Sunday, September 12, 2010

Blue Shoes and Rattle Snakes

The Realtor sent the "sign guy" back out to put up a second for sale sign on our property.  He told us that this is the season Rattle Snakes start to look for holes to spend the winter.  He said they are out and he's seen and killed quite a few on his property lately.  He was warning us to be careful.

Every year, in January there is a "Rattle Snake Roundup" nearby.  It's a little festival that attracts all kinds of people.  We went the first year we were here.  Yes, there were a lot of snakes.  They of course kill the snakes, after milking their venom.  Although not a snake lover, I do believe animals are put here for a reason and I don't know how I feel about it. 

I copied the following information about the procedures for capturing the snakes.  I do not approve of this method or gathering snakes as it also kills anything else that's in the hole.

Typically, 300-600 rattlesnakes are collected annually for Georgia rattlesnake roundups, but some years have yielded more than 1,000 snakes. Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes make up the vast majority of the collected snakes, although a small number of timber rattlesnakes are also entered. The standard method for collecting snakes is to dig them 
Courtesy of John B. Jensen, Georgia Department of Natural Resources

out of gopher tortoise burrows or force them out by introducing gasoline fumes through an inserted garden hose. Both methods are harmful—and often fatal—to the tortoise and other burrow inhabitants.

 I certainly don't want any poisonous snakes running around our property and I can understand why people with outside animals and children want to kill them.  I don't think we'll be killing any Rattle Snakes...hopefully we won't find any. I'd be afraid of getting bitten.  One year when Al was gone, I was walking up to the mailbox and saw some sort of large snake sunning himself on the driveway up by the mail box, which is a long way from the house.  I had been looking upwards in the trees checking out the blooms, and almost didn't see him.  I think it may have been a Rattle Snake.  Al saw one last year near the same area. Hopefully if there are any, they will stay in the woods and not by the house.

- - - - -

Al has been having problems with his feet for the past year or two.  It started with pain in his heels and then on to the entire bottom of his feet.  He went to the doctor and was diagnosed with Plantar Fascitis.  He got injections in his heels but unfortunately still has problems.  We have to find soft soled shoes for him.  He has a pair of croc-like shoes he got at Walmart that have worked well.  When we went to the consignment shop last week to collect some of our unsold items, I found a pair of powder blue Crocs for $4.  They fit so we bought them, despite the fact that they look a little feminine!

How do you like his pretty blue shoes?


He says they are really comfortable and he likes them better than the ones he has from Walmart.  He just has to be careful that he doesn't accidentally wear them away from the house!  Of course he's already gotten black paint on them, but we don't really care...maybe a little more black paint would help them!  I'm going to order him another pair in a nice brown.  Although I really don't think Crocs are the best looking shoes, when you have problems with your feet, comfort is the main thing.

Our weather has heated back up again, and we're up to 98 or so every day.  Our cooler weather was short lived.  We woke up this morning to 75 degrees...a bad sign of what is to come!  We badly need some rain.  The grass is starting to get brown and that's not what you want to see when you're trying to sell your house.



9 comments:

Cindy said... [Reply to comment]

Karen..however long the snake is..is how long he can strike..for a rattlesnake.If bothered.or if they feel threatened..they will curl up and rattle..to tell you to stay away..if that is not heeded..they will strike..and they can do it over and over at lightening speed!!They are drawn to the heat from your body..which is why those hunting them wear dark pants, boots,and long sleeves.
They are here for a purpose..they devour mice, rats, rabbits, small coons. they stay in the same area..and travel in a big circle..and home back home.The babies are just as poisionous as their mama's.
We have them too..I always listen..but we do kill them..out in the open..ready to attack..it would be us or them..and I vote for us!1 lol

Good luck!!

PS ..you can spray paint the crocks with the new Krylon plastic paint..I have been told!!

Cindy and Walker

Happytrails said... [Reply to comment]

Snakes do have a purpose, but when they are close to your "neck of the woods" their purpose is to go or be silenced. When we were at Hagarman NWR in Texas, we saw 4 Copperhead in 1 day and one of them was very near our coach. We got in the jeep and ran over that one because he was too close to us and our dogs.
Gerri had Plantar Fiskar got shots and the Dr. ordered her a specific type of shoe. That has been a few years ago and right now doesn't have any problems...knock on wood. Tell Al he is totally right, its about the comfort for his foot/feet that count.

Sam&Donna Weibel said... [Reply to comment]

I think no matter where you live you will find snakes to deal with, here in Dardenne Prairie, rattlers are scarce but not unheard of, Copperheads are however prolific,and then when you are at the Lake you have the cotton mouths to watch for , the only saving grace is that from Oct till March they are not very mobile.I rememebr Donna was working in the garden and skewered a large copperdead with a four tine pitchfork,then cane running for me because it wasn't dead yet. Had to finish it off with a round head shovel. She was not happy with her new garden visitor, but I told her it would keep the small critters at bay. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna.

Travels with Emma said... [Reply to comment]

Hurricane Ike drowned all the snakes around Anahuac NWR. One of the results...an over population of mice! I hope the balance of nature has returned when I go back there next month. Snakes have their place on this planet. :)

Margie and Roger said... [Reply to comment]

Are those some type of berry in the photo?

Quick - take Cindy's advice and paint those blue shoes black! If not, you will have to watch him every second when he leaves the house. Roger wears his crocs everyday - - OMG, with socks!

Just read in the newspaper that crocs are recommended for people with osteoarthritis in their knees. I wear my croc flip-flops constantly - a very, very big difference between Crocs and Walmart flip-flops.

My motto - kill a snake, period. But I wouldn't like that method of putting the hose down the hole either.

Merikay said... [Reply to comment]

I guess I missed the post about putting up the first for sale sign. When did you go on the market? Good luck!

I had a bout of Plantar Fascitis some years ago. It is horrible and takes a long time to heal.

I found using inserts from Burkinstock were quite helpful. I'm not a sandal wearer so I didn't get their sandals which came highly recommended.

It's that first few steps every morning that are the worse!

I've only seen one rattle snake here in 22 years. That was this spring, he was in the garage! He got a free flight back to the forest via a leaf rake. But he was really small.

Karen and Al said... [Reply to comment]

Cindy, I think Al's powder blue crocs are way beyond paint. He's been working with creosote and he got it all over them. It's okay though, they were just to be for around here. I'm ordering him some more.

Margie,
Those berries are called Beauty Berry's. They grow wild in Florida as well. Pretty aren't they?

Merikay

I'll have to check on those inserts from Birkenstock. My post about the house for sale was on my other blog, so that may be how you missed it. This one is mainly about the outdoors, birds, gardens, etc. The other one is about travel, camping, kayaking, full time prep, etc. Anyway it's been on the market for about 2 weeks. No calls yet, but we're not surprised. This is a very small town and houses aren't selling now.

www.travelwithkevinandruth.com said... [Reply to comment]

I'm with you Karen, I don't agree with the way they get rid of the snakes. Snakes do have a purpose and somehow we all have to learn to live together.

My Dad is having a similiar problem with his feet. The doctor shaved off some of the surface of the planter's wart or whatever it is on one foot and that has made it more comfortable for him.

We have seen several men wearing bright fluorescent pink and orange ones, so I think Al is doing fine with the light blue!

Kevin and Ruth
www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

Chuck and Anneke's RV travels said... [Reply to comment]

I appreciate that snakes are useful and in the greater sense have a right to their space. However, if their space is also my space, then someone has to go.