I saw my annual snake today. I always see at least one a year while I'm out walking somewhere. It’s usually lying out on a path in the sun in early spring, trying to wake up and defrost from its long winter nap.
This one was stretched out on a patch of ground near a path in the woods, warming up on our first 80 degree day. It was tan-ish brown with long yellow stripes, about 15 inches long, lying in kind of a skinny crooked line. My husband spotted him, and thought he was dead, because he was lying so still. His little head was pointed to the side and was close to the edge of the leaves and bushes. But we could see his eyes were open, and after a minute we saw his tiny tongue dart in and out, so that proved it: not dead, just resting.
After much discussion of how we could hardly see him, how well camouflaged he was, etc., I said, “I really want to touch him with a stick.”
“I know,” my husband replied.
“I’m going to move him or touch him just a little with a stick.”
“O.K.” he answered.
I was thinking that this might scare or annoy it and it would probably slither away into the woods. Somehow, as I bent down and picked up a stick, I changed my mind and decided I was going to try to pet it with my hand instead. I reached out with one finger and barely touched it, and in a microsecond it whipped around, leaped at my hand, and then recoiled back into 2 little piles stacked neatly in a figure eight, tail tucked under protectively, with its little head erected above. Staring straight at me, it looked mighty offended at my nerve for touching without permission.
Needless to say it scared the dickens out of me. I reflexively wrenched my hand back so fast I felt a shot of pain jolt from my shoulder straight down my arm.
A little garter snake it was, with a head maybe the size of a nickel. It stared up at all 5 foot 8 inches of me – now standing upright, rubbing my shoulder, shot full of adrenaline – and faced me squarely, ready to take me on.
“Oh my gosh, did you see that?”
“Yes!”
“Why did he do that?”
"He’s a snake! What did you expect?”
“I thought he was going to slither off into the woods.”
“Yeah, me too.”
After a few seconds we walked away, and looking behind us, could see its little head following us down the path.
Wish I’d had my camera.
It must run in the family. Your sis tries to pick up the frogs that come out of the ground here after rain showers. Less blog-worthy but probably better for one's blood pressure.
ReplyDeleteAnd Victor tries to mate with the tree frogs that peep in the shrubbery on wet nights....Or at least to encite their passions using the wooden frog noisemaker.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I LOVE "Mind Your Manners." I enjoyed hearing the (incomplete) thought process that you and Michael went through before you decided it would be a fine idea to pet a snake. Don't try that here in Texas...