I Hate Snakes

I hate snakes. I guess most people do. But I hate them because they make me jump out of my skin, sort of like a mouse does. It's not that I think I'm in danger, although where I live we do have moccasins. I just had my 3rd snake on my deck. No, not in the yard - on the deck.

After seeing the photos on the website I'm thinking now that my recent visitor was, indeed, a Cottonmouth Water Moccasin. I distinctly remember describing the bottom of this blackish thing as greenish. The photo looks just like it. Now I'm a little more scared.

 

We've had snakes out by the woods where the dogs in their pen would raise Cain until we came to see what was going on. The red belly came from there. My daughter and I were proud of overcoming our fears and getting this one ourselves.

Then a couple of years ago we had a black snake climb up our back door. Luckily I noticed something moving as my hand reached the doorknob. He was just getting started and was laying on the bottom of the glass.

Last year I crossed the deck to my little office, opened the storm door to go in and there, between the storm door and the inside door lay a large black snake, coiled up in the corner. Holy crap! He came out fast and I ended up calling my husband from his new job to come get the snake. Dan was like, "he'll be gone by the time I drive there!"

The snake didn't leave the deck, but went in a corner by a flower box. I pulled a deck rocking chair out about 10 feet away, and watched to see where he'd go. Praying the whole time he didn't decide to come MY way. Dan got here in time, I moved the box and Dan introduced the snake to lead.  Yes, I know black snakes are good, but if they're at my house, they're not.

We had to move the greenhouse when we bought a new storage building and it had looked so cute nestled up against the woods. Picture perfect. I was getting over my September hip replacement; in the spring I wasn't about to go in there, a closed location and me with no "running gear" until Dan went in and removed the blue tarp he'd thrown in there the fall before. I mean, good thing! There wasn't just one, but TWO snakes coiled up beneath the tarp. He got them out, but I never, ever went into the greenhouse again unless he was there.

This past year the greenhouse was moved to its new location just off the deck. In the photo you can see my office next to it.  This past week I've really been paranoid regarding snakes in and around the whole thing. I just don't like 'em! I can't run good since having BOTH hips replaced and so now I have a little pistol I tote back and forth across the deck with me.

They just better watch out. I used to be good getting starlings with lead, I'm sure if Dan don't mind a little hole once in a while, I can shoot snakes on the deck!