I have been busting my b, uh, buns in this hundred degree heat because I thought I had to complete a project (pictures at a later date).
I asked Hubby how long the section I was working on was. He said, Fifty feet. I said, Don't tell me I have almost killed myself for only fifty feet of progress! He grinned, Closer to fifty yards so that was better...150 feet sounds like I did something.
I did it with a reciprocating saw, clippers, pruners, wire cutters, and a hammer. And believe me when I say, It was HARD work.
Today Hubby got the push mower started again and I was thrilled. I don't think anyone grinned while mowing as much as I did today. When you been folded up with clippers for a week, that lawn mower looked good, no, GREAT.
So I'm push mowing all the parts Hubby can't reach on the riding mower. Since the weed eater is still at the mechanical hospital, the push mower beat clippers hands down.
I pushing and grinning. I am delighted how much faster this is than clippers so I leave my area I have been working on and expand my power range. Around the propane tank, under the swing set, around the plum trees. I am on fire! Working and sweating but loving it. Sooo, then I decide to mow around the old house.
I'm screaming snake (less than a foot from me) which no one can hear over the lawn mower. My frantic jumping and waving my arms got Hubby's attention. Six dogs and not one of them saw this snake. Copperhead!! Then they were all there, Hubby with gun, dogs ready to kill a snake. Every one was too slow. Now we know there's a Copperhead under the old house.
Wonderful.
So all I see around the entirety of our yard and Marcy's are snake arbors! I push and mow places that had not been trimmed. Hubby tried to stop me but I was on a mission. Snake arbors, be gone!
Hubby brought me a drink, which I guzzled, and continued to mow. I said, I'm not stopping til I run outta gas. And I didn't. Emptied that tank.
The benefits are my Tylenol and ibuprofen had kicked in, less grass to mow, sinuses wide open and I got a sauna/sweat lodge work out.
The question will be, will I be able move tomorrow? And where will that snake be? Lil was still laying under the edge of the house waiting so hopefully she will eliminate my problem tonight.
I think of all the evenings I go out barefooted to feed the dogs and I shiver a little. Was he laying in wait for me? I think all the food bowls will be on the porch tonight!
And that was my afternoon. How was yours?
20 comments:
Crap...hope Lil waits and finishes it off:) :)
Please send me some of your energy!
Better under the old house than the one you live in!
Saying a prayer of thanks that you are safe. Hope you find only pieces in the morning. God bless. ♥
My Mum used to say to my Sister all the time "those bare feet of yours are gonna get you in trouble one of these days". WE DO NOT WANT OUR GAIL BITTEN BY A CRAPPY OLE COPPERHEAD OR ANY OTHER FORM OF SLIVERY SNAKE! Bravo of cleaning up all those hidin' places.
Forgot to say, how come you were not wearing your gun.......GOT SNAKES......WEAR GUN.
Good morning, a Copperhead? And it got away, oh no! I would not be out there mowing with snakes hiding in the grass, UGHH!
Have a happy day and watch out for those snakes!
Wow I am tired just reading about this work and mission. "Mechanical hospital" oh I like that phrase. I am all for getting rid of snake arbors that copperhead sounds scary to me. Hug B
laughed all the way through this Tale of the Mad Mower.. loved every word and i rather have my spider hiding in the house than your copperhead under the house. bare feet in the dark was my first thought. hopefully all your mad mowing scared them off OR the dogs got it over night. I also have a mental pic of you dancing and screaming snake... LOL LOL
I'll definitely take my vacation-in-Maine afternoon over yours any time. You are working way too hard.
I just can't imagine doing all of that work in 100+ degree work! I do hope Lil gets that copperhead. I am glad you saw it before you stepped on it. But if there is one won't its mate be close?
I think it sounds fantastic to get all of that work accomplished. I hope you can move today. :)
yup, we keep them around here, too. had a nice snakeskin right up next to the house by the water spigot and dog bowl. hoping it's not a copperhead, but probably is.
With everyone moving so slow, you should've just run over the snake with the lawnmower.
We don't get many snakes in our yard, but I never go out barefoot.
Gail,
You're finished with the grass cutting, you ran out of gas :-)
When you have the energy to finish an outside project like this you want to be able to finish it. Good thing hubby was serving up a nice cold drink to help rejuvenate you. Copperhead snakes, not a good thing. Be careful walking barefoot out to feed your dogs.
This morning, I drove the tractor out of the garage, pulled out the push mower, and weed whacker and got to business myself. I finished it all, and felt good doing it.
Life is good for both of us :-)
That is why they call snakes "sneaky". They are always there...but, we don't see them unless they want us to. As a kid in Texas, I remember one got my Uncle's dog. Nothing could be done. Be careful. All of you.
Hope you are feeling a lot better tomorrow, you have been working like a maniac lately :)
Perhaps the snake will just go back to where he lives.
Lynne x
Never ever walk outside barefoot. Never reach down in tall grass to pick up anything or pull weeds. Never mow in sandals.
The one time I walked across the yard to the mailbox barefoot, I stepped on a large green (same as black) snake. I felt it wiggle under my foot and I literally flew the rest of the way, my feet never touched the ground
My aunt pulled some weeds around her cellar and a copperhead bit her finger. She was sick a long time. My BIL reached into a cup on the golf course and a tiny copperhead bit him. He lost the tip of his finger.
Be warned.......
Phew, I'm tired just reading. I hope the dogs get the snake and it isn't the snake getting the dogs. I had a rattler bite my shepherd in Florida and that was touch and go with a looooong recovery. Have had no experience with copperheads and hope I don't. Sounds like time to haul out the boots.
Man I'm tired and thirsty just reading all that you've done! You are making progress beyond the call of duty, but woohoo! Great work. I don't know much about copperheads, luckily the bad snakes aren't as bad a problem here, but I do recall some rattlesnake action when visiting my grandfather in Arizona. He one had one come up his shower drain! YIKES! It was during one of our summer visits too!
Gail, well done for all that work - that heat WOW !
But snakes UGH ... and there I was worried by a mouse, see blog post ' An unexpected visitor' Irrational I know !!!
All the best Jan
YIKES . . .
I will feel much better when you tell me
FOUND and GONE!
Keeping company with snakes... of the no-legged or two-legged variety, is not on my list of fun things to do. I do not heart snakes, I don't care how pretty they might be. They terrify me!
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