Saving lives with the Spring Fever.

I am so ready for Spring.  So when the B E A U T I F U L snow came unexpectedly Thursday, I had mixed emotions.

But mostly, I felt exhausted and just wanted to sleep.  I chalked it up to Spring Fever.

So Friday, when the sun burst forth and the temp's rose up as they should in Spring, I was happy.  But still exhausted and just wanted to sleep. 

I figured if I could just get my hands in the dirt, prep my yard for planting flowers that I so love, I could move past the blues and exhaustion of winter. 

I finished up my work for the day and headed outside armed with my shovel.

I should interject here that I hate snakes.  The last time I encountered one we were living on the mountain.  He was in the road.  I was in my car. 

I ran over him about  a lot of  times, parked my car next to my front steps thrilling my husband that I made a driveway in our grass, and called Rex to rescue me.

Back to the saving lives part.

I dug up the ugly flower bed, turned over the sod, threw out the yucky dead grass (into our creek- not sure I should do that) when I noticed the rocks weren't in a perfect circle. 

Now I have the least OCD of my siblings, but some things just have to be right.  That's when I saw him.  He slithered out from between the two rocks and I saw tail and stripes. 

For a minute, I thought R-U-N.  But I'm a momma and we live in a farmhouse now and there are woods and creeks and all sorts of living creatures and what would my sons think if I took off screaming.  In a split second, I decided I must be super mom, find my courage and kill this snake.  My boys lives depended on it, (and mine) 

I flashed back to childhood when my own momma killed a snake in our front yard. If she could do it, so could I.

It must have been a sight for the landscaper working at the church across the street. 

Wham, Wham Wham-- I got the tail- but that sinful creature was still hiding between those two rocks. 

I gathered my courage and slid the rock over (with my shovel) and there he was.  Wack,  Wham, Wack!   Take that!

I was feeling pretty good- getting that shovel in such a small space. 

I got him. 

Dead. 

But that tail was still wiggling for all it was worth. 


And then I looked closer.

Turns out, it wasn't a snake. 
It was a lizard. 

Turns out my exhaustion wasn't Spring Fever, it was a real fever.

With my fever and the creatures gone I know just what to do.

Let's plant some flowers!

(but I'll be keeping my shovel close just in case)

Happy Spring y'all!