Here Snakey, Snakey, Snakey

Gabe left a snake skin next to our lunch this summer. Yummy!

First of all, if you do not like snakes, you probably should skip this post. Our house is located in the middle of the woods, and surrounding those woods, are swampy, mucky creeks and ponds. It is reptile paradise around us. I didn't realize this when we bought our house, but I quickly found out when I almost stepped on three snakes during our first year in Michigan. When I go to the woodpile to collect wood for our wood furnace, I wear gloves not only to protect myself from splinters but from snake bites. Fortunately, the only snake that can do harm in our neck of the woods is the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake which is a very shy snake and hard to find. Most of the snakes we find are harmless Garter Snakes, but because of all the rodents available buffet style in the woods, these snakes tend to be quite bigger than your average Garter Snake.

My seven year old son, Gabe, has an absolute fondness of all animals that most people find terrifying and dangerous. So, living in snake heaven has turned out to be a bit of heaven for Gabe too. He has collected at least 20 snake skins that he keeps on his nature shelf in his bedroom. Every time he finds a real snake, he begs me to bring it inside the house and put it in his aquarium of "live" finds. As much as I love animals, I draw the line at snakes. Maybe it's the whole Adam and Eve story that makes them look like Satan to me, but I like to admire at a distance and certainly not sleep in the same house as one!

This past winter, the kids were playing out in the snow and guess what sweet little Gabe finds in the snow....a blue snake. I guess the snake didn't get the memo that winter was coming and he should probably go into hibernation. Who would of thought that anyone could find a snake in the middle of a snowstorm? Of course Gabe could, he's genius that way.

I told him he could place the snake on our deck and wait for it to decay so he could add a snake skeleton to his nature collection. Aren't I a good mommy? Well, the snake was placed on our patio table, and by some crazy luck, it was still there come spring. I told Gabe he needed to find a new home for his decaying snake since I wasn't about to eat lunch on the deck next to a dead snake. The snake has since been placed in my rock garden next to the front door. You can sort of see a skeleton emerging from its dead corpse. Once that happens, Gabe will gladly take it inside to add it to his "dead" collection in his bedroom. Yes, I love him THAT much, haha! I'll just have to close my eyes when I go to tuck him into bed every night to avoid the scary snake skeleton.

Thanks for reading my Country Squawk,

Kelly