Snake in the grass

Are you afraid of snakes? Even pictures of snakes?
Snakes were in the parked van awaiting entry to the Cooperative Extension office. The thought of it was more than Donna could bear. Donna, a Master Gardener volunteer, had to leave the office as soon as she heard the 4-H Herpetology Club had a meeting scheduled later in the day.
I too had a healthy fear of snakes. As a Cooperative Extention Service employee, I had to overcome this fear. County residents regularly brought in samples for us to identify, including snakes. One of my greatest accomplishments in life occurred the day I was helping someone at the counter when I glanced down and saw a snake at my feet that escaped Jeff's control. My heart skipped several beats, but I didn't bat an eye--real Emmy level acting.
I fantasize about living in a land where snakes are nonexistent. In my reality, we share habitat with snakes. I don't completely mind sharing distant spaces with nonpoisonous snakes as long as they keep their distance--unlike the evening my mother and I discovered one dangling in a tree over my deck (https://m.facebook.com/story.php…).
Poisonous snakes are the real concern--primarily, Copperheads, Water Mocassins, and Rattlesnakes in Georgia. You can reduce snake population by reducing their habitat and food source. Although, much is beyond our control.
Do you enjoy the sounds of tree frogs and cicadas? I do. We are not alone. Copperheads also like cicadas. That's right. Now when I'm relaxing in my backyard and hear the sounds of summer, I start scanning the landscape. Read more from Wide Open Country about Copperheads and Cicadas, but beware before you open the link, there is a picture of a snake. http://www.wideopencountry.com/texas-youve-got-bugs-chanc…/…
Now that I know snakes come to dine at the Cicada buffet, I look both ways, especially before stepping out at night.
~ LowTide explorer, Carolyn Fjeran


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"War of the rubies ..."

Image
LowTide Morning - August 25, 2018 "War of the rubies ..." On my deck, a cherry tomato is climbing, clinging to life inside a wire cage. The vine looks like sin, but the hummingbirds love perching on the top of the cage as if they are king of the hill. Male hummingbirds are aggressive and territorial. I wonder, do birds have testosterone? I have a couple of ruby-throated hummers going at it in my backyard. "Your mama..." "I know you are, but what am I?" The fight is on. They dart, dive, twist, and smack talk. I just refilled the feeder yesterday. There is plenty of nectar for all. For now. But they don't understand that there is an endless supply. I suppose they fight for what they fear is expendable. I was about to say there is no need for all this fighting. But who knows what tomorrow will hold; I might forget to refill the feeder. Yes, that has been known to happen. Don't judge. Just as children fighting for love and attention, hummers don't ...
Read more

PIECES OF A PUZZLE

Image
January 31, 2016 Ann Crammond, second executive director of the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, was looking forward to a post-retirement trip to the Antarctica. The trip was scheduled one year after her 11 year tenure as executive director. She was an avid horticulturist featured on Atlanta's WXIA TV "Noonday Gardener." In her lighthearted style, she quipped that she was looking forward to the Antarctica because, "No one would ask her to identify any plants." Understood. There are thousands of plants in cultivation and exponentially more in the wild. Gardeners are prone to share bits and pieces of a plant hoping for a positive ID. Horticulturists can be like a dog with a bone if they cannot immediately provide an answer. Plant keys are an old tried-and-true method, but slow and laborious. Today, one of my favorite gardeners presented a lovely clipping of a shrub neither of us could name. Next came an internet search for a plant key. In the process, I found an intrigu...
Read more