Had a run in with a big snake (as you do) last Thursday, not long after we'd arrived while making our way to the greenhouse, intent on opening it up to let some air flow through. It was hot. 38 degrees celsius hot. A slithering sound, low down on my right, made me stop and turn. Disappearing into the broad bean bed was a thick, brown tail, no more than a couple of metres from my open-toed shoes. An Eastern Brown Sssssnake.
Calmly, I closed gates off in that part of the garden and rang the council. In turn, they gave me Tracy The Snake Handler's phone number. Tracy is a cool chick, people; she told me they were all out on that day, having a lovely time in the searing sun. Her advice? To keep doors closed and, when outside, stamp around (in boots) 'cause snakes respond to vibration. Reminded me of Barry White - "I lurve the sexy slither of a lady snake" - crooning in those deep, base notes in the brilliant Whacking Day episode of The Simpsons. Snakes, even deadly ones, have a part to play in the eco system. Respect them, and in all likelihood they will return the favour.
Took me a few days to face picking broad beans again, though...
I so admire you for not killing it. :) Everyone I know kills every snake they see. A garter snake? Kill it. A king snake? Kit it too, along with that baby boa so it won't grow. I had an aunt who killed a king snake one day 'cause it liked eggs and she had chickens. She shopped it into pieces with a hoe. Then she built a fire and burned that poor snake. Auntie wanted to make sure it was dead. The funny part was, the part with the head intact took off out of the fire, and made it half way across the road. It almost made it to the
woods on the other side, but Auntie pulled it back with the hoe, whacked it to a bloody pulp, and THEN she tossed it onto the fire. Ever since then I have sided with the snake. :)
Posted by: Limner | December 03, 2012 at 10:04 AM
Leave... those snakes... ALONE. I'll be humming that from my mercifully snake-free 3rd floor apartment for the rest of the night. ;-)
Posted by: Cindy | December 03, 2012 at 08:22 PM
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Posted by: Wendy | December 04, 2012 at 07:34 AM
limner: oh no, i couldn't kill a snake...even though they scare the bejesus outta me...the image of the top half of the snake escaping is hilarious! eastern brown snakes are one of the most deadly in the world...ewwwww....
cindy: barry white was all i could think about. ha! 3rd floor apartment. oh, how i wished...
wendy i knowwwwws!
Posted by: Lucy | December 04, 2012 at 08:32 AM
Ah whacking day, haven't thought about that (or seen a snake for that matter) in a long while. Hope you're feeling better about getting out to those broadbeans soon.
Posted by: Georgia | December 10, 2012 at 12:14 PM
wow. Hard to not be afraid of going out again! I have chickens and big, wide, brown yard with lots of plants. I worry that the chickens and their eggs are somehow a draw for snakes. I'll be more vigilant!
Posted by: Bells | December 17, 2012 at 11:26 AM
i'm glad you didn't kill the snake. i'm also glad you had a healthy enough respect for it that it took you a few days before you could face exploring the broad beans again too. you're right, they are a part. they're even a part of what makes a garden...we have snakes that hang out in the stone wall in our garden. i think they're garter snakes, but i'm not sure. whilst in my garden i sing the mantras, and everyone comes and goes, and it all flourishes. there is room for everyone.
Posted by: alison | December 18, 2012 at 01:12 AM