While home on the farm one of my favorite things to do is to walk around the rice field. My sister and I spent many a summer day at the back of our field messing with tadpoles in the ditch. Tadpoles were fun.
Saturday my goal was to find a snake. Now, just to be crystal clear, I am not a parcel mouth. I am no fan of the snake.
Not.At.All.
But, several of my Northeast Arkansas Facebook friends have recently posted snake photos. Lots of snake photos. Clearly, this is the year of the snake. As a writer, I try to be observant—listening, smelling, tasting, feeling so that my writing is believable. If I were truly observant, I would see a snake on my walk, right?
So off I went on my first snake hunt.
Right off I found “farm glass”, which I like to compare to beach glass.
The killdeer were downright noisy. “Kill-deer, kill-deer, kill-deer!” they chanted.
“Shhhh! You’ll scare the snakes,” I said. Their track patterns were as wild as the jabbering overhead.
Vibrant wildflowers filled the edge of a shallow ditch.
But no snake.
I stopped in the far corner at my favorite spot and waited. Watched. Listened. Could the sky be any more clear?
Then finally, there he was. Sunning. At least three feet long. My snake.
I leaned in close and snapped a picture. He slithered down the ditch bank. A successful farm walk. And yes, I had the heebie-jeebies until I made it safely back to the house.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Musical Pairing:
Heebie Jeebies, Ladies in Tune
Loved it !
I have never liked snakes. Period. Any kind, any color. I have never liked snakes!
Another job well done!
Success!
Great article, great pictures, but I think you are seriously CRAZY!!!! LOL
And brave!
Gail Just another Arkansas girl…..now in Tennesse
LOL you are probably right!
Snakes scare me! I grew up in Vermont where the poisonous snakes were VERY rare. It wasn’t unusual for me to find snakes in my yard and bring them home. Since living in Arkansas I have seen more “bad” snakes than I care to remember. You are brave to go on a snake hunt to find a snake on purpose! I’m glad it was a friendly guy.
You don’t sound scared of snakes if you brought them home…! Thanks Julie!
I almost didn’t click over because I was afraid there would be a picture of a snake. My social media feeds have been full of snake and spider pics lately-ewwwww. We had our own snake sighting here at the Cove last week. It was the one creature I didn’t run to get my camera for.
Next, you should seek out the elusive blogger lurking in fields.
I’m the only elusive blogger lurking in the fields around here.
Snakes are a given here at the house. I don’t like them but I accept it. I’m captivated with the idea of “farm glass”. You inspire me to explore the farm land. Good job, Talya!
I brought home a handful of “farm glass” yesterday:))
Looks like a “good” snake – well done! Also, love the sneaks. 🙂
Awesome job, Talya! Also, I’d suggest the next time you decide to go snake hunting, you need to take Craig with you…haha…and please, don’t call me…I’ll be too busy, I’m sure…haha
I like to hunt snakes also. I used to drive down ditch banks never getting out
Finishing my comment,, never got out of my vehicle they lay in the sun , in the heat of the day, IDE kill then with my 22 pistol, one year I killed over 300.. I loved to shoot them snakes. I suggest you take a hoe the next time cause water moccasin and cotton mouths are very common around fields and ditches,, they won’t run and they’re not afraid of ya…
Love this post and the pictures, but I could not have “leaned in close” to snap a picture of that snake. Don’t want any of them around! Obviously, it was the perfect day for that walk.