No, really.We have a snake. It currently lives in our rock wall. We've seen it three different times: once, when I crossed the wall a week ago to go to a neighbors; yesterday, when Sis spotted it as she was traversing said wall; and, finally, today when Sis was again walking along the wall.
She was going to name it "Scary" but has since opted for "Hydra," after the multi-headed snake of Hercules lore.
But that doesn't mean we're all friends. She's cautious but curious, keeping a very respectful distance but still wanting to look for it. Bud is not so sure. I'm very sure: I don't like snakes.
It's a garter snake, which means it's relatively harmless and even good for our garden. Still, we've been talking about what to do when we spot a snake: freeze and stay in place until it slithers away, while calling for an adult, and in no way try to touch it or get closer. Otherwise, we should be careful around rocks and weeds and fallen logs (and Pop, Sis mentioned your canoe!) because that's where snakes live. While ours is a "good" snake, I wouldn't trust me or a preschooler to quickly identify a "bad" snake--even with "Red and black, venom lack; red and yellow, kill a fellow!" (which leaves ours, "black and yellow, scare/kill/help a fellow"???)--better safe than sorry.
Ugh. I like the other "pet" woodland creatures who live in our yard--squirrel family Chippie (the mom), Brown Eyes (the dad, named for the chipmunk in Bearnstain Bears books), children Acorn and Pinecone--much better. But no sense creating a snake phobia in the next generation . . . .
