On a Winter’s Day...



When you live in the country in an older house it happens sometimes. Snake gets in. In ten years, twice before I had to return an unwanted visitor to the wild, once from the garage and once from the kitchen floor (rotten cover). Those were in the warm months. This guy was a little bigger and out of season obviously. Cats sounded the alarm, knocking things over trying to get at him. I had been napping, was awakened, and had to remove him. A hammer pressed down to keep him from fleeing into the woodwork while I waited for his head to come out from cover. When the tongs we use for bacon came into play. Carried him out of the house pretty far into the side yard closest to the woods. Set him down at the edge of the puddle. Waited a bit in the cold for him to recover and get on his way. He didn’t. Returned some minutes later with the camera, but hoping he was gone. He wasn’t. Don’t know exactly what transpired between him and the cats. One of them was Iris, our one coldly efficient hunter and killer of mice. No sport, no dismemberment, just bodies on the floor. She may have gotten him, though I saw no wounds. Pretty sure nothing I did would have injured him. Too, it’s winter. Not his most agile time of year. Sorry he didn’t make it. Looked like a King snake, maybe two feet long. They’re not bad to have around. They feed on other snakes. Oh well. Two regrets. He didn’t get away. And now I’m stuck for the second time in about a month with a Mamas and Papas song in my head. That’s not fair.

All the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown)
And the sky is grey (and the sky is grey)
I've been for a walk (I've been for a walk)
On a winter's day (on a winter's day)...

Unheard of.

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