Springtime Critters

Springtime on the ranch brings many fun things—animal babies, wild flowers, lighting bugs. But it also brings snakes, and scorpions. I’ve always had a healthy respect for snakes—not a fear of them. One night when I came upon one that was draped on the gate to the bunkhouse, I simply waited a minute for him to move into the honeysuckle on the fence. My heart rate stayed the same. I have at times killed rattle snakes with a hoe and pulled chicken snakes out of the hen house with my hands, if nothing else was available. However, scorpions are another matter altogether. Scorpions have always looked like ultimate evil creatures to me, and I fear them. Each spring, only one or two manage to get into our log cabin. They can’t come through the logs. I suspect they sneak in the door. But my heart rate begins to increase as soon as I spot one. A good whack with a fly swatter will do the monster in, but I would much rather leave the area and get someone else to dispose of it. Still its image lingers in my memory for some time.…………. until I run into another snake.