Sakes Alive!

Lifting the storm window up to expose the screen, the breeze came floating into the mudroom.  It smelled and felt so good.  As crazy as it sounds, I could almost smell the sunshine.  It was a beautiful day here in the Hollow and I wanted some of that fresh air to permeate the house even though it meant bringing in that dreaded pollen.

It was mid afternoon when I decided that it was time for me to go sit outside right near the potting bench with my ice cold water bottle, put my feet up and just relax.  However, sometime plans are interrupted as was this one.  Just as I placed my hand on the door handle, I saw a large brown patterned snake crawling slowly across the slate outside the mudroom door.

"Joe, would you come me and tell me what kind of snake this is?"  My speaking had disturbed it and it moved right toward the foundation of the mudroom.  Realizing that it was up against concrete, it made it's way under my potting bench, through the chicken wire fence at my garden bed and slithered off.  Only a second or two later, hearing his recliner go into sit position, I knew the Pres would be there too late as I watched it disappear out of sight.

Immediately grabbing my "National Audubon~Field Guide to the Mid Atlantic,"  I flipped to the section on snakes.  It was either a Copperhead or a Water Snake.

The next day, I put some of these in the perennial bed which is really starting to fill in nicely.  Then I went to place the cement bird bath in it's spot in the front yard and heard something beneath the lilies.  Yes, I watched it slither away under the leaf litter.  Sakes alive!  (Or should I say snakes alive?)  It's time to dig out the tall boots.

Ah, yes...life in the Hollow.