TheBanyanTree: Snakes Alive!!

[NancyIee at aol.com]

Love the snake tales. I have an abundance of snakes hereabouts, both none  
threatening and very bad boys. However, notwithstanding the Water Moccasin 
that  comes into the pool about once a year, I do more than leave them alone. 
I have  to PROTECT them.
 
There are families of Black Racers around, and I encourage them, for, so I  
hear, they love the taste of baby rattlers. Go to it, guys. Eat 'em all. I 
note  the size of the Black Racers by the length of the skins they shed, 
usually  against the foundation of the house. I got some beauties out there.
 
And, the rare Indigo family that dwells in the palmetto along the driveway, 
 and take the young out to sun. I have to drive very carefully in and out, 
and  always wait or shoo them off the pavement before driving by. They are 
like  jewels, iridescent blues, they are.
 
Then there is George, a three-going-on-four foot Corn Snake that lives in  
the barn, keeping the animal feed free of rats and mice. He's a gold and 
orange  fella, with a diamond-like pattern on his back that sends guests and my 
 housemate screaming and leaping away. He is most lethargic when he is fat, 
 meaning he has lessened the vermin population recently. If I don't like 
the  person come to visit and see the domestic critters, I just say, "watch 
out for  the big snake," and one look at the Corn Snake usually shortens their 
visit by  leaps and bounds.
 
Yes, there are bad snakes around. I take my big goat with me when it's time 
 to walk the fenceline and test its soundness. Goats hate snakes, and if he 
spots  one before I do, and he usually does, his bell usually alerts me. 
The goat will  go into battle, for they hate snakes and try to do them in with 
their pouncing  cloven hooves. I usually thank the goat for the warning and 
try to lead him (and  me) away before it becomes a matter of "snake or me."
 
They have their place. In their way, they are beautiful and tremendously  
interesting. There's room here for all of us.
 
NancyLee