Do-Si-Do with a Bull Snake

One of the more obscure markers of the change of seasons is the appearance of, and our renewed attention to, the snakes and turtles. They start to show themselves on the roads, where they come to warm themselves. We start to watch the roads closely as we drive, so we can avoid hitting them, and if possible, to move them to safety.

Maret rescued her first Painted Box Turtle last week, the shell still covered in sand after diggging out from its winter dormancy.

This is my first snake of the season. He was on Road 12, and I could see at least half a mile in both directions and it was clear no one was coming, so I set the brakes, stopped, and backed up. Relieved to see that it was a bull snake and not a rattlesnake, I got out and laid down flat, belly to the warm gravel, just like he was, to take some photos. It was too bright to see the screen, so I just guessed, which explains the bad focusing. 

After crawling around and lying there on the gravel with him for a bit, I stood up and started doing a little two-step shuffle, kicking gravel to irritate him enough to get him off the road. Of course, when I turned around to get back in my pickup, I could see a neighbor's pickup, off in the distance, driving slowly towards me. 

There is a language to be learned about driving on country roads. The speed he was driving told me he had recognized my pickup, probably watched the entire strange episode, and was slowly approaching to check on me and give me a hard time.

As he pulled up to me, he was grinning, and I braced myself for the sarcasm.

"So, were you practicing your Square Dance steps?"

Comments

[Sue]

If stopping to photograph and to dance w/ the snake is not living in the moment. Then i do not know what living in the moment is.
From your Sister who struggles daily with living in the moment!