Snake Tales

For the past two summers the Herman and Dever households have had a pesky snake problem.  In 2009, Amy documented it here on her blog; this snake slithered it's way onto their play set.  Later that summer I took a picture of the/a snake on their driveway, but I think I was too grossed out and deleted it....I can't find it anywhere.  In 2010, Amy documented the black snake here on her blog; this snake was a little too close  for comfort.  It was trying to get to a bird's nest that was perched way above a column on their porch.  I also caught a snake (probably the same one) climbing their front door one day.  And at one point, I actually saw two snakes on their porch at the same time....both trying to get to that bird's nest.  I captured these pictures of a snake one day just basking on their porch...Ugh!!!  So really, maybe it was just the Hermans who had the snake problem, Ha!!  Actually Danny did behead one snake in 2009 and Jasper actually picked one up and carried it away to the woods.  So needless-to-say, we've grown to accept that a black snake (or two) is going to make an appearance each summer.

You can imagine my concern when we discovered we had a bird's nest in our geraniums this summer.  I was quite worried one of those pesky little black snakes would reappear trying to get to the nest, eggs and eventually the baby birds.  I literally peeked out the window every time I took Hogan out and feared I would see a snake.  Last month, Emerson, Danny and I went to Charlotte for the night and my parents came over to stay with Hogan.  My mom knows I check my email on my phone quite often.  Around 9:30 on Saturday night I received an email titled, "Poor Birdie and Eggs" with the attached photo.  A few minutes later, I received another email titled, "UNREAL" with the attached picture.  

Poor Birdie and Eggs

UNREAL!!!

I showed the picture to Danny and our friend, Adam.  Granted we were looking at the pictures on a phone, but they both said, "That's no black snake!!".  Adam even interjected with, "That looks like a corn snake."  I immediately called my mom.  The conversation went like this.....ring, ring, ring....

Me: Mom, I told you a snake would get those eggs.  

Mom: I know, we opened the door to take Hogan out and he was right there.  

Me: What can you do, I don't want him to eat the eggs.  You've got to save those birds.  (Just for the record, Emerson got pretty attached to those eggs and I really wanted her to see them hatch)

Mom: I'm not sure what we can do.  Do you have a shovel?

Me: Yes, tell Dad to go in my garage and get it.  

Mom: Okay

Me: Awww, poor birds!

Mom: Brooke, it's not real!

Me: What?

Mom: It's a plastic snake!! (Laughing hysterically!!)

Me: OH. MY. GOD....alright, you got me!! (relieved my birdies were safe)

Probably the best joke my parents have played on me.  I must admit, they got me good.  I was so worried about the baby birds and how I would explain their disappearance to Emerson.  Good news, we've seen no snakes this summer (except a snake skin the other night, again on the Herman play set) and the birds lived and have left the nest.  I am sure this will be a story we tell for a long time!!!