Don't Aim For Black Snakes

Recently I mentioned to my boo and mom that I'm shocked that the plants normally decimated by rabbits are going to town.  Signs of those fat wee beasties have been few and far between lately.  I've been scratching my head and thanking god for small favors... Today, I learned the reason for my happiness... in doing so, I had to go through a mixture of terror, relief, and finally, sadness...

I pulled out of my garage at 4pm to get groceries, as I went to put the car in drive, I saw what looked like a piece of rubber in the street right in front of me.  I stopped the car and looked carefully... and it dawned on me I was looking at a 3-5' black snake.  I revved the engine... it didn't move... I stepped out of the car and walked a WIDE circle around it... it didn't move... snakes don't stay in place like that... I got closer and noticed a red welt around it's center... and took a picture to be able to identify it later... a little closer and still no movement... So, I'm positive it's dead.  Hallelujah.  I get back in the car, and go to drive off... I realize my sons bus will be here in a bit... and I don't know if there's some way a curious child can accidentally get venom from a dead snake... So I get out of the car again, go get a shovel, and use it as a golf club to bat it down the drain... I'm sure I didn't look elegant... holding that shovel by my finger tips and leaning just as far as I could to actually achieve my goal... Mission accomplished...  Heebie jeebies take over... Eewwwwwwwwww!  I HATE SNAKES.

After the groceries were put away I googled black snakes Georgia... and identified the creature who is laying in my sewer... It's a Black Racer Snake... Not poisonous, but they will bite you if you try to play with it...  They eat... SMALL ANIMALS...  OMG my garden HERO is dead.  Long live the Racer Snake.  He's been silently doing me a favor for a while now, and all the thanks he got was someones tire tracks across him... Sigh... I might have given him a warriors burial if I'd known... Hmmm... nope, I still wouldn't have touched him... But a prayer perhaps?  Yes, THAT I could have done...

So now my garden will probably go under attack again soon... With luck it'll be after I harvest my veggies.  Maybe he took out enough of the furry little bottomless pits that they won't return quickly... If not, is there a place where I can BUY friendly snakes for my garden?  LOL.


My peas are at the point that I think I need to thin them... I hate doing that as I feel guilty for the ones I remove...  The beans are moving along quite well too in their two straight rows...
 

 My Juliet tomatoes have their first tomato forming... it's the size of a dime... One of the banana peppers has a thumb size pepper growing on it... Lil over achiever... The plant isn't much bigger than my hand.  The blueberries easily have 3-4 dozen berries rapidly getting ready to harvest.... 3 lil strawberries are starting to grow...  Food glorious food... nothing like fresh fruit and veggies out of a garden.


I've been gone for four days, and flowers are blooming all over the place... My day lilies are going to town... The freebie plants from "if I dig it they will come" last year are looking AMAZING.



Tickweed and Shasta Daisies from my boo are going to town... In fact, this is the first spring his daisies have taken off... They are as happy as I am now, and showing it.  :)

I watered the garden, and spent a few hours weeding.  It's going to be beautiful in Atlanta all week and I am off for 8 days.  I plan on spending most of that time communing with nature, and giving my garden the attention I didn't give it last summer...  I have a bit of apologizing to do to it... and alot of TLC.

Roses my mother gave me a few years ago are blooming... I almost missed this one while I was away.  Almost looks like a Camellia!  Gorgeous!

I walked to the edge of my property... The magnolia mom and I planted two years ago is JUST about to go to town... I can't wait!  Magnolia blossoms are beautiful.... as I'm staring at this southern icon, a smell hits me... and I look down... The gardenias on my slope are in full bloom again... I always smell them before I see them.

It was the perfect spring day... waking next to the love of my life, spending time in my beloved garden, and then getting to spend time with the kids... I ended the day with a grilled ribeye steak that I splurged on... It was on sale, I HAD to right?  My son was in boy heaven devouring his steak and mine... Then both of the kids attacked the rice krispy treats I made for desert... I'm pretty positive they are both thrilled mommy is home... I know I am...

RIP my lil black snake... Thank you for the time you did in my garden... I hope you left a brother or sister nearby...