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Jan 30, 2015 2:07 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Sheridragonfly/Sheri
Alabama (Zone 8b)
Salvias Celebrating Gardening: 2015
I have been standing at the large window just thinking of buying granular fertilizer for me to use in March for all my clematis, iris, salvias, coneflowers, butterfly bushes and daylilys and everything is brown ..the temp is 59 here today, blue skies and sunshine.
Just saw this snake so cold on the concrete so I went out and picked it up and placed in the grass in the sun..In several minutes it began to notice me and to move..
I wanted to share my pictures of it today with you , I think it is a black runner snake not sure but it is not a rattlesnake or moccasin to my knowledge..so I let it live.
They are beautiful to watch and I kept the cats away from this young snake. we have gotten down to ll degrees one night and down to the 20 and 30s but somehow the snakes are out at times
here in the south and I would never venture to walk the woods in winter now as I used to as a child..and crawl down in the ravines and ditches and lie there an look up at the blue skies some days
as a child.

Sheri in Alabama
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Jan 30, 2015 2:57 PM CST
Name: tarev
San Joaquin County, CA (Zone 9b)
Give PEACE a chance!
Adeniums Cat Lover Garden Photography Region: California Houseplants Plays in the sandbox
Orchids Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Composter Cactus and Succulents Dragonflies Hummingbirder
Looks serenely nice! Love the figure 8...but I usually run away if I see a snake..screaming! Big Grin
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Jan 30, 2015 4:34 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Sheridragonfly/Sheri
Alabama (Zone 8b)
Salvias Celebrating Gardening: 2015
there is a beauty in the snake when we get past our fear..
Fear is good when it would harm you or your pet
but this I think is a coachwhip which would not kill us with a bite..
thanks for the reply..and observation of it
sheri
Avatar for Frillylily
Jan 30, 2015 5:05 PM CST
Missouri (Zone 6a)
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Plant Identifier
I like snakes. yours is a nice one. I used to have a black snake that lived under a large bush in my yard and when I watered the flowers around the shrub, the snake would come out and give me dirty looks, while waiting impatiently for me to be done so he could crawl back under there. He did not like getting wet I guess!
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Jan 30, 2015 7:04 PM CST
Name: Kyla Houbolt
Gastonia, NC (Zone 7b)
Composter Plant Identifier Organic Gardener Herbs Daylilies Sempervivums
Frogs and Toads Container Gardener Cat Lover Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! The WITWIT Badge Winter Sowing
Beautiful story and pictures. Thanks for posting it.
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Jan 30, 2015 8:05 PM CST
Name: Kabby
Lowndesboro, AL (Zone 8a)
Region: United States of America Region: Alabama Bookworm Cat Lover Dog Lover Butterflies
Tropicals Bulbs Lilies Birds Bee Lover Fruit Growers
And here I was serenely thinking I didn't have to worry about snakes in the wintertime. I do have a dog that let's me know when those particular reptiles find their way into my yard though.
Now about those mosquitoes that were trying to munch on me yesterday in that beautiful weather... Thumbs down
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Jan 31, 2015 10:28 AM CST
Name: Linda
Omaha, N.E (Zone 5b)
Always room to plant one more!
Bird Bath, Fountain and Waterfall Region: Nebraska Hummingbirder Houseplants Critters Allowed Container Gardener
Cat Lover Butterflies Bookworm Birds Garden Ideas: Level 1
I use to have garden snakes in my yard but the darn cats kept catching and killing them. Anyway it would be
alarming to accidentally pick up a handful of snake! Once when I was pulling weeds with no gloves on out came a very plump pg looking spider and I felt so bad in killing it but had a hunch it was a black widow and after I killed it flipped it over and saw the markings that it was, wow, could of been a zillion babies! Of course that was when I lived in Ca. not here in N.E I don`t think we have Black Widows , but I could be wrong...at any rate I wear my gloves in case there is any bug I don`t want to encounter.
Anyway your picture, looks like a healthy happy snake!
You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice because they have roses!
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Feb 2, 2015 2:23 PM CST
Name: Taqiyyah
Maryland (Zone 7a)
Bee Lover Vegetable Grower Plant and/or Seed Trader Seed Starter Salvias Roses
Region: Maryland Region: Mid-Atlantic Container Gardener Winter Sowing
It's nice that you didn't *accidentally* pick it up. The accidents are the stories we hear and then can't un-hear, lol. But you actually did it as a favor. I'm sure it was grateful.
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Feb 4, 2015 2:40 PM CST
Name: Reine
Cleveland, Texas (Zone 9a)
On the 3rd day God created plants.
Adeniums Enjoys or suffers hot summers Spiders! Seed Starter Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Morning Glories
Houseplants Frogs and Toads Dog Lover Critters Allowed Container Gardener Cactus and Succulents
Sheri, that was really kind of you to care for that snake as you did. Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!
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Feb 6, 2015 9:10 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Sheridragonfly/Sheri
Alabama (Zone 8b)
Salvias Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Thank you all for writing
I just had some compassion for the harmless snake..
I do not like to see even the harmless snakes swallowing
baby birds and that sad to see...a whole nest of them
while the mother is jumping up and down...
and I could not stop what was happening...
However all has to eat and some things happen
that we wish would not..

Spiders..now they do frighten me in the flower bed, those huge big ones
in the dirt or flowers..I back off and let them run ...of I relocate the ones
like the garden spider in the photo I took..they are intelligent because the
striped garden spider will return from the woods where I take it and rebuild
almost in the same spot within 24 hours..

I pick up granddaddy spiders out of porch and I heard the other day they are one of the
most poisonous spiders...BUT because their mouths are so SMALL they can not bite you
is that true?

Oh almost forgot I have seen mosquitos this winter and we got down to ll degrees one night
and several nights in the twenties and thirties..for weeks..

I dread them coming out full force in march till November each year
I contracted encephalitis as a 8 year old from them on the east coast
of south Carolina growing up there..can happen anywhere..

My total recovery was totally due to God and Jesus Christ...
the prayers sent up to God in the name of his son Jesus Christ
from neighbors and those attending
our Christian church..

I enjoyed hearing from all of you.
thanks,
Sheri in Alabama
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Feb 6, 2015 10:44 AM CST
Name: tarev
San Joaquin County, CA (Zone 9b)
Give PEACE a chance!
Adeniums Cat Lover Garden Photography Region: California Houseplants Plays in the sandbox
Orchids Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Composter Cactus and Succulents Dragonflies Hummingbirder
I see it like everything has its role to do.
Kind of like the praying mantis, people get mad at it after hearing it can attack a beautiful hummingbird, but it also does its role of eating the nasty bugs and insects, it is an omnivore. I love it when it is in my garden, I know it is my natural pest control of sorts.

Same with spiders, as long as they are outside, they can stay there, but I do really watch out for the black widow, we have them here. The brown recluse spider, that is the other poisonous one.

The snakes, again as long as they are outside and not inside my house, they can stay, but it is one of the creatures I truly fear. Mind you, I visit reptile shops and watch them safely there because I know they are on the other side of the glass. Truly interesting creatures. I know there are some rattlers around, my neighbor has warned me before, so I am very, very careful when I am clearing the dead leaves.

Maybe it is not a mosquito you saw, might be a crane fly, they look almost the same, ; I think mosquitoes are naturally dormant when temps go below 50F or is it 60F? Here in the West Coast, they carry the West Nile Virus. In my old home country, the Philippines, they carry a deadlier disease, Dengue fever. I am glad you recovered from encephalitis, that must have been too traumatic at your very young age.
Last edited by tarev Feb 6, 2015 10:48 AM Icon for preview
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Feb 6, 2015 11:45 AM CST
Name: Kabby
Lowndesboro, AL (Zone 8a)
Region: United States of America Region: Alabama Bookworm Cat Lover Dog Lover Butterflies
Tropicals Bulbs Lilies Birds Bee Lover Fruit Growers
Tarev nope it was a skeeter. When I wake up in the early am during the spring and summer to beat the AL heat, I spray with Deep Woods Off when I hit the bottom of the stairs. It's as necessary as a sunhat. Gone during the day only to emerge at dusk. They cannot tolerate wind so I look forward to breezy days.
It was pretty warm that day that they were out. Temps up to 65-70 this weekend and I will definitely be digging in the dirt again. Hurray!
Last edited by Kabby Feb 6, 2015 11:45 AM Icon for preview
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Feb 6, 2015 3:25 PM CST
Name: tarev
San Joaquin County, CA (Zone 9b)
Give PEACE a chance!
Adeniums Cat Lover Garden Photography Region: California Houseplants Plays in the sandbox
Orchids Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Composter Cactus and Succulents Dragonflies Hummingbirder
Oh, then it probably is if the temps are in that range..don't like them either. Thumbs down
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Feb 24, 2015 10:06 PM CST
Name: Marilyn
Kentucky (Zone 6a)
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
Region: United States of America Rabbit Keeper Hummingbirder Salvias Charter ATP Member Birds
Echinacea Butterflies Tender Perennials Bee Lover Container Gardener Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
tarev said:I usually run away if I see a snake..screaming!


I agree Crying Blinking
Welcome to the Agastache and Salvias Forum!

Hummingbirds are beautiful flying jewels in the garden!


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Feb 25, 2015 7:44 PM CST
Name: Philip
Ireland,.The Midlands. (Zone 8a)
Amaryllis Roses Lilies Hostas Dog Lover Dahlias
Cottage Gardener Clematis Cat Lover Garden Photography Cactus and Succulents Seed Starter
Hi Sheri,
You made me smile with your good deed with the snake and an attractive snake i must say,..we are supposed to be free of snakes in Ireland however i have come across a few under galvanized sheeting during summer time,..small pencil size grass snakes,..they also have them in England,..you would expect not to have them here as its a colder climate,..well done with helping the snake.

Philip
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