about that.
Wow, 10 comments on the little snake!! We are up to five snakes now. If you go into the search for snakes, you will see we've had many more sometimes. They are very entertaining to watch in our terrace steps. They curl up together, they pop their heads through little openings, they love the sunshine. Thank you for all your snake stories; I really enjoyed reading them. There will probably be more pictures as the season rolls along. I can't seem to resist photographing them. :<)
Sarah, I can be brave because garter snakes are harmless. You should have seen me in Texas once, at a ranch looking at the ground constantly, scared to death a rattler would get my kids. :<) Just the words, brown recluse make me scared!
JoAnn, I haven't had a chance to visit, but will. Thanks for letting me know. Geez May is busy, busy. I just wrote a book report on a book I finished 18 days ago!!
Beautiful lilac, almost makes up for the snake, but not quite! Snakes are my big fear, I don't like them, harmless or not. I remember an awful journey driving my children to school. They were very proud of a grass snake they had found and put into a container, for the nature table. I refused to drive it back later! Carole
Lisa, our snakies wait till it is warm. This year they came 6 days later than last year! I don't know what to say about the toads, but we don't see them until summertime around here.
Carole, I simply cannot explain why I am so enamored of these snakes. But I delight in them every day.
A wonderful series of "snakey" posts! I was tickled to see a "Sunday Stroll" post crop up among them. I haven't seen many snakes this year, which just makes me think I haven't been outside as much as I should have been!
I love the new header. My lilacs are not blooming yet, but the buds are swelling as is my anticipation.
Looks like that little garter snake is as fond of you as you are him. Must be why he posed so nicely for you. Can't say I'm a fan of snakes, but would never to anything to harm them.
Aisling, our two climates are so interesting to me. Some things come earlier there, and some later. Someday I would so love to visit your part of the world.
I'll answer your comments as soon as I possibly can. Please do come back if you've asked a question. Also, you may comment on any post, no matter how old, and I will see it.
I raked up some grass clippings yesterday and found a snake underneath. He didn't seem in any hurry to move. In fact I feared he was dead, but no, just lazy apparently. It is those darting moves that scare me. Otherwise I am happy to have them in the garden.
ReplyDeleteLove the new blog banner picture.
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky to have snakes in your garden. We have bats and frogs in ours. We do get grass snakes in the UK, but I think it'd be too cold for them most of the year where I live.
Gorgeous lilac.
ReplyDeleteCute snake.
Have a lovely weekend!
Oh sweet. I love snakes too but live much too urbanly (as opposed to urbanely) to ever see them. Thanks for posting the pic!
ReplyDeleteOh, how cute! I have yet to see a snake in my backyard, but I'm thinking of setting up a rock pile in hopes of attracting one.
ReplyDeleteI like them too.-I actually stepped on once by accident while I was birding.
ReplyDeleteThey are great for pest control. I used to carry them wrapped around my wrist when I was a child. We only have garter snakes up here - no danger from them. Which may explain why I've never been afraid of them.
ReplyDeleteEeek! I appreciate their usefulness in the garden, but I'm terrified of any snake. :( I adore your lilacs in the header -- I believe I can smell them from here!
ReplyDeleteThe first summer I was a librarian, a little boy, maybe seven, came in and asked for a book on "garden" snakes. I thought he meant "garter". He thumbs through the whole book and shrugs. "Nope," he says, "not here." I asked him what he meant. "Well, the snake I picked up this morning in my yard didn't look like any of these," he explained, "Mine was big and brown." I located his nanny and shared that he was picking up unknown snakes. She was not so happy about that.
ReplyDeleteI am a-feared of snakes! But this guy looks awfully cute! As long as you keep him at your house. :-)
ReplyDeleteLezlie
Wow, 10 comments on the little snake!! We are up to five snakes now. If you go into the search for snakes, you will see we've had many more sometimes. They are very entertaining to watch in our terrace steps. They curl up together, they pop their heads through little openings, they love the sunshine. Thank you for all your snake stories; I really enjoyed reading them. There will probably be more pictures as the season rolls along. I can't seem to resist photographing them. :<)
ReplyDeleteyou are so brave.
ReplyDeletethere was a brown recluse nest that I was basically right on top of. I was totally oblivious and my husband said, what will you do when it is a snake?
Let's just say I like the lilacs more than the snake!
ReplyDeleteI wrote about Ethel & Ernest yesterday. http://lakesidemusing.blogspot.com/2009/05/ethel-ernest-by-rayond-briggs.html
Sarah, I can be brave because garter snakes are harmless. You should have seen me in Texas once, at a ranch looking at the ground constantly, scared to death a rattler would get my kids. :<) Just the words, brown recluse make me scared!
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, I haven't had a chance to visit, but will. Thanks for letting me know. Geez May is busy, busy. I just wrote a book report on a book I finished 18 days ago!!
I haven't seen snakes in my garden this year. I usually see them at some point. I also haven't seen toads yet this year. I wonder why.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful lilac, almost makes up for the snake, but not quite!
ReplyDeleteSnakes are my big fear, I don't like them, harmless or not. I remember an awful journey driving my children to school. They were very proud of a grass snake they had found and put into a container, for the nature table. I refused to drive it back later!
Carole
Lisa, our snakies wait till it is warm. This year they came 6 days later than last year! I don't know what to say about the toads, but we don't see them until summertime around here.
ReplyDeleteCarole, I simply cannot explain why I am so enamored of these snakes. But I delight in them every day.
I think tiny snakes are OK. I don't mind those. However, I do love your lilac header. I can almost smell them.
ReplyDeleteKay, I wonder what you have for snakes there? Big scary ones???
ReplyDeleteA wonderful series of "snakey" posts! I was tickled to see a "Sunday Stroll" post crop up among them. I haven't seen many snakes this year, which just makes me think I haven't been outside as much as I should have been!
ReplyDeleteI love the new header. My lilacs are not blooming yet, but the buds are swelling as is my anticipation.
Looks like that little garter snake is as fond of you as you are him. Must be why he posed so nicely for you. Can't say I'm a fan of snakes, but would never to anything to harm them.
ReplyDeleteAisling, our two climates are so interesting to me. Some things come earlier there, and some later. Someday I would so love to visit your part of the world.
ReplyDeleteDonna, what a cute thing to say!
Karin, I'm amazed that I like them so much!