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!
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