SSSSSSnake!

Today our friend Maura came over to graze the sheep for a bit early this morning. I was working on a website but joined her later in mid-morning with some cold watermelon for us and the dogs.

On the way out to the pasture I saw a snake in the path. I startled, took a few steps back, and waited to see what it was doing (it looked like it was going into a hole) but I quickly realized that it was not moving... at all... so I gave it a shove with a stick. Nothing. Dead. A quick flip and I discovered why. Snakes don't generally live long without a head. I didn't know what got it but it looked to be a pretty violent end for the snake. The thought occurred to me that the thing looked like it had been pulled down a mole hole or something, but I couldn't imagine a mole doing that kind of damage. Oh well... off to the pasture we went to consider the mystery.

Cedar raced over to greet me. I am one of her favorite few people. Food has a lot to do with it. Cedar was shy as a pup with a weakness for food that I exploited shamelessly - I fully admit it. She's always happy to see me now. :) I put my chair in the shade and we said our good mornings, the dogs greeted each other, and then Maura filled me in on her creepy morning.

Maura had apparently come upon the snake when she was bringing the sheep out to pasture. She saw it out of the corner of her eye and it struck at her. She scooped up Dane (her "great" new border collie pup - 10 weeks old now) and tossed her in the duck pen and grabbed some implements to do battle. A few rock tosses and it didn't get out of her way, a few sticks and nothing, so she finally killed it with a shovel. She was pretty shaken to have met up with it, and I don't blame her. The fact that it wouldn't back down or leave was disturbing. She buried its head - which is what I came upon.

Turns out she was right. I'm pretty sure that is a copperhead.