I DON'T DO SNAKES!!! (Long post)

It's getting hot here, folks! Really humid. And when you get up to pee use the ladies room in the middle of the night, and you can't see out of the window because it is steamed up on the outside,

Photo by lyle58.

you just know you aren't going to do fence painting in the morning! It's the kind of day when Kit Kat bars die a horrible death if not eaten quickly (or if left in your purse in a hot car.) I did not do that!

Photo by princess_of_llyr.

A day when, nobody and nothing has the energy to move.

Photo by afagen.

Almost Grown wasn't the slightest bit disappointed about the not painting part, since both of us have very sore and tired arms from our efforts so far. There actually has been progress. We got the first coat on the entire fence. Now it just needs the finishing coat. (Coat?? Ack!! It's too hot for a coat!)

Before

Now

More After

We had to postpone painting for a day or so last week because of thunderstorms, so we decided that even if the fence was too wet, we'd attend to the lawns that needed mowing and edging. I mowed, she edged. Her arms gave out after tackling the backyard, with all of it's trees to weedwack around. I mowed the backyard (except for the low spot with standing water!) and went on to mow most of the front yard sections.

As I started on the last little triangle section next to my studio, it happended. I mowed a snake. I MOWED OVER A FRICKIN' SNAKE!!

I hate snakes! We don't have or allow snakes in Hawaii where I grew up. I don't think anyone should allow snakes! Eeew and Yuck and Shriek!

I saw it as I came around for the second pass at the perimeter. There in the grass, a black and brown coil of snake. I about drove the zero-turn mower off into the forest when I realized what it was. I wasn't sure if it was dead, but it was bloody and part of it was about 3 feet from the rest of it!

(No pictures... it's just too gross!)

I made up my mind (and girded my loins) to run the coil over again when I came to that spot, but when the time came, my hands pushed the control arms of the mower and I lurched off in another direction like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at Disneyland! I'm such a coward, but I bet not many people have seen my famous zig zag mowing pattern!

Another pass, and I noticed that the coil was pissed and moving! Oh cr*p! I'm not sure what it was I mowed off the bugger, but he was miffed to say the least, so I'm thinking I did not get his head. I did finish the mowing, but there is a distinct hi-lo texture to the area!

A liberal application of chocolate (and calling Stud Muffin at work to eeew and yuck and shriek) and I felt a bit better. He wants me to carry a gun when I go off into the forest (or the front yard) and I can just imagine myself shooting holes along the lawn defending myself from sticks, spindly shrubs and such.

My garden is flourishing, and the peas have gone bonkers!

The peppers are peppering.

The spaghetti squash is squashing (and escaping it's bed!)


These are Oregon Sugar Pod II and they are by far the most prolific edible pod pea I planted this year.

Oregon Sugar Pod II

Peas harvested just today.

Everyday, AG and I harvest more peas and yet they keep on coming! So, I wandered into to town to the local farm stand set up in an abandoned gas station and asked if they wanted to buy my peas.

AG says I'm a "creeper" for taking a drive-by photo!

They did, and in true country style, I left the peas (four little square boxes) for them to sell, and would come back later to get paid. AG and I went to see the Sex in the City movie (fun) and returned later. They hadn't sold any peas (I don't think rednecks know what snow peas are,) but wanted to pay me for them anyway.

We negotiated a 50/50 split and so, dear readers, I have made my first "farm income!" All $6 worth! I'm struttin' now!! I must be a real farmer if I sold something grown on my property, right?

Oh! And my road guy brought over his big ass dozer so he can start on the road next week (if it doesn't rain.)



I think the dozer knows it's too hot too, or maybe it is hiding from the snake like I am!