Hiding Under A Board!

   A few days ago, Son got hurt and has been out of action while he recuperates.  This means, I have been pulling "double duty" with the house restoration and hurricane cleanup.  Needless to say, I am exhausted but the work has to be done so I do it.  I am getting far too old for this!  I need a break but always feel guilty taking one knowing the work will be there when I go back.  So, I plod through it all.

  Today, I was purely spent.  The stack of lumber that was needing to be burned seemed endless.  Since there is a burn ban in effect, my efforts are slow.  A burn bin can only do so much.  To make the boards fit, I had to use the saw which just made more work.  As I was grumbling to myself about how slow it was going, a friend came along to brighten my day.  Of course, I had to stop and visit.  After the visit, I felt refreshed and was able to continue with my chores.

  My "visitor" was found under one of the large planks that I had to move.  Hiding there, with a myriad of other critters, was the loveliest ribbon snake!  Normally, these snakes are rather skittish and will slither away before you really even notice them but this one stayed put.  I was able to get a lovely photograph before picking it up to move it to a safer place.  Even as I held the snake, it was calm!  Oh, it was such a joy to interact with the snake.  My day suddenly seemed much nicer.

  Ribbon snakes are such slender things that you have to wonder how they ever eat! I have seen them eat tiny frogs but under the woodpile it had to be living off of insects and worms.  There was an abundance of both!  My new found friend is now in the Small Gardens where I know there are two others.  How happy I am to know there are three ribbon snakes lurking in among the plants!