I recently sent the following email to several friends- I suppose there is something good to be said about my first encounter with a snake happening near the end of July. In past years I have been plagued by them from May until October. However, ANY encounter with a snake comes under the category of “cardio workout”, so I’m not happy to know that a. I saw it, and b. it’s still OUT THERE! LOL I was working early this morning in a rather abandoned area of the yard. I’ve been piling clippings and stems and other compost items over a flowerbed that in the past has been “less than cooperative” to say the least. Anyway, it was my bright idea to compost directly over it and thus kill the grass and add to the soil at the same time. I decided that since we have a 60% chance of rain tonight, it would be a good time to turn the pile. Well, I turned it and scratched at the bare soil and started feeling rather pleased with myself over the results. I was having visions of planting wildflower seed this fall when a black form streaked past my foot. A high-pitched girly squeal came from somewhere, surely not from MY lips, and I watched a three-foot-long black racer quickly slide about six feet away from me. Then it turned and actually looked right at me! Raised its little head up and gave me the evil eye! Almost as if to say “I was napping in there!”. Then it slithered off into the bushes. I didn’t have the nerve to follow it or look for it again. However, I think I’ll consider myself warned, and leave the compost pile alone until cold weather arrives! -
This is the way I live my life out here in the bush! I live on a rocky hill that was once a small community that included a store, school, and several residents. The store is gone. All that is left of the school is the storm cellar. Most of the current residents are descendents of the original ones. Living and gardening out here is an adventure. It’s HOT, DRY, and did I mention ROCKY. That means I rejoice over anything that flourishes and I never bring home any plant that is even vaguely “delicate” or in need of extra care. I love wildflowers and anything that “self-seeds”. In the 12+ years that we’ve lived here, I’ve managed to carve out a satisfying landscape that is pleasing to the eye and also attracts all kinds of critters. However, it’s that “attracts all kinds of critters” that puts the adventure into gardening.
This year’s encounter with the snake is certainly not my first! There was the copperhead under the trash can lid, the nest of baby snakes next to the front porch (resulting in a trip to the vet for Daryl), the snake I dug up while hoeing with one hand and balancing my crutch with the other (don’t ask), and of course the lovely black snake in my pantry (technically not part of the garden, but let’s not quibble).
In addition to snakes, we are also hosts to lizards, tortoises, toads, frogs, coyotes, turkeys, quails, roadrunners, opossums, raccoons, squirrels, armadillos, rabbits, flocks of “little birds”, hordes of insects, and a pack of dogs belonging to one of my neighbors. There are also horses in the pasture on one side, cows on the other, and several ponds with herons and other waterfowl. I once had a “close encounter” with a heron who was flying around the side of the house just as I was walking around from the other direction! But by far, my most memorable adventure in gardening was a close encounter with a horse.
It happened a little over a year ago. I was in the raised strawberry bed, adding some asparagus roots to a section close to the pasture fence. I was intent on what I was doing and didn’t realize I had an audience until I felt a “swoosh” of air and heard a snort. One of my neighbor’s young foals, her mother, and three of her friends were closely watching my movements. Now I have to be honest here and admit that yes, we have been known to give the horses treats, and my husband does brush them and talk to them. So it shouldn’t have come as a shock that the young horse wanted to see what was in my hand, or that her mother and friends also wanted to see! What was a shock was that they all crowded the fence, pushed her, and she did a back flip OVER the fence, onto the ground next to me! My memory is fuzzy after that because there was all this screaming and running. LOL No, the horse wasn’t hurt. My husband eventually calmed me down and we managed to get her back into the pasture. I repaired the fence and I’ve been very careful about gardening in that bed. No more adventures over there!
I’ll attach a picture from my yard today because I consider gardening, even with a few adventures thrown in, to be one of God’s greatest blessings. Tending the soil helps me feel connected to life. Watching critters keeps me humble. Getting outside provides me with a little exercise. I hope you have a chance to go outside today and just enjoy yourself. Be blessed.
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