Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Did You Say Snake?



Just something for you to think (I mean squirm) about…….Just before going down to my parent’s home in Texas this weekend, my sister (K) called me and advised that a snake made its way through the garage, through the kitchen, and right into the family room, on the cool tile in our parent’s house.

The snake decided it was going to play tag with my sister (K).  When my sister (K) made the attempt to walk around the snake, it would lunge at her.  My sister (K) made a quick evaluation of the situation, realized there was only one thing close she could use to get past this snake.  It involved using a removable brass table top. She snatched up the brass table top, and placed it between her feet and the snake.  Success!!!!!  My sister (K) was able to get past the snake and to the garage to snatch up the shovel.   I told her she should have used the gun on the little booger and take care of him permanently.  But then again, we are trying to fix up our parent’s home and sell it, so that would defeat the purpose.  Who would want a bullet ricocheting off of the tile or furniture??  It was just an entertaining thought……what can I say, we just needed a little excitement. 

My sister (K) hit the snake once close by its head, just enough to knock him out.    She then proceeded to pick him up with the shovel, making sure her hands were far enough away from his body while holding the shovel.  She opened the back door and tossed him outside on the patio, just before the pool.  She went back inside to get her cell phone and take pictures.  After snapping a picture, one of those big turkey vultures swooped down and picked up that snake for an appetizer.  Bulldog Man identified the snake as being a King snake, last year we had a rattle snake in the garage.
 
The snake on the cool tile in the family room.
 
The snake on the patio with a shovel mark behind his head.


*****
Garden Update, today I harvested part of my red potatoes from the garden.    


My green beans, strawberries, tomatoes, tomatillos, and herbs are still growing.  Everything else in the garden has pretty much died up, or I’ve pulled it out of the garden beds to prep the area for winter.

My first attempt at making salsa Verde with my recent harvest of tomatillos came out good.
 
Only made two pints, and placed them in the refrigerator.  Next time, I will can a batch for winter.
Bulldog Man gave me 4 paws up on the recipe.

My Salsa Verde Recipe
1 ½ pounds of tomatillos
½ white onion
2 cloves garlic (add as much as you like)
½ lime (juice only)
1 jalapeño (seeded and membrane removed)
1 handful of cilantro
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
Directions
Place everything in a food processor and chop to your desired texture.  Serve with tortilla chips, or place on tacos, or burritos.
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27 comments

  1. Quick thinking on your sister's part.

    When I was a child a big black snake had me blocked in the chicken house. He climbed over the door way and would strike every time I tried to leave. I even tried to go out the hen door to their yard...I wasn't that small. No one was home so I kept him busy by tempting him. Finally Mom and my cousin Virginia came home. I was yelling in the chicken house. Virginia quickly killed the snake. I thought that day I didn't want Virginia mad at me.

    I was honored by having my picture in the paper holding the snake. It was over six feet long. In defense of small town papers a six foot snake IS news.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gail,

      Yes, she was quick on her feet!!! She always is :-)

      In small towns snake news is news!!!! You did good as a kid keeping that snake busy until help arrived. Do you know what type of snake it was?

      Delete
  2. I don't know what is worse that and having to chase it down and dispatch it or finding the skin and wondering where it is, ha. Glad you guys are safe!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 1st Man,

      What is worse is having the snake take off inside your home and not finding it. You have to sleep with one eye open, and one eye closed......LOL!!!

      Yes, we have to always be aware and cautious here at our parents home because they do live out in the country. All kinds of wild life out here.

      Delete
  3. King snakes are one of the most beneficial snakes out there. They will even go after a rattlesnake. They keep your place free of rodents, too. They are docile and non poisonous. We were always happy to see them because we knew they would keep other snakes away......and they are beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tewshooz,

      I agree with you on King snakes being beneficial. However, my sister hate's all snakes.

      Delete
    2. Thanks Tewshooz, now the sister can enjoy a rattler moving in to replace the King snake. Have fun with that.

      Delete
  4. The salsa verde looks and sounds very good. I raised tomatillos one year and didn't know what to do with them.....never grew them again.

    That snake in the house gives me the creeps.....we got one in our house on the previous farm and I couldn't relax for months, even though we found and dispatched it. I carried it in curled beneat the trash can.

    Good luck with the house project.

    Beautiful background on your blog!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glenda,

      This was my first year growing Tomatillos. I had to research on the internet when to harvest them.

      Yes, snake in the house gives me creeps too!!!! Even though this was a King snake, my sister hates snakes so he ended up dead.

      Thank you, were getting our parents home finished so we can sell it. Both our parents recently passed away.

      This background on my blog is actually a format you can find on blogger.

      Delete
  5. Way to go (K)! Better her then me, you could hear me scream all the way to Oklahoma!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Izzy,

    LOL!!!!!! My sister (K) and you have something in common :P

    ReplyDelete
  7. Count me in as one who has a fear of snakes. If I knew a snake was in the house, I'd have to move! I think I might have been traumatized at a young age. Don't remember just how old I was . . . maybe 7 or 8 . . . but we went to visit friends of my folks in a nearby town and when we arrived, they told us not to be upset, but their son's pet snake had gotten loose in the house the night before and they'd not been able to find it. It was not a good situation for me, needless to say!

    I've been interested in reading about the tomatillos you grew this year. I would hardly know one if I met it!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Mama Pea,

    I've counted you in :-)
    Girl, I wouldn't be able to sleep either if I knew a snake was slithering around in the house.

    Tomatillos actually look like a tomato, only their green in color, and have a husk over the actual fruit. They originated in Mexico, and are eating raw or cooked. My preference is roasted. The tomatillo is part of the gooseberry family. They come in several actual colors green, yellow, red, or purple in color. They're very mild to the taste, to spice it up when making a sauce I generally use a hot pepper like jalapeno.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I agree that King snakes are one of the most beneficial to have around .... outside the home. My Dad accidentally killed one w/the bush hog recently & he wasn't happy. Rattle snakes are abundant in the country so it's good to have the good ones around ... outside.

    Thanks for sharing the tomatillo salsa verde recipe. Those are pretty easy to grow in this area ... or so I've heard.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DFW,

      Yes they are beneficial to have around, that is if you can tolerate snakes. My sister hates any kind of snake. She always states a good snake is a dead snake. A while back we had a rattle snake make it into the garage.

      Tomatillos are easy to grow however you need to be careful the worms love them.

      Delete
  10. the king snake can live all it wants to outside the house... lol We have a resident one that inhabits the garden. But, from what I understand they also love chicken eggs, and the minute I see him in my coops he is outta here....

    Glad to hear you guys are getting your parents house in shape...
    Love to you and BDM


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JUGM,

      Sure it can!!!! That is if you're okay with snakes. My sister hates snakes therefore, a dead snake is better than one that's alive, lol......

      Our parents home is getting into order, slowly.

      Love to you and Senior

      Delete
  11. That's an unwelcome visitor.

    That email address you asked for is philipnolan1953@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Harry,

      You can say that again!!!!

      Thanks, I sent you an e-mail.

      Delete
  12. I understand that king snakes are beneficial. But they're still snakes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rev. Paul,

      So true my friend. My sister's motto, a dead snake is a good snake!!!

      Delete
  13. A lunging snake? Not exactly heartening. I would have kabonked it too. Nice potatoes though!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Leigh,

      Yes he lunged!!! Any snake needs to be kabonked as far as my sister is concerned. Thank you, love me some home grown taters :-)

      Delete
  14. Oh, yuck! I just hate snakes, Sandy.
    I do love seeing your wonderful harvest though.
    I've harvested a few tomatoes from our pots and plenty of herbs, but that's the size of it. Until I get a green house it is useless to attempt much more here.
    Good luck getting your folks place ready for sale!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kimberly,

      I'm not a big fan of them, and my sister hates them. It doesn't matter if the snake is a good snake, it's a snake......she would rather them dead.

      This years garden wasn't as productive as my past gardens because I didn't dedicate the time needed because we were dealing with a sick parent.
      Your pots produced some great tomatoes and herbs, I agree you need a greenhouse up there with that dramatic weather.
      Thank you my friend, my parents house is coming along, and soon will be up on the market. Hopefully then things will slow down!

      Delete

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