I’d planned to make the low-carb cruise report my first post after returning. But on Monday, we discovered a critter had moved in while we were gone. I guess that’s the downside of living out in the sticks.
I almost feel sorry for a critter in this situation. He finds what appears to be an awesome shelter with protection from the elements, temperature control, plenty of room and — best of all — no inhabitants. So he moves in, perhaps even bragging to fellow critters about his new digs. When we show up a week or so later, he must be thinking, What the hell are these humans doing in my house?! I found it first!!
Anyway, here’s Chareva dealing with the critter.
Thanks as always to The Older Brother for keeping the Big Chair warm while I was gone. Cruise report coming up in a day or so.
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Hope you don’t find anymore!
If so, I’ll be sure to grab the camera. You can’t write this stuff.
Courage under fire…I tip my hat.
Bravo to Chareva for being brave enough to pick up the snake and take it outsdoors, but my favorite part is when she screams after letting it loose. Still laughing!
I was laughing myself silly because she kept picking it up, then dropping it to scream again. But she did pick it up and take it outside, so she gets points for bravery.
I thought you were going to kill the snake. Isn’t there danger that it could bite and/or constrict you while working or playing on the field.
Not likely. They tend to avoid humans, and this one wasn’t a poisonous species.
Are you sure there was only one?
You had to go and bring that up, didn’t you?
I would have screamed like a little girl too…
Gotta be careful too, Tom. Some copperheads look mighty like a corn snake. Especially right after they shed their skin and are brighter colored. I’m sure Chareva did her homework before she reached in and grabbed it.
Yikes. I’ll have to ask how she determined it was a corn snake.
I always pay attention to the shape of the head. The copperhead has a more triangular shaped head than a corn snake.
Good tip. I checked the color pattern online afterwards. It was a corn snake.
Snake stories. Hmmmmmm.
I won’t repeat them if you don’t.
Who rides the unicycle?
Alana. She just started this spring, but she’s getting pretty good on it.
Hope you don’t find anymore!
If so, I’ll be sure to grab the camera. You can’t write this stuff.
Courage under fire…I tip my hat.
Bravo to Chareva for being brave enough to pick up the snake and take it outsdoors, but my favorite part is when she screams after letting it loose. Still laughing!
I was laughing myself silly because she kept picking it up, then dropping it to scream again. But she did pick it up and take it outside, so she gets points for bravery.
I thought you were going to kill the snake. Isn’t there danger that it could bite and/or constrict you while working or playing on the field.
Not likely. They tend to avoid humans, and this one wasn’t a poisonous species.
Are you sure there was only one?
You had to go and bring that up, didn’t you?
I would have screamed like a little girl too…
Gotta be careful too, Tom. Some copperheads look mighty like a corn snake. Especially right after they shed their skin and are brighter colored. I’m sure Chareva did her homework before she reached in and grabbed it.
Yikes. I’ll have to ask how she determined it was a corn snake.
I always pay attention to the shape of the head. The copperhead has a more triangular shaped head than a corn snake.
Good tip. I checked the color pattern online afterwards. It was a corn snake.
Snake stories. Hmmmmmm.
I won’t repeat them if you don’t.
Who rides the unicycle?
Alana. She just started this spring, but she’s getting pretty good on it.
I think what everyone REALLY wants to know is… why was SHE getting the sake and you had the camera..?! :0P
She was all geared up and ready to grab the snake before I even knew what was happening.
Chareva is the embodiment of what I was going to be after retirement! Total farm woman! What a great wife you have, even if she did scream.
We all had a good laugh about the screaming, but she was ready to jump in there deal with it before I showed up with a camera. And she grabbed and carried a snake, screaming notwithstanding.
I think what everyone REALLY wants to know is… why was SHE getting the sake and you had the camera..?! :0P
She was all geared up and ready to grab the snake before I even knew what was happening.
That makes up for, “What are you, a moron?”
I think I’m still playing catch-up.
Welcome back!
So………if Chareva refused to capture the snake, would you? And if you did, would you scream like a girl?
Yes, and maybe.
Chareva is the embodiment of what I was going to be after retirement! Total farm woman! What a great wife you have, even if she did scream.
We all had a good laugh about the screaming, but she was ready to jump in there deal with it before I showed up with a camera. And she grabbed and carried a snake, screaming notwithstanding.
Leaving aside the already-mentioned “there can be more than one” issue, the continuing question is: how did it get in?
Clearly, there’s an opening in the structure that was big enough for this critter, and based on an eyeball size estimate, also mice … and of course spiders and ants.
I’ve made it a point on all new construction to design so that the larger unauthorized life forms simply cannot enter. With termites, which can get through a 1/64th inch crack, the key is either having no building materials they eat, or forcing them to cross surfaces you can easily inspect periodically. Ditto for small ants.
When I’ve had to live in older construction, I’ve used a program of progressive inspections over time, armed with silicone caulk (for small gaps) and polyurethane spray foam for larger.
Wood construction and termites: if you build it, they will come.
My guess is it came in through either the crawl space or the attic. The attic has a ceiling fan to dispel heat.
That makes up for, “What are you, a moron?”
I think I’m still playing catch-up.
I love how she goes from brave warrior to total girl in a split second. Don’t get me wrong. I hate snakes and probably would have been screaming before I even touched it.
That’s what made it so darned funny. She was all geared up for battle, ready to grab the snake. Then she kept dropping it, screaming, and picking it up again. It was like something from a Farrelly Brothers comedy.
Welcome back!
So………if Chareva refused to capture the snake, would you? And if you did, would you scream like a girl?
Yes, and maybe.
Our neighbors cat lives a paleo life-style, hunts in a forest behind our backyards and keeps catching snakes and lizards, probably such bush meat supplements nicely his store-bought chow. We hardly see snakes now which are not poisonous anyway. Otherwise the cat will be dead, he carries his catch by holding it at the middle, no poisonous snake would tolerate it.
Our cat would probably eat snake, but only if we dished it out of a tin can.
Leaving aside the already-mentioned “there can be more than one” issue, the continuing question is: how did it get in?
Clearly, there’s an opening in the structure that was big enough for this critter, and based on an eyeball size estimate, also mice … and of course spiders and ants.
I’ve made it a point on all new construction to design so that the larger unauthorized life forms simply cannot enter. With termites, which can get through a 1/64th inch crack, the key is either having no building materials they eat, or forcing them to cross surfaces you can easily inspect periodically. Ditto for small ants.
When I’ve had to live in older construction, I’ve used a program of progressive inspections over time, armed with silicone caulk (for small gaps) and polyurethane spray foam for larger.
Wood construction and termites: if you build it, they will come.
My guess is it came in through either the crawl space or the attic. The attic has a ceiling fan to dispel heat.
I have informed my husband that if a snake–ANY snake–ever shows up In our house, I’m leaving the premises and NEVER coming back. I don’t care if it’s a harmless garter snake, I’m out of there! (Guess he knows how to get rid of me–I’ll have to be nice to him!).
I grew up on the island of Okinawa which was infested with poisonous “habu” snakes–very dangerous, fast acting venom. I can’t even stand to look at a photo of a snake, we were so inculcated with fear of these snakes when I was growing up. Around here we have rattlers, but thankfully never in my house!
Chareva is BRAVE!!!!!
That’s our third snake. The other two were little ones.
What you didn’t eat the snake? You ate the raccoon.
Maybe next time.
I love how she goes from brave warrior to total girl in a split second. Don’t get me wrong. I hate snakes and probably would have been screaming before I even touched it.
That’s what made it so darned funny. She was all geared up for battle, ready to grab the snake. Then she kept dropping it, screaming, and picking it up again. It was like something from a Farrelly Brothers comedy.
Our neighbors cat lives a paleo life-style, hunts in a forest behind our backyards and keeps catching snakes and lizards, probably such bush meat supplements nicely his store-bought chow. We hardly see snakes now which are not poisonous anyway. Otherwise the cat will be dead, he carries his catch by holding it at the middle, no poisonous snake would tolerate it.
Our cat would probably eat snake, but only if we dished it out of a tin can.
I have informed my husband that if a snake–ANY snake–ever shows up In our house, I’m leaving the premises and NEVER coming back. I don’t care if it’s a harmless garter snake, I’m out of there! (Guess he knows how to get rid of me–I’ll have to be nice to him!).
I grew up on the island of Okinawa which was infested with poisonous “habu” snakes–very dangerous, fast acting venom. I can’t even stand to look at a photo of a snake, we were so inculcated with fear of these snakes when I was growing up. Around here we have rattlers, but thankfully never in my house!
Chareva is BRAVE!!!!!
That’s our third snake. The other two were little ones.
What you didn’t eat the snake? You ate the raccoon.
Maybe next time.
I just want to remind you about your intention to watch video about farmer’s life 500 years ago. I watched little by little the series about a monastery farm during Tudors time which somebody left a link to in comments on a pigs post https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1ERDYjsHBg. I am sure you and especially your girls would find it very interesting. The pig theme is not concentrated in any particular episode – bits and pieces are here and there. Guys in the video had no troubles whatsoever prompting pigs to move in any direction by tossing chunks of bread under their noses. At some point piglets were caught and kicked out to fend for themselves in a forest. This way the mom-pig could get pregnant sooner, and forest was cleaned from a thick under-growth.
Thanks for the reminder. I bookmarked it to increase the odds I’ll watch it.
Snakes (non venomous) don’t bother me. My brother used to keep a python and boa constrictor so I got used to handling them.
Spiders on the other hand…
I’m with you. Spiders creep me out.
I just want to remind you about your intention to watch video about farmer’s life 500 years ago. I watched little by little the series about a monastery farm during Tudors time which somebody left a link to in comments on a pigs post https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1ERDYjsHBg. I am sure you and especially your girls would find it very interesting. The pig theme is not concentrated in any particular episode – bits and pieces are here and there. Guys in the video had no troubles whatsoever prompting pigs to move in any direction by tossing chunks of bread under their noses. At some point piglets were caught and kicked out to fend for themselves in a forest. This way the mom-pig could get pregnant sooner, and forest was cleaned from a thick under-growth.
Thanks for the reminder. I bookmarked it to increase the odds I’ll watch it.
Snakes (non venomous) don’t bother me. My brother used to keep a python and boa constrictor so I got used to handling them.
Spiders on the other hand…
I’m with you. Spiders creep me out.
Speaking of pigs and snakes… Back in the day here in Mississippi folks let their pigs run loose in the woods. My father has talked about that, and the fact that pigs kept the snake population down, because pigs will kill snakes! I had no idea about this until he and I were having a discussion about how they let the pigs run in the woods.
Also, I imagine a cat would be good at catching snakes, but we had a couple of “snake dogs” when I was growing up. Evidently a dog is either a “snake dog” or not. One was a mixed breed rat terrier type dog and one was a mixed breed German shepherd type dog. Both dogs could kill a snake in a short amount of time. They instinctively knew just how to do it. On the other hand, our current dogs are more afraid of snakes than I am.
(Not that I am advocating the killing of snakes. I know that they are important parts of our ecosystem and I prefer to live and let live if I possibly can.)
It would depend on the snake. A poisonous snake that’s a possible danger to my wife or girls, I don’t care how it fits into the ecosystem, I’d kill it.
Speaking of pigs and snakes… Back in the day here in Mississippi folks let their pigs run loose in the woods. My father has talked about that, and the fact that pigs kept the snake population down, because pigs will kill snakes! I had no idea about this until he and I were having a discussion about how they let the pigs run in the woods.
Also, I imagine a cat would be good at catching snakes, but we had a couple of “snake dogs” when I was growing up. Evidently a dog is either a “snake dog” or not. One was a mixed breed rat terrier type dog and one was a mixed breed German shepherd type dog. Both dogs could kill a snake in a short amount of time. They instinctively knew just how to do it. On the other hand, our current dogs are more afraid of snakes than I am.
(Not that I am advocating the killing of snakes. I know that they are important parts of our ecosystem and I prefer to live and let live if I possibly can.)
It would depend on the snake. A poisonous snake that’s a possible danger to my wife or girls, I don’t care how it fits into the ecosystem, I’d kill it.