sorry, I’ve been there. I’d like to say that I manfully cut that sucker in half with the hedge clippers when I found myself eyeball to eyeball with a snake perched in my hollies.
nope. I departed the area with great alacrity, abandoning the hedge clippers to their fate. my wife said I also screamed like a girl, but I doubt her version of events. she was doubled over laughing for quite some time afterwards. I suspect it effected her memory.
Don’t feel bad. Our atavistic fear of/aversion to snakes goes back to Garden of Eden.
Well done, because one can’t always have a spade or machete at hand when doing yard work. Dead snake = good snake.
JB,
I sincerely hope that your hollies emerged unscathed. I think it would probably hurt to get bitten in the hollies...
MWBIAW
Came across a baby (12” or so) Copperhead at a park trail here in North Alabama about a month ago. It actually seemed either really agitated or aggressive. Came right up to my shoe and lifted its head...like it sensed the body heat at my ankle or something. I just watched it close and off it went.
LOL! Good story in comment #13. Thanks!