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

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Yesterday morning, I had the scare of my life and a close brush of

a terrible thing to happen
I have been frustrated with the storage shed where I have all differnt kinds of things stored  ,  because the varmints have pushed all of the plastic tubs over and are in there. I did not want to go in there to clean it, but yesterday  morning, something was just bouncing along the walls.  
I also wanted to get my plastic nursery crates for my plants.  I opened the doors with a shovel.......nothing came out.  My plastic bag of crates had holes from rats and was lying at the door. I picked up the plastic bag and carried it out.  I laid it on the ground and started pulling out the crates from the ruined bag..........then I reached to pick up the last larger plastic planter.........and I heard a slight rattle.  Before I had time to think, out popped a rattlesnake's head and missed my arm by an inch! He was in that bag all of the time as I carried it out!

As I have told you in previous posts, we are run over with
the now dangerous Mojave rattlesnake that does not rattle to let you know 
it is there. It only rattles after it is on the attack.  They are more of a pit viper with
the poison being 16 times as deadly as a cobra.
It then came out so quickly and I was swinging the shovel as it kept striking at me.   but I finally managed to give it a good whack.  It shocked me so much that 
I almost fainted and was shaky after I had made it back to the house. 
Anyhow, the shed and the well house, which I was going to go after when I got the shed cleaned is going to wait until freezing January.  I am now too scared to poke my head in there!
I feel so very lucky to have not been bitten. 

On a happier note......my rose moss is blooming in 
all brilliant colors

and the morning glory blooms so pretty in the morning hours.
Several little hummingbirds have been such a delightful 
entertainment in the morning and late afternoon


My new little banty hens have grown big 

enough to run along with my little roosters, Gus and Tex.
They love their new little hens!

 The little Mille Fleur chicks have the
most whimsical feathered feet
and they are colorfully speckled
I have one little Sebright hen and she has a lacey 
lovely look to her!
So tell me.......
what is happening in your backyard?
Remember, if you are going through storage,
be very careful!

************, 
 and in answer to your questions  about the little bantams and chickens being in danger from the snakes,  yes, rattlesnakes do find their way into the chicken yard, luckily, the chickens do have high places to jump up to perch on, however the snakes can still crawl up anything.  I constantly check my chicken yard, chicken houses and nests during the day, and then I go out late at night to check because the snake crawl at night worse. 




                                     



26 comments:

Connie said...

Oh my gosh, Kathleen! I would have been terrified! I'm so glad that you escaped from it without harm other than a bad scare. I'd probably be afraid to leave the house. Your photos of your flowers and banty hens are lovely. You grow the prettiest rose moss I've ever seen. Take care and be on the lookout for those snakes.

Shirley said...

Hello....this is Shirley I am visiting grom Aspire to live a Quiet Life.
It was nice to have you visit today.
My goodness! What a fright you had! I know you are thankful.
I agree, I would wait for Winter until I would go into the shed...yikes!

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

Dear Kathleen ~ so glad that rattler missed you. What a horrifying experience!

I love the rest of your photos. Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you, and I pray you will get some help to clear out the building.

Have a nice Friday and a great weekend ~ FlowerLady

Prims By The Water said...

I am glad I live in Michigan. So glad you were not harmed. Do those snakes go after your banty's too. I would be so afraid to even go outside. Good luck to you and hope you have a great weekend! Janice

lil red hen said...

Oh my!! This just made me cringe in fright! The good Lord surely was looking over you! We have copperhead snakes but I rarely see one; however, I try not to go into the woods where they look exactly like the leaves. We have to watch out for brown recluse spiders and black widow spiders. I'm really not as careful as I should be when cleaning around my flower beds. Now I'm going to remember your experience! So thankful you were not hurt! And I agree with Connie about your rose moss ~ beautiful!

Hill Top Post said...

I am so glad you are not going back into that shed!!! Until freezing weather, anyway! I agree with Charlotte that the good Lord was looking over you. And, with Connie that you grow the prettiest rose moss I've ever seen!

Terra said...

That rattler was way too close for comfort. Your hens are so pretty with their various colors and patterns on their feathers.

The Wykeham Observer said...

I like your chickens and the 2 roosters. Very colorful. Yes, I don't know if I would have been so quick on my feet, had I run into that rattler! Do they ever bother the chickens? I really like your blog. Such an interesting place to live. Phil/Minnesota

Granny Marigold said...

What a terrible experience, Kathleen. I'm so thankful that you didn't get bitten. And I'm thankful that we don't have snakes other than Garter snakes around here.
I wondered too about your sweet Bantams, how you keep them safe from snakes.

Your flowers look so lovely. I don't think I've ever seen Rose Moss. I'm sure if I had I'd remember because it's very pretty.

Stay safe and keep avoiding that outbuilding!

Nancy J said...

Love the bantams, such a delight to see them, and SO glad you are safe.

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

OMGosh!! I just can't believe you were so so lucky not to have been bitten. We have critters, but non too dangerous. Something is living in our shed right now, but we never see it. Terry has heard it several times moving around. Could be a biter, but not poisonous. Funny, my dogs never sniff around there. You'd think they WOULD. Love your colorful flowers. I have had superb luck with a tub of petunia on my front deck. Miracle Grow every Monday has them growing larger than I have ever had them grow before.

Be Safe. Be Careful.
xx, Carol

Eggs In My Pocket said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Eggs In My Pocket said...

Hello and in answer to your questions( Prims By The Water, The Wykeham Observer, Granny Marigold,) about the little bantams and chickens being in danger from the snakes, yes, rattlesnakes do find their way into the chicken yard, luckily, he chickens do have high places to jump up to perch on, however the snakes can still crawl up anything. I constantly check my chicken yard, chicken houses and nests during the day, and then I go out late at night to check because the snakes crawl at night

happyone said...

Oh my that must have been so scary. Sure glad it didn't bite you. Good thing you had quick reflexes.

Henny Penny said...

Oh my goodness...I was holding my breath, afraid of what was in that bag. How scary that must have been. I'm so thankful the snake missed your arm. And the fact that you managed to kill that snake is unbelievable! No wonder you were shaking. Your other pictures are sweet...I love the little chickens and the hummingbird, and that is the prettiest rose moss I've ever seen. Take care, and be careful.

Granny Marigold said...

Thanks for answering my question. I was wondering what exactly you would do if when you go to check on the chickens you see a snake. Can it be dealt with with a sturdy stick, or a shovel?

Sally said...

Wow - thank the good Lord you had that shovel. I'm so sorry that happened to you! You're much braver than I am, I probably would have started running like mad.

Your flowers are lovely! Not much in flowers around here, though. I have a few roses but they really haven't grown much. :(

I do really admire you, sweet lady.

xoxo

Texastracking said...

terrifying experience - so grateful you suffered no permanent harm. Lovely pictures of the flowers and critters in your bit of the world -

Anonymous said...

Mercy! So glad you were not bitten! I wonder if a few California King snakes will take care of some of those Mojave rattlers? They work for other not quite so poisonous rattlers. We had both when living in AZ. Don't miss either one.

Be careful out there!

Sunny said...

Hi Kathleen! Been a long time since my last visit to you. I came here because of the peaceful posts you always wrote. What a surprise!!!!. I would have been so scared!! I am so glad you lived to tell about it! all that aside, your flowers look beautiful as always and I enjoy seeing your hummingbirds from Texas :)

Stitches said...

Just reading your post, made my heart race and I got that scared, sick feeling in my stomach. I am so afraid of snakes, I just don't know what I would have done!!! So glad that you had your shovel and whacked him a good one!! Whew, that was a close call for sure..

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

Kathleen, I am so glad you escaped without harm! What a shock you had I can only imagine. And yes please wait until they've at least slowed down with the cold before you go into those places again!
Your little chickens are all so pretty. I see you like variety in yours, too! Be careful out there at night, too!

Brenda Kay Ledford said...

What a frightening experience! I'm so glad you were not bitten.
I love the photos of your flowers.
Your chickens are awesome. What beautiful birds!

Granny Marigold said...

Unless I'm wrong I think today just might be your birthday. If I'm wrong chalk it up to old age. If not then I wish you all the best on this special day!!

Debra said...

Oh my stars!!!! What an awful experience with the rattler. I do hope you sent it to ah-well where ever snakes go when they die....Your chickens are really beautiful! You are so faithful to check up on them! Please be careful.

letslearnembroidery said...

Thank God, nothing bad happened.Life on the farm is a challenge, isn't it?But we won't trade it for anything in this world.This is our paradise till the last beat of our heart.I have encountered many snakes ,myself and I can understand the fear, the adrenaline rush!