Because we focused on the snake, we missed the scorpion. ~Egyptian Proverb
We came home to find Sharii lounging near the garage, not so unusual, but this time he did not run into the garage as the door opened. Taking a closer look, I saw next to him was a heavy-bodied snake over an inch thick and probably under three feet long stretched out, which is the largest he as caught. It is even the largest I have seen on our property. I thought it was dead and I did not get a picture of it, but I surmised that it must not be poisonous as my cat was still alive, which makes me a bit concerned about any other snakes he might take to hunting down as Georgia is known to have six venomous varieties.
I am not afraid of snakes. Most leave you alone or slither away if possible. I actually like snakes and have taught my daughter to be cautious but not afraid as well. I had lots of other things to do and did not realize my daughter went out determined to save the snake, who quickly was dubbed Mr. Snaky. She proudly displayed him over her head in the backyard saying he was not dead, although Sharii had certainly taken the fight out of him and I doubted he would live. The Princess proclaimed that everything was well as she had put on gloves before picking up the snake...yes, she had gloves on, but only because she was not sure if it was venomous or not.
During lunch her eyes widen after her father told her that the fangs of poisonous snakes will easily go through clothes and gloves. I am hoping that makes her a bit more cautious in the future. I was about to remind her of Eve and the seemingly friendly serpent, but she began recounting the story of my brother getting bitten by a copperhead when we were children to me, as if I had not been there to experience the entire thing personally. It is amusing how her details are always exaggerated and far more dramatic than the actual event was. I should have had her retell about Eve and the serpent just to see how that story would end up.
After lunch she was again outside saving Mr. Snaky. The father of the two girls next door, in the meantime, had taken a closer look and determined it was the non-venomous sort. I think he must have googled--anyway, he works for Google. They believed it was something between a king and rat snake...yeah, well, that really was not helpful at all, but it made him feel better, I suppose. For me, my still-living and healthy cat was the better proof. So, the three girls spent much of the afternoon saving the snake from hunter-killer cat Sharii and slithering into the road. He was easy to catch as his slither was about a fast as a crawl.
In the end, everyone lived...well, at least the last time my daughter saw the snake, he was alive so he is just fine, in her mind. I have my doubts.
I am not afraid of snakes. Most leave you alone or slither away if possible. I actually like snakes and have taught my daughter to be cautious but not afraid as well. I had lots of other things to do and did not realize my daughter went out determined to save the snake, who quickly was dubbed Mr. Snaky. She proudly displayed him over her head in the backyard saying he was not dead, although Sharii had certainly taken the fight out of him and I doubted he would live. The Princess proclaimed that everything was well as she had put on gloves before picking up the snake...yes, she had gloves on, but only because she was not sure if it was venomous or not.
After lunch she was again outside saving Mr. Snaky. The father of the two girls next door, in the meantime, had taken a closer look and determined it was the non-venomous sort. I think he must have googled--anyway, he works for Google. They believed it was something between a king and rat snake...yeah, well, that really was not helpful at all, but it made him feel better, I suppose. For me, my still-living and healthy cat was the better proof. So, the three girls spent much of the afternoon saving the snake from hunter-killer cat Sharii and slithering into the road. He was easy to catch as his slither was about a fast as a crawl.
In the end, everyone lived...well, at least the last time my daughter saw the snake, he was alive so he is just fine, in her mind. I have my doubts.
~ Thank you, my Lord, for protecting us all, even my cat who cannot google and probably would not even if he could being the spontaneous pouch first, never ask type. Please help my daughter to continue to not fear snakes, but to be more cautious in the future in regards of them also. ~
