Decityfying Country Girl

This city-girl got a dose of country-reality-check yesterday when my sweet neighbor from across the street, Amy, (the one who rescued my fly-away mail) came over to tell me a bit of neighborhood news.  It wasn't gossip as the information was useful!  A man down the street, while working in his yard, got BIT BY A COPPERHEAD SNAKE and was rushed to the hospital!  He called 911 and the Blue Ridge Fire Department came rushing and carted him off to the hospital, where he'll be in for about a week "detoxing" from that dog-gone snake!

After Amy helped me pick my jaw up from the ground, she told me that the snakes are BAD this time of year and to be careful in the yard.  I always thought copperheads liked "copper colored" areas in the fall, but I guess the snakes do have to live during the summer waiting for fall.  So, she suggested:

-looking where we walk

-wearing shoes outside 

-paying careful attention to the tall grass in the back yard

-putting mothballs outside as if the snakes eat them they will die? (Must research this).

-not walking in the grass at night.

Website to help you identify poisonous snakes found in Texas:  http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/junior_naturalists/safesnake.phtml 

I've also learned NOT to tell people stories like this one, as they retort with their OWN snake story.  Case in point: this morning I told our builder about our neighbor and the builder said, "Yup.  Last week my husband and I were driving and we saw snake after snake crossing the road and even hit one.  When we went back later, it was a copperhead."  The snakes have little serpentine families!  

YIKES!

My mind does crazy things like wander when I hear stories like this.  I DO want to adjust fully to BR, but if that means encountering a snake, count me OUT!  Note to self: no woodpiles or debris, etc. at the new place.  Now what to do about those woods we have....

The Tiger Cheerleaders have Summer Camp next week.  I thought we were riding to the cheerleading camp in the district's minivan driven by me, but alas, the district is using the van for the ESL darlings during the summer, so instead we'll be chauffeured in a school bus.  It's not exactly the fairy tale I had planned, but it will have to do.  We leave for camp on Monday and return on Thursday.  I'm going to take lots of pictures, so I can tell you visually all about the week!  Ready?  OKAY!

POISONOUS PLANTS:

I believe I have learned my lesson about Poison Ivy, but this morning I have a suspicious mark on my leg that's a bit itchy.  I'm hoping it is an out of control mosquito bite as I can't take another bout of Poison Ivy especially since Cheer Camp and Boy Scout Camp are back-to-back upon me starting next week.

What does that Ivy look like?  Trick question!

The house is progressing.  It's almost completely framed out.  Next is the "boring stuff" according to my builder. Electrical and plumbing, etc.  No fun, but quite necessary.  :)