The Great Snake Hunt

This really has nothing to do with the ER, but I just think it is funnier than hell.

I live on top of a small mountain and am surrounded by woods. I choose to live a far away from people because I just don't like cities, crowds, or noise when I am not working. However, by living this way, my children have had many opportunities to send me on an adventure, or two. Today was the day for the snake hunt.

It started as simple as telling my son to grab some hay for the animals. Next thing I know he comes running back with tales of a 8 foot snake sunbathing on the hay stake. Of course, my first question was is it a rattler? Nope he tells me, so I ask is it a king snake? Once again the answer is nope. So, up comes my younger son with the camera with the suggestion that we go look and take a picture to identify it. As always, I am outnumbered and off we go. Younger son with camera and me with a 40 caliber. (I am not fond of snakes). My husband comes over and he sees about an inch of the tail hanging out of the hay. My suggestion is to just shoot the hell out of the hay stack, but no, hubby and sons want to save the poor snake from mommy and move it. So, down comes one bale of hay and the snake digs dipper into the stack. Then down comes another and then another. By this time we have identified it as a red milk snake, which is why they even entertained the idea of catching it. Yet, I don't like snakes and am not fond of the mess my children and yes, my hubby, were making out of the neatly stacked hay to catch it. During this entire time, which was over an hour, I sat down on one of the barrels to watch them make fools of their-selves. Might I add that I was at least 20 feet away from were the snake was hiding. Anyway, my older son turns around to me and starts taking pictures. Then my hubby, who one job is to keep the snake away from me starts laughing. I look down and the snake that they had been hunting was coiled up just watching them about 4 inches behind my boots between me and the barrel I was sitting on. Apparently, the snake was finding humor in the mess that they were making and just relaxing and watching.
So this is what I do on my days off from the ER, and unfortunately this was not the first wild animal or snake hunt I have been on and I have the feeling it will not be my last. I hope that you find it as amusing as my husband and boys did.