Snake!!

No picture for this post for obvious reasons…

As I was putting all the animals to bed tonight, I could hear the chicks in one of the rooms of the barn going crazy.  At first I thought that they were just extra hungry, but their ruckus was a lot louder than the normal “I am hungry” peeps.  I opened the door to the chick room and out slithered a big, fat, brown/grey, snake.  It went within inches of my feet!  It took it’s creepy self right across the barn and into Juniper, the out door pig’s room.  Juniper let out a squeal and came running out.  Although Juniper is normally pretty welcoming of a sorts of animals, she didn’t seem to have any warm feelings for the cold blooded reptile.  The snake moved to Juniper’s bed and curled up into a ball.  As I went in to inspect the situation, it hissed at me.  A sound that will haunt my dreams tonight, I am sure.

Not strong willed enough to “handle” the situation alone, in the dark, I called for reinforcements.  We went out to the barn and the snake was still there, enjoying the comforts of Juniper’s soft bed.  Coming in from a window above the bed, one holding the light, the other a shovel, we planned our attack.  I never like killing animals, but I can’t have snakes tormenting the farm animals.  So with a thrust of the shovel, the snake’s head was crushed.  A few twitches later, and the snake was no more.  We had a burial at sea, or, at creek. 

Although it is late, Juniper wasn’t sure if she should reenter her abode.  But with plenty of light and our coaxing, she went in and inspected the room.  She started in the corners, then sniffed around the bed.  I don’t think she is fully confident that all is clear, but she seemed to calm down.

Some days, I wonder if I am cut out for this.