Friday, July 13, 2012

Mrs. HM Or Mother Teresa?

The Pony and I saw another snakey friend this afternoon on the gravel road. He wasted no time in slithering across dusty rocks and up into the woods. He was not big. Perhaps two feet long. He looked like a black snake, but I thought I detected a hint of blue along his underbelly. Which would make him a blue racer, according to Farmer H's older boys, when they used to go looking for such critters.

However...the blue racer is apparently an Eastern Yellow-Bellied Racer, according to the Missouri Conservation Department. Here's a link from their website. And a picture from my BFF, Google.

That little dude was movin'! According to The Pony, "I didn't know a snake could move so fast!" Perhaps that's why RACER is part of the name, huh?

I told The Pony that of course that snake was moving fast. People try to kill him and his kind every day. Just to be mean. Just to prove that a car is mightier than a snake. Because they have snake phobia. Because they think the snake is going to crawl up in the truck and bite them. I don't know why. But many a time I've seen vehicles stop, pop into reverse, and back up over a snake. Then pull forward, slam on the brakes, try to skid that snake into road butter. Takes all kinds, I guess.

I stopped to let that little racer pass. Not because I am a tree-hugging snake lover. Or so altruistic that I make Mother Teresa look like a selfish bully. But because I thought he was a black snake. And they eat rats.

Some vermin are more equal than others.


4 comments:

knancy said...

Here in West (by god) Virginia you do not kill black snakes. Copper heads, yes. That is from a native that has been chased by a racer in a cattle pasture. You really don't have time to kill one of those!

Sioux Roslawski said...

I never understand why people don't like snakes (such as the black snake) because snakes do their best to avoid people. Rats, on the other hand, have no problem infringing on our lives.

Go blue racer! Go blue racer! Go blue racer, goooo!

Chickadee said...

Ohhh I'm jealous! I don't think I've ever seen a Racer. And most snakes I know will eat rats, mice, voles and birds (I overlook this huge flaw because they do eat the other varmits).

The mean part of me wants to run the people over with my car when I see them run over a snake or shoot them when I hear they shoot a snake. Really want to do the eye for an eye thing.

Hillbilly Mom said...

knancy,
I'm glad I didn't climb out of T-Hoe for a closer look. Snake racing is for the birds!

***********
Sioux,
Who knew this scaly fellow was a cartoon inspiration? Not me, that's for sure.

***********
Chick,
Gosh! Let's hope you never hear of somebody skinning a snake and roasting it on a stick over the fire!