Snakes...

I forgot to mention earlier that I killed a snake tonight. We've been seeing them hang around our driveway and whatnot, and there was one on the concrete part tonight when I drove home. I decided that was close enough to the house that I didn't like it, and I wanted to know what kind it was.

So, I jumped out of the car and followed it into what we call the "cedar closet"... the cedar trees in the front yard. Ultimately, I threw big rocks at it and pinned it under a rock. It struck the rock a few times, and I was able to go get a hoe and finish the job.

I went inside and brought the girls out to check it out. It was, um, well, it wasn't dead quite yet. So, we had to finish that job first, and then let them check it out. It felt weird to all of us, even giving me the heebie-jeebies.

The conclusion is that it was a black rat snake measuring about 32 inches in length. Fortunately, they are not poisonous and they even help control the rodent population. I would prefer, however, that they stay a little farther from the house.

And no worries, I will not become Jeff Corwin or the Crocodile Hunter. I can't fathom picking up a live snake.