For Goodness Snakes

First, I better kiss up to Mother Nature for having the rain and storms hold off enough that we could have a successful Royal Event fundraising day at school. Thanks.

Secondly, I better apologize to Mother Nature because my son probably screwed up her ecosystem or natural food chain or whatever in our backyard. Yup. Interesting day ...

Carter and I went to 8 o'clock church and dropped Jim off at the school on our way so he could help set up the German Club booth. We picked him up after and when we all got home, Jim popped next door to say hi to the dogs playing outside and Carter and I went into the house.

Suddenly he is yelling from the living room, "Mom, there's huge snake outside! I'm gonna kill it!"

OK. I hate snakes and I especially hate them in my yard. I still get the heebie-jeebies when I think about the one in our garage a few years back. Uff da.

Anyway I text Jim: "There is a big snake in our back yard!" and he texts back: 'That's the garden hose." Ha. Not this time.

So how was Carter going to kill the snake? With his trusty Red Ryder BB Gun, of course! First, he was shooting from the deck. Can't blame him. I wouldn't want to get any closer. In fact, I was on the "safe side" of the picture window for the whole thing.

Carter might look good shooting, but he is not a crack shot. Probably shot at the snake a few dozen times and then he decided it was safe enough to move closer... and keep shooting. If you can't see the snake in the photo, it is just on this side of the wooden step and rail.

When he thought it was dead, he threw a garden hose nozzle at it. The snake moved slightly and was still sticking his tongue out! I think they still do this after they are dead, much like a chicken can run around with its head cut off. But just to be sure, Carter moved in with a shovel.

He actually got concerned about getting blood on his church clothes, though, so he threw a few bricks instead. I just covered my eyes and spared myself the horror show.

When it was dead – we hope – he scooped it up and threw it in the creek. End of story.

We thought...

So we all went to the Royal Event. Ate way too much food but had a nice time. Carter came home earlier to get going on homework. Jim and I were just getting home a few hours later when Carter texts me: "A different snake in the same spot. Not kidding. But it got away."

Oh nice. Remind me never to volunteer to mow the back yard!!

To escape the snake pit, hubby and I decided to go golfing. The only thing WILD at Homestead was the wind, the quickly passing storm clouds and my swing, of course. Didn't golf the greatest, but it was a nice escape.

Am I still freaked about the snake? Apparently. I was just typing about it and Carter came into my office. I didn't hear him behind me and when I saw him, I got startled and screamed. I think I scared him because I don't know where he went!

Perhaps I could just start screaming in the yard to keep the snakes away. But only if I can do it from the safe side of the window...