For the past 10 years I have been a city girl. When I drove from one place to another, I never looked out for deer, raccoons or opossums because the only wildlife in town was safe and secure at the zoo. The same can be said for snakes.In the city, the only snakes I saw were locked behind the glass of an aquarium. Apparently, in the country snakes are free to roam around as they please.On Saturday I happily planned on helping my husband clean out some of our flowerbeds and remove a few posts. After all, the weather was beautiful and the yard could use some TLC.I spent several hours enjoying the sun on my back, the dirt between my toes and the sounds of the birds in the budding trees. Then, suddenly, a wicked little serpent came along and ruined my fun.I was walking barefoot across the yard to get our wheelbarrow when I looked down and saw a GIANT, nasty, slithering snake.Of course my screams and jumping sent it into a fit, so it was coiling all around, trying to get away from the crazy lady. I was able to get a good look at it, and it had to have been four feet long.I sent my husband after it with a shovel, and while he was hunting it down, he found five additional snakes in and around our shed. Five more snakes, just as big, each putting more and more fear into my body as I stood on the cement sidewalk by the house.To make things worse, he didn’t even kill them, saying something about how they help with rodents and insects.I don’t like to kill animals either, but this is different. These snakes will keep me from enjoying my yard. I will not be able to subathe, garden, play frisbee, mow, grill, hang clothes on the line or anything if there is a colony of snakes setting up their homes under my shed.I need help! I do not wish to destroy these creatures, but I need them to live somewhere else. I know that the people in my reading public have tricks for taking care of snakes. I need to hear them. PLEASE send me your old wives’ tales, your repellents, anything. I love my yard and want to enjoy it. You can email me at lexim@star-herald.com , call me at 962-3561, send me a letter or just track me down on the streets with your best snake disposal plan.I love living in the country and I love being outside, but snakes are the one thing I can't handle. I like spiders, bugs, pigs, cows and even lizards, but snakes are just too fast and long and mean to have a place in my heart.I was terrified on Saturday… terrified of my own yard. Please help me.Story ideas and comments can be sent to lexim@star-herald.com.
