Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Obstacles

The other day I called Bailey in from the back yard. He stood about 4 feet from the door, looking down and refusing to budge.


This snake was between Bailey and the house...and Bailey was not going over it!


By the time I snapped a few pictures, Bailey headed to the front door.


Hopefully we can all learn to navigate around the obstacles in our paths as easily and smoothly as Bailey!

I definitely reserve the right to shriek and even jump whenever a snake crosses my path though!

7 comments:

Theresa said...

Smart Bailey! That snake looks like he's trying to hide himself as it is. I like snakes, and am always so relived when I see one and it isn't a rattle snake!
Did you catch NPR this morning? Something about giant Garter snakes being found around Sacramento
CA. Thought to be extinct. I guess they can reach 5 feet long. Now that would be something to see.

charlotte said...

Great photos as ever! Do you have a lot of snakes where you live? Here it is definitively to cold for any snake.

Jennifer said...

I'm impressed that Bailey also stayed with the snake - out of curiosity or like he wanted to make sure you also knew it was there. He could have just run away and left it.

Theresa's comment on garter snakes made me wonder what your snake is. Could it be the Eastern Ribbon snake? According to this the females give birth this time of year - watch out for more... http://www.umass.edu/nrec/snake_pit/pages/eribbon.html

Where's that owl when you need it?

Delighted Hands said...

I have an inherent dislike of snakes but have learned to identify the ones that I must share acreage with........I can appreciate Bailey's caution!

bspinner said...

I do not like snakes in any form and can't help thinking how smart Bailey is for not going anywhere near this one.

Anonymous said...

I do admit to shrieking more than once when I have found a snake closer to me than I'd like out in the garden! We have one that suns itself on the rocks by our basement door. My son was very excited to see last year that it had shed its skin on the rocks, and there were several large pieces left behind. Definitely fascinated him!

Life Looms Large said...

It was actually hard for me to read the comments on this post....because of course we all shared snake stories. And I have to be in the right mood to appreciate a snake!

Giant garter snakes around Sacramento? Reason enough to be glad to live about as far as possible from there and still be in the continental US!!

According to NH Fish & Game, there are 11 species of snakes in NH.

I think our snake is a garter snake. First they're much more common than the ribbon snake. Also, their sides are yellow, not mahogany and their lower jaw is yellow.

Snakes do seem to be having a good year here. I've actually seen 2 small dead snakes in our yard....and once, when I was mowing the lawn I saw 3 different snakes...and I was mowing less than 1/4 an acre.

I was surprised that Bailey noticed this snake. He often seems totally oblivious to snakes in the woods.

Phew....I finally came back to comment on this snake-y post!!

Sue