Sunday Snake

I tell you, there's nothing like an unexpected sighting, especially when it happens right outside your door! I had mentioned to my mom that she should toss the fresh corn husks from our dinner out for the critters here. She went out the back door, tossed one over the railing, and the wind took it down. She happened to look where it landed, and realized she'd hit this snake with it, lol! He froze, she called me, and we stood on the deck trying to determine what sort of snake it was, since half of him was under sagebrush. After some minutes, he finally moved, and we could see he was safe (well, except to all the little critters who are coming to get the seed). I believe he's a Great Basin Gopher Snake. He slithered off, I went inside, but then thought I'd check one more time, and was lucky enough to catch him again. Had one chance at a sunlight shot, which is the last one here.

It may sound strange, but it was an honor to watch him in his stillness. I've written about snakes here before, Snake Medicine, and was quite happy to have one show up in my life again:-) And while the idea of him hunting the little creatures who come here for seed isn't as appealing, I feel it's all part of the circle of life, and he needs to eat, too.