Free Digital Seminar for Local Businesses July 19

THE POOR SNAKE has had bad press ever since the Serpent tempted Eve to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They are fascinating to some and terrifying to others. One of our aunts was an avid gardener and was in the terrified group. We kids would laugh at her arms flapping, screaming fits every time she encountered one, and guessed that the snake was far more terrified than she.

The worst part was she insisted that my uncle kill every snake she found. Uncle was inclined to remove such creatures to safer parts of the farm. He certainly never told her he saved them. She could not be convinced that snakes were good for her garden and that they ate a good number of pests that ruined her favorite veggies. At age 10 a pet garter snake (encouraged by my mother) taught me that snakes are not “slimy” and usually don’t bite unless provoked.

Aloysius lived in a small, shaded cold frame with nice plants and water and was regularly taken out and allowed to lie in the sun or ride atop the head. He seemed to like to nestle down in hair and was quite well behaved. We were surprised to learn that garter snakes give birth to live young. Our rocky farm was a good place for them and we let Aloysius go in late summer so he could get ready for winter hibernation, probably in a rocky den with others of his species. He was arbitrarily called male because we didn’t know how to tell the sex. (more…)

THEY WARNED US the coming storm would be bad in our area of Austerlitz and I believed them. The house was stocked with essentials like milk and eggs, jugs of drinking water, cat food, and a working generator with lots of fuel. The tank was full of fuel oil for the furnace and the cat’s litter box was clean. Outside on the porch, I filled the bird feeders, hung extra suet, and had a good stock of corn and seed. Cell phone, laptop and camera batteries were charged. Extra batteries were stocked for flashlights and radios. I was concerned about some of my large pine trees near the house but glad I had the yard and driveway trees trimmed last fall. I am on top of a hill and tend to catch precipitation from all directions. It is nice to have the views; unfortunately, one must also accept the negative aspects. NYSEG warnings were ominous along with updated weather warnings. I hoped it was hype. It was not.

The heavy wet snow broke off numerous pine boughs that formed green skirts around the trees. I could hear them snapping off like gunshots which scared the cat into hiding. Power went off and lights occasionally flickered for several days. Then the wind came. The radio gave updates of thousands without power. My town declared a state of emergency. I was on Facebook with friends from coast to coast. California had torrential rain and New Hampshire looked like our area. My poor plowman had little to no sleep and had extra help with him shoveling when he got stuck. I am retired so am happy to wait while others need him more. (more…)