Snake Raking

This evening, I was sitting at my desk and printing out some stuff for a committee meeting tomorrow morning. Out of the corner of my eye, I though I saw something on the other side of my study window. Immediately I heard a "WHUMP!" Satisfied that the printer hadn't made the noise, I looked out to see a black rope-like thing between the chair and table.

Looked like a blacksnake, so I grabbed the camera that conveniently sits on my desk. By the time I got to the porch, the snake was crawling across the chair.

When the snake saw me, it climbed onto the windowsill.

I moved the table to get a better look.

Apparently the snake didn't like being looked at. It headed for the box that Potter, the old porch-cat, retreats to in bad weather. (Potter wasn't in the box at the time.)

The snake looked at me; I looked at it.

I dragged the box to the edge of the porch . . .

. . . and dumped the snake on the landscape fabric that I've been meaning to cover with mulch.

I went into the house to get some kind of implement to move the snake away from the house, but—by the time I returned with a shovel—the snake was gone. He must be under the boxwoods. . . . 

I'd done some weed-eating in front of the boxwoods and along the sidewalk a few hours earlier. Maybe the sound disturbed the snake. George and I checked the mondo grass I'd trimmed this afternoon, but we didn't see anything.

George assured me he'd be on guard in case the snake returned. He promised to secure the east entrance.

Leaving George in charge, I went to the kennel to feed the dogs. When I got back, I noticed Eddie-Puss, my big black cat, staring at something at the west end of the deck.

Doggone if that black rope-like thing climbing into the redtop tree didn't look awfully familiar! This time, I grabbed the nearest rake, scooped it off the tree, and flung it into the side yard. It curled up—no doubt pondering its options.

I started raking it further from the house. It had the sense to stay curled. Probably no one had ever raked that snake before. I got my garden cart, tipped it down, and raked the snake into it.

Then I trundled the snake toward the road. I figured it might like to see what life was like in the field.

Once across the road, I dumped the snake in the ditch. It was on its own now. I've got better things to do than relocate snakes.

When I parked the cart and put away the rake, Eddie-Puss was staring into the boxwoods in the side yard. I hope there's not another snake in there!

I scooped up Eddie-Puss and brought him inside. I didn't want to get involved in any more snake-raking.

~