A Serpent in the Garden, But No Innocence Lost

Sadie and I were outside in our backyard, and I was pulling some really big weeds, when I saw a olive and yellow striped tail wiggling away into the overgrowth. A garter snake! Sadie and I watched with interest and excitement as Nature brought a live show to our home. Sadie made certain to share her Wiggles/Crocodile Hunter-gained wisdom about snakes: You can look, but you'd better not touch!

After the snake got tired of entertaining us with his tongue-flicking ways, he slithered off into a gap in the stone wall that serves as a patio border. How cool! We also saw a beautiful ladybug outside, the reddest one I've ever seen. Being outside with kids is an experience steeped in wonder. I thank God for these magic times.

Garter Snake
Photo from The Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management