Stay Vigilant

Russ and I went to church this morning for the first time in six weeks of being away. It was a beautiful day —No humidity, just 70° and a blue sky with puffy white clouds. The service was not too long and we came home in the anticipation of seeing the puppy.

Russ pulled the car into the tan river rock driveway and opened the garage door. I got out of the car and walked toward the opening when I noticed the rocks moving. Not exactly the rocks, but a baby copper head whose coloring matched the rocks.

I let out a blood curdling scream, “COPPERHEAD.” Thankfully I did not step on the three foot snake in my gold sandals, with plenty of uncovered foot access. I backed away and Russ grabbed two buckets sitting just inside the garage door to try and keep the snake from slithering into the garage.

Too late. The menacing creature slithered under the Morris minor. I ran to the other side of the car and screamed my head off, hoping to scare the snake out of the garage. Russ stood there with a rake. Russ said the snake was definitely scared of my screaming as it sat head up four or five inches up off the floor. Eventually it made the bright decision to try and get away from me screaming and slithered out the garage, back onto the gravel.

Russ told me to shut the garage door from the safety of the far side of the garage while he stood guard with the rake. Thank goodness we got the snake out, but now I felt trapped in the house.

Be carefully outside. It is copperhead season. If you see me around, carrying a large garden implement, bashing it on the ground, screaming as I walk, you understand why.