The warm weather is finally here. Dreams of gardens are becoming a reality.
Birds are building nests – the barn swallows are back and returning to the 18 or so mud nests in the eaves of my barn. They are soaring in the sky in their constant search for insects to feed themselves and their hungry nestlings. With this warm weather, the bugs are also coming to life again. Flies and gnats are so annoying. The swallows are very welcome!
I saw my first returned hummingbird at this writing! It buzzed around me near the back deck, as if to alert me that I was behind in getting those feeders up! So, I ran in and made up some syrup!
Snakes are coming out now also! Saw my first one as I exited the garage the other day. I yelled for my grandson to hurry and come see. In doing so, I guess I scared the snake, and the 4 footer slithered off into the daffodils in a big hurry! I took my grandson over the garden to see it, and the snake was rattling! I had some doubters as to the type of snake I saw, in retrospect, rattle was probably the wrong term to use. I know my black snakes! When startled, black snakes curl up in a defensive posture, and vibrate their tail. If they are lying in dried leaves or bushes, vibrating their tail will make it sound like a more dangerous venomous rattler. Most of the blacks I have seen are calm and not very bothered by my presence. They are hunting for rats and mice, and happy to go about their business.
When we first moved here, I wasn’t familiar with a lot of snakes, and had to remove a juvenile from my garage. With big leather gloves, I picked it up, and the tail started vibrating, really unnerved me! Doing a little research after, I realized it was a juvenile black snake, that was more scared of me. Although, at the time, I was a bit scared!!
Fortunately, we have never run across any venomous snakes here on the property. I don’t mind the others. We have had our fair share of pretty good-sized black snakes. Also, black racers, a hog nose, a few garters, a water snake, and a De Kay’s brown snake. I’ve had to have Mr. Green Jeans removed a couple of black rat snakes from the chicken coops over the years. Fortunately, they didn’t do any damage.
So, it’s time to put on the gardening gloves, pull some weeds, plant, and watch out for those snakes in the garden!
Happy Mother’s Day to everyone, and Happy Birthday to my daughter this month!
All is well at Mountain Meadows this month……
