Nature takes its course
Yesterday, I alluded to a certain natural incident that we encountered while walking in one of Washtenaw County’s beautiful nature preserves. It involved a certain reptile and amphibian. It was a pretty interesting event but last night, I was too busy having too much fun to properly blahg it, so I punted with cryptic little twitter plays.
I also did not post a photoooo (although I have one, albeit it a little fuzzy). You do not want to know. Or maybe you do. If you do, I recommend asking the GG if he would share his video of the event. The rest of us moved on, knowing that there was nothing we could do to save Mr. Toad’s life and a snake has gotta eat. We eat aminals in this household. Somebody has to kill them in order for that to happen. Nevertheless, I didn’t want to watch Mr. Toad’s last moments on this vale of tears. I think it was probably not as pleasant as how humans kill chickens and cows, etc.
Can I just say *bizarre* though? I was galumphing along the trail and was startled by a small commotion on the ground immediately to the left of my feet. A slithering, rustling little commotion. I thought Snake! I am not afraid of snakes, at least not categorically. It’s easy for me to say that because there is only one poisonous snake in the Great Lake State, the Eastern Massasauga Rattler, and it is rarely seen although there have been two rattlesnake bites in the last couple years over at the Matthaei Mechanical Botanical Gardens, a beautiful uMich facility over to the east of town. The only snakes I have ever seen in the wild are Garter Snakes and Grass Snakes (they are grass green) and I am not afraid of them. In fact, when I was a child, I would pick them up on the moominbeach, although mostly to show the world my cuzzints et al that I wasn’t afraid of snakes. I *am* afraid of poisonous snakes and so are you.
I was a little freaked out when I first looked down at this snake. I wanted to think “garter snake” but something about the head wasn’t right. It was kind of bulged out, like a poisonous snake’s head might look, in my mind anyway. A closer look revealed that the snake was doing its best to pull a live toad into its mouth and down its throat. I expected the snake to slither off quickly but it did not (hence the GG’s video). I think that it needed to focus on swallowing that toad and can only guess that the struggle to obtain food trumped the danger of being trampled on by large galumphing mammals wielding pocket computers equipped with cameras.
Anyway, a [garter] snake got fed yesterday. I did not watch. We are eating beef pasties tonight (from Uncle Peter). Somebody killed the cow who provided the beef. Yes I have heard the latest recommendation not to eat red meat. Blah-de-blah. I’m sure the “authorities” will eventually figure out that broccoli will kill you if you eat enough of it. Everything in moderation and BTW, broccoli is a wonderful antidote to a garlic hangover. Learned that way back when I was in high school. Try it.
October 26th, 2015 at 9:47 pm
I’ve never had a garlic hangover, but I do love broccoli. It doesn’t always love me though. 🙂 I don’t eat much red meat, but when I feel like it, I do since I have nothing against it. However, it is SO heavy that my stomach always feels like there is a brick in it.
October 27th, 2015 at 6:02 am
I am sort of scared of snakes. I will never forget my youth when I would go with Jimbo searching for grass snakes on the bank and help him catch them. And then he would turn around and chase me with them.
and out in the far wilds of Idaho my Teva was less than a foot from coming down on a rattle snake (really) and the snake bite kit was downstream. amazing how quickly you can turn on a dime to avoid a rattle snake. and then seriously hold on to the person right behind you – to keep from falling down and also from the surge of adrenaline pulsing thru your body.
as for bacon – I will not give it up, but I also eat it pretty rarely.