Last night Ray’s sister Jan and her friend Diane arrived for a short visit. Ray and Jan were in the kitchen and Diane and I were sitting in on the back patio chatting. Diane was telling me something…I can’t remember and I noticed something on the ground about eight feet behind her in front of the screen door.
It was a rattlesnake.
A fucking rattlesnake!! It wasn’t big–but it was big enough. I got up slowly and said to Diane “Don’t. Move.” I called for Ray.  He came out with a broom and tapped the handle on the ground. Annoyed, the snake slithered over toward the fountain and shook its rattle just a bit before going into the water. It kind of splashed in and out and then curled up behind the fountain. We decided to eat inside.  A few hours later, I checked behind the fountain.  The snake was gone.Â
That’s life out here in the country. I’d rather have a slide-by rattler than a drive-by shooting. Really, I would.
Very cool. I didn’t gert a good look at one last week when I was out your way. I did see a couple in the road at night but that’s it. Last year I had a much better encounter with one.
I almost stepped on one once on vacation in Wyoming, or was it Montana? Freaked the bejeezus out of me. Closest I’ve ever been to shrieking with fright!
I concur that rattlesnakes are better than hoodrats.