"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands........" 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

You never know what might "pop up" when you walk the grounds here at Pleasant Prairie..........

I was tending to the flowers in the early morning, and startled a rather large coach whip snake, hiding in the cool shade of the leaves.....................

It dashed away and darted into a hole, however, in just a few moments, I noticed what seemed to be a stick in the ground............

and realized it was the snake, coming out of the hole,

but keeping a good eye on me. Yes, I got very close for this photo.........and yes, I have been bitten by this kind of snake before.  A few years ago, I was trying to pull one away from my chickens, it swung back and popped me on the hand. They are not venomous, but can deliver a good wound.

One night, as Sophie and I went outside, I heard a crying, chirping sound. We apparently had scared a group of raccoons who were out at the feeders and a very small baby raccoon was left behind, calling out to it's mother. It ran up into the pickup tire and hid there until Sophie and I went inside.


If you remember the two little birds I named Twitter and Tweet?
They started flying and learned to eat on their own. I was able to release them into the wild and watched them fly away...........a bittersweet moment for me.

Hopefully in a couple of weeks, I will be able to show you my zinnia gardens in bloom. So far they are growing well.

]
I can't say as much for my pumpkins this year. I have a few miniature Jack Be Little's.
but the vines are starting to die away..............

and I have green pumpkins this year...........but not any golden ones as of yet. The vines are starting to look weary and worn and I don't expect a good harvest. I don't know exactly what it is going wrong with them...........a whole lot of work.........with much discouragement. Too much rain on some occasions and too much high heat play a large role in this.

I have been working away at embroidering roses for bathroom towels for the bathroom. I am getting to think I am better at stitching flowers and vegetables rather than growing them.
How about you?
Any creatures popping up and surprising you in your garden?
How is your garden growing ?
I would love to hear!

15 comments:

lil red hen said...

I've wondered what a non-venomous snake bite would be like! I don't want to find out either! We have raccoons but rarely see them, just their tracks where I've fed the kittens. You don't want to see my garden!

Your towels will be too pretty to use; their beautiful!

Tammy@Simple Southern Happiness said...

Well the good thing is your embroidery will last for years and you are wonderful at it. Gardening is lovely but does not last. So keep up the wonderful hand work.

ICK on the snake! That is scary and you are too close for my comfort. The little pumpking is precious looking. You can add to your skills, bird mama... So wonderful to know they are flying out in the wild.

Julie Whitmore Pottery said...

Do you wear boots all the time during snake season? They are so fast~ I once was gardening and came upon a big cluster under some leaves. boy did i let out a holler.
I understand about your pumpkins, the best luck I ever had was when I had the ground all rototilled and had amended heavily. I got a huge crop of the flatish french ones. I'm thinking they might like loose soil. Love zinnias and can't wait to see yours in bloom!
xx
julie

Debra said...

Wow-what a fun post...I love your embroidery too..
I ate the first ripe tomato yesterday-has to be a record for my garden. Otherwise, all is well in my garden.

Annie Beez said...

I love your rose towels they are going to be so pretty! My garden just looks thirsty, and with 100 degree days its just too hot to get out and weed. But I am starting to get tomatoes and Ive had a pretty good cucumber crop for the last month or so!The beans are starting to come in too!The only critter I've seen this year is the skunk who got my dog! LOL!

Betty Lou said...

You are so brave--------one look at the snake and I would be running. The baby raccoon is so cute peeking out from the tire. Hope he found his mommy.

Ladybug said...

In the Country we do have critters
for sure,I had my experience with
several.. You never let your
guard down !! And Never put your
hand in where you can not see what
you are doing ....

Your embroidery is truly a beautiful work of "art" I need to
get back in to some more needle
stitching..

Many Blessings and Be careful out
in the yard...
Hug Ladybug

Connie said...

Oh my gosh, Kathleen. You sure got close to that snake. Much closer than I would have wanted to be.

I hope your zinnias do well for you. I think they are such a pretty flower.

Your needlework is lovely!

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

The critters in my garden right now in abundance are stink bugs. Yuck! They have pretty well destroyed the tomato harvest. And no, the weather has not been kind to us this year either.

Hill Top Post said...

I love the way you take the little wild ones kind of under your wing. We are feeding a large family of raccoons; not much for them to eat this year of drought. I can imagine how beautiful your bathroom must look with your beautiful embroidered towels.

Wren said...

OH. I. WOULD. DIE. I can handle most living things, but not snakes...you're a better woman than I!

Terry and Linda said...

Your towels are beautiful!


Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

Bev C said...

Hello Kathleen,

A great post, your Zinnias will be so lovely. Gosh those flowers pack a punch colour wise.

Happy days.
bev.xoxo

Paula said...

*YIKES!* I don't like those pop-up surprises Kathleen... although I have to admit, the little raccoon was cute.
I'm glad Twitter and Tweet found their wings, but that empty nest has to be a little sad...
Sorry about your pumpkins~ we had the same thing happen year before last. Blooms, then tiny pumpkins, but then... nothing. Hopefully next year will be better for growing everything!

A Colorful World said...

Your bathroom towels are gorgeous! I think your pumpkin vines are succumbing to the heat but I'm no expert. My squash plants are finally dying away after being lush and healthy for two months...they reached almost six feet in width and three feet high! But the heat is saying, OK, now you are done. I didn't have any luck at all with my corn plants, which grew tall and produced ears, but they didn't have any kernels on them...and now the plants are brown.

The various animal visitors are darling! Except the snake :-) I can't believe one like that bit you once! But, I know you come across such critters out in the country.