SNAKE 2 NANCY 0

Well ...... needless to say there was more snake action around my house yesterday.  But first, lets visit the Vintage Market held at the Wine-Health-Horse Ranch not far from my snake palace.  Just a quick note ... thank you Judith for letting me know you TOO got stung by a scorpion in bed!  Now I require sleeping pills to go to sleep!!

This is a beautiful location with trees around for shade.  Vendors actually have lots of antique "stuff" ... treasures to be sure.  It's definitely in your face to discover that much of what they are selling is what I still use every day.  

 Patty and I are all about the "old" stuff.  I can't tell you how many days we spent on the road hunting down the things we HAD to have until the trunk was full to the brim.  If we were sure our husbands would not approve, we just said it was a GIFT from the other.  YEAH RIGHT!!  This faire brought back lots of memories, including the fact that yes, I once DID have a husband.

 

 

Sorry for the terrible pictures.  I just could not pass up this hair.  If it was combed, I would be jealous.  It is Patty's favorite "do" by the way ... or maybe NOT!  Why would you have such gorgeous hair and not run a comb through it.  Dredlocks are the latest hippy vibe I suppose.

There was so much stuff I could use for decorating my Arizona house, but alas, I have too much already.  I can't believe I used so much restraint that I didn't buy a single thing!  It's a miracle!  Oh wait ... I did buy 5 chocolate chip cookies and boy were they delicious.  I didn't even take a picture!!

It was hot ... something like 105 ... but we headed on off to another marketplace at Target.  This one was a much smaller affair.  Events don't last long in the heat of Arizona, so we weren't surprised to see some people already packing up.

Nothing really caught my eye but THIS!!  Are you kidding me?  Sexy Grilled Cheese!!  Oh my goodness and they had Mac 'n Cheese Grilled Cheese on the menu.  It took all my fortitude not to buy THAT.  I owe it to my empty wallet.

That was it for the day ... nothing NEAR as exciting as the snake fiasco that's happening in my back yard.  The next morning I spent an hour with the garden hose, washing down my oleander tree trying to dislodge the snake.  No luck, he must be gone.  

Then LAST night, I went outside with the flashlight looking everywhere.  Nothing.  I turned around and made a quick pass over the brick patio and what should I see but THE SNAKE, casually crawling along the edge of the gate.  

I quickly went over, reached as far over him as I could and flipped the gate latch.  Of course when I OPENED the gate, it caught him and rolled him over.  He took off like a shot.  Anyone who says snakes are slow, LIES!

I raced to the house for a broom.  I'll just sweep him out the gate.  After all, they eat mice, right?  I can't kill him.   I chased him under another oleander, stopped him from climbing up and then ....... POOF ....... like magic, he completely disappeared.  How can that happen?  Where the heck did he go???  

I spent an hour shaking the bushes hoping to dislodge him.  Nothing.  I finally gave up, but left all of my outside lights on all night in the hopes he will go look for a dark place to hunt elsewhere.  Here's a picture of a Lyre Snake taken by Gary Nafis I snatched from the web.  He's only as big around as my thumb, but he's three feet long and needs to go find another home.

Seriously, if he comes out again tonight, my shovel (now perched by the back door) has his name on it.  I can't take the chance of him biting one of my puppies.  So you know the count ... Snakes 2, Nancy 0.

 

 That of course resulted in a sleepless night.  The fear of snakes is so strong in me that for years I could not even touch the cover of a magazine that had pictures of snakes in it.  Apparently somewhere along the way I was traumatized, but I have no clue what might have happened.  

More critter videos will be forthcoming for tomorrow.  I never knew I had such a popular meeting place at night!!