Welcome October….Here’s To Cooler Weather And Cozy Sweaters…

@Teslin Not crazy for cold either, but no snakes in the yard when it gets cold. I can do more outside.

@cherokeepatti Snakes !! 😲
I don't blame you for that one.

@Teslin I have had encounters with rattlesnakes and copperheads myself but out in the country except for one baby rattlesnake here around the house. And 3 relatives who were bitten by venomous snakes, all while doing outdoor chores. So I know the precautions but still sometimes have nightmares about snakes.

@cherokeepatti So sorry. I don’t have that issue here. I would be happy for colder weather as well if I were you.

@Teslin When I was a teen we lived in a rural area a few miles east of here. It was thick with copperhead snakes. Blackjack trees all over our acreage and copperheads can hide under the fallen leaves. Blackjack trees shed twice a year making the work of cleaning up the leaves bi-annual instead of just in the fall. I had such a fear of those copperheads after my sister got bit while we were burning a brush pile. I would gladly help rake up all of those leaves. We had German shepherd dogs and one of them hated all snakes with a passion. If he was in the position to grab and shake them he would shake them to bits. If not he would bark incessantly until someone came outside and got a hoe and killed the snake while he was guarding it. I expected venomous snakes in the country but I live in the suburbs now and housing all around. However there are a lot of green areas and residential lakes here making it suitable for wildlife to live here. When residents become hoarders and let their backyards grow up it only encourages the snakes to nest. We have feral cats that I feed and hopefully they are getting some of the snakes. I saw a dead one in the flower bed that had it’s neck chewed, it was small but at least a cat took enough interest in it to get it. Possums are also excellent for killing copperheads and probably rattlesnakes too. They seem to be immune to the venom. I won’t discourage any possum from coming around here especially now.

@cherokeepatti We do have some snakes here. Most are harmless, but we do have copperheads, although I have never seen one.

@Teslin “I have never seen one”….they are expert at camouflaging in fallen leaves and other debris on the ground may be the reason you haven’t seen them. I’ve seen several together laying in the sun warming themselves right next to a narrow trail.

@cherokeepatti Maybe ? I may have walked right by them and never realized it?

@Teslin Copperheads don’t buzz like rattlesnakes but all snakes can throw a stinky musk that to me smells like a dead rat. If you ever suddenly smell that then slowly ease away from the area.