Snake Season

Tonight we walked in the desert behind the house.  It's snake season.  I told the boys to be on the lookout.  As we were walking back WG7 yelled snake.  DG9 and I had just walked through there and when I turned around and walked back I didn't see anything.  I scolded WG7 and said, "When you say snake there had better be a snake pal, do you understand me?"  He then pointed, a little exasperated, "Snake."  Sure enough, small and camouflaged was a snake. It had the head and markings of a rattle snake, but no rattles.  It could have been a young un I reckon.  We pushed and cajoled it for a few minutes until it retreated in a hole.  When I turned around WG7 was standing there staring at me.  "Apology," he said.  I said, "You're right.  You're sorry."  It took him a minute and then I apologized properly.  He's a great boy and I'm a grump.  He was right.  I was wrong.  I sure love him.

I watched the boys climb over the fence and back into the yard and I walked around on account of my knees were hurting me.  At the end of the path I saw another rattler.  He was as long as my arm and he was just watching patiently.  I gave him some space and moved on home.  I sure do hope we miss the rattlesnake bullet.