Hi,
No pictures this time, just a story. Our computer is temporarily packed up at the moment so I brought my work laptop home. We just sanded our floors this weekend. They are looking AWESOME. We just have a little more touch up sanding to do and then we will put the polyurethane on them. Then we will move upstairs while we put in egress windows and carpet in the basement. We are getting a lot closer!
Now for the snake story. On Wednesday the kids weren't feeling well. Audra was exhausted too, so I took some sick time to come watch the kids. Elsa was really tired and she usually falls asleep during a long drive. I offered to take the kids for a drive while Audra slept. We went for a drive, but Elsa didn't fall asleep. After reaching the base of the mountain, I decided I should let the kid out to wander for a little bit. There is a really nice trail (cattle trail) at the base of the mountain that goes up a canyon. I knew the place had rattle snakes so I decided we would only go about 30 or 40 yards up the trail to the small bridge. We picked up some rocks and threw them off the bridge. We saw some wildflower just on the other side of the bridge so I asked Elsa if we should pick some for Audra. She agreed so we trekked up a small hill to get some wildflowers. Gibson and I went a few steps off the trail to pick the wildflowers. Just as we finished picking the flowers, Elsa called out "look Dad, a snake". To my horror, I turned around to see Elsa three feet away from a coiled up hissing rattle snake with its rattle abuzz. I told Elsa to come to me as I grabbed Gibson and raced to her. Luckily it was Elsa and not Gibson who saw the snake. Gibson has a fascination with anything that moves, and he probably would have tried to pick it up. I have not had that much adrenaline pumping through me in a long time. I promptly tried to hold Gibson while I threw rocks at the snake. Sadly it managed to get away. I am normally a peaceful person, but when it comes to rattle snakes I don't have a problem killing them. I am really glad Elsa saw it because it blended in with the rocks really well. Anyway, I was super paranoid as I walked the kids back to the car. I kept expecting to see another snake. On our walk back to the car Elsa had all sorts of questions about the snake. I managed to tell her that it was a grumpy snake and that is why we had to leave because it was not being nice. Elsa then told me "Dad, we should go buy a real snake in a box and take it to the grumpy snake so it can have a nice friend. Then it won't be a grumpy snake anymore." If only life's problems could be solved so simply.
We decided it would be safer to go to the dinosaur track site instead. The kids had a great time at the Dinosaur track site. We collected some more fossils (not dinosaur fossils) and Audra got her nap. Gibson even managed to say something like "fossil" by the end of it. He kept picking up dirt and showing it to me. Elsa managed to discern the fossils from the dirt in the end pretty well. I don't think she quite figured out what the dinosaur footprints were though. She couldn't find them on her own. All in all it was a pretty exciting day.
Just a plug for all you relatives, we have a really cool dinosaur track site near by and we have a large enough house to accommodate visitors comfortably now.
No pictures this time, just a story. Our computer is temporarily packed up at the moment so I brought my work laptop home. We just sanded our floors this weekend. They are looking AWESOME. We just have a little more touch up sanding to do and then we will put the polyurethane on them. Then we will move upstairs while we put in egress windows and carpet in the basement. We are getting a lot closer!
Now for the snake story. On Wednesday the kids weren't feeling well. Audra was exhausted too, so I took some sick time to come watch the kids. Elsa was really tired and she usually falls asleep during a long drive. I offered to take the kids for a drive while Audra slept. We went for a drive, but Elsa didn't fall asleep. After reaching the base of the mountain, I decided I should let the kid out to wander for a little bit. There is a really nice trail (cattle trail) at the base of the mountain that goes up a canyon. I knew the place had rattle snakes so I decided we would only go about 30 or 40 yards up the trail to the small bridge. We picked up some rocks and threw them off the bridge. We saw some wildflower just on the other side of the bridge so I asked Elsa if we should pick some for Audra. She agreed so we trekked up a small hill to get some wildflowers. Gibson and I went a few steps off the trail to pick the wildflowers. Just as we finished picking the flowers, Elsa called out "look Dad, a snake". To my horror, I turned around to see Elsa three feet away from a coiled up hissing rattle snake with its rattle abuzz. I told Elsa to come to me as I grabbed Gibson and raced to her. Luckily it was Elsa and not Gibson who saw the snake. Gibson has a fascination with anything that moves, and he probably would have tried to pick it up. I have not had that much adrenaline pumping through me in a long time. I promptly tried to hold Gibson while I threw rocks at the snake. Sadly it managed to get away. I am normally a peaceful person, but when it comes to rattle snakes I don't have a problem killing them. I am really glad Elsa saw it because it blended in with the rocks really well. Anyway, I was super paranoid as I walked the kids back to the car. I kept expecting to see another snake. On our walk back to the car Elsa had all sorts of questions about the snake. I managed to tell her that it was a grumpy snake and that is why we had to leave because it was not being nice. Elsa then told me "Dad, we should go buy a real snake in a box and take it to the grumpy snake so it can have a nice friend. Then it won't be a grumpy snake anymore." If only life's problems could be solved so simply.
We decided it would be safer to go to the dinosaur track site instead. The kids had a great time at the Dinosaur track site. We collected some more fossils (not dinosaur fossils) and Audra got her nap. Gibson even managed to say something like "fossil" by the end of it. He kept picking up dirt and showing it to me. Elsa managed to discern the fossils from the dirt in the end pretty well. I don't think she quite figured out what the dinosaur footprints were though. She couldn't find them on her own. All in all it was a pretty exciting day.
Just a plug for all you relatives, we have a really cool dinosaur track site near by and we have a large enough house to accommodate visitors comfortably now.
12 comments:
Wow, it seems everyone has a snake story and now you do too. Glad it had a happy ending.
I would have been terrified if my kids had bee close to a snake! We loved seeing the dinosaur tracks when we visited. Lots of fun!
Few things are scarier than snakes! And, a rattlesnake is high on the list of things I hope I never encounter! Be careful. Elsa was very lucky. I'm surprised the snake moved away instead of attacking! Happy endings are good!
Oh my gosh!! I am not sure I would even know what to do in that situation! Thank goodness Elsa didn't get hurt and good thing you don't have a problem hurling rocks at a snake. I could see Deb doing that too :)
Oh my goodness I can imagine the site. What an eventful trip I'm so glad that Elsa didn't catch the gumpiness from the snake.
CRAZY!!! I always think it's a matter of time before this happens back at the ranch... I have made mental game plans as to where the ambulance could meet us in the event that someone got bit by a rattlesnake. Truckstop seems about half way, right? :)
Ok, now I know who to send to the cellar when I need something to cook. You can throw rocks at the rattlesnakes for me. tee hee
Good job protecting your children.
YIKES I hate grumpy snakes!!
I HATE SNAKES!!! I am so glad that Elsa didn't get bit, that gives me the heeby-geebies just thinking about it. Never take me there when I finally come to your house.
I love the 'grumpy snake' story! I wouldn't have come up w/ that...and probably would have screamed and scared my kids in the process! Good thinking on your part!
-Claudia
I have come across too many grumpy snakes here on the farm and couldn't be happier that I have not seen any this year. (YET!) We had three last summer. Reed killed one, I killed a baby one and threw rocks at a 4ft one. I don't scream anymore when I come across one, but I still get nauseous.
Holy SNAKES! I would have completely freaked out... and my kids would probably be upset for the rest of their lives! That is just insane! I hate all snakes... the grumpy ones.. and even the happy ones. The only good snakes are dead snakes in my opinion! :)
I am SO GLAD! everything turned out ok! And also that Audra got a nap! Thats pretty important too! :)
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