SNAKE TALES

Taken July 14

Bess’ doghouse is inside the woodshed. At bedtime, she goes into her house, and Mike closes (but doesn’t lock) the woodshed door. She can easily come out, but she doesn’t. In the morning, Mike opens the woodshed and Bess comes out of her house and greets the day. 

Friday morning, as Mike went to get Bess up, discovered a rattlesnake just inside the woodshed door. Bess, who had evidently been sleeping, was now wide awake and barking. I knew what that bark meant and rushed out with the camera. Mike held the snake in tongs while I found a suitable bucket. After breakfast, Mike released the snake into the canyon. I know that our neighbors would much prefer that we kill the snakes, but Mike refuses. The snake didn’t seem very long, but Mike thought it had at least 12 rattles. This was our fifth rattler sighting of the season.

At bedtime, Mike said Bess gave the doorway of the shed a cautious but thorough sniffing before entering her house. Apparently those snake have quite an aroma about them. And yes, Bess has had her annual rattlesnake anti-venom inoculation.  

Mike just called me down to the maple tree to observe a four-foot bull snake poking its head into rodent holes.

July 19

After several excessively hot days, it has cooled down. It’s only 77 this afternoon and might not get to 70 tomorrow. Rain would be most welcome. In fact, Mike said that those big elderberry blossom heads are drying up without developing berries. Like I said, you can’t count on fruit even if it looks good. Things happen.

July 19

The other day, I picked another quart of cherries, and they were dark, sweet, and juicy. I must make a note in my 5-year planner to pick mid-July. A few cherries had been nibbled by the birds, but there were still plenty for all of us.

Mike and I left the farm on Monday (July 14) and returned Thursday (July 17). The change in the spring wheat was amazing in just those three days. It’s ripening rapidly now. KW