Yesterday I decided to go on a quick hike along one of the nature trails after work. It's something I do rather frequently. It's one of my main sources of these stories and photos. It's a good way to forget my troubles from a full day of work.Well, when I got there, I saw a man with two little kids. During the fall there are a lot more people out on these trails, looking at the changing colors. They were standing around looking at different things at the beginning of the trail. I thought nothing of it as I entered the trail and began to get my camera ready.
As soon as I started, they decided there was no better time to do the same. I have absolutely nothing against people and their kids, but I didn't want any company just right then. Especially two yelling, screaming little kids running in front of and behind me, while I was trying to get some pictures of nature scenery.
I thought about stopping to let them pass me, but then they slowed way down. I couldn't win! So I hurried up ahead hoping they would stay back there. I knew a place they wouldn't follow, but I had to get there before they saw me, and became curious. Please, any other time but this one. I wanted to be alone.
As I hurried down the trail, I saw a flash of movement under the fallen leaves at the edge of the trail. Instinctively I stopped to take a closer look, and maybe get a picture of whatever was moving. I figured it was maybe a rodent of some sort. Boy was I wrong!
It was the garter snake you see in these two pictures. I've seen snakes before, but I've never seen this one. I moved closer as stealthily as I could so as not to scare this creature away. It really wasn't having any of it. It did a good job of hiding. But not good enough.
I took the best pictures I could get, but the snake did have a good hiding place. Even so, I liked these two photos of this new garter snake. They show what you'll normally see when you are trying to get close to an animal when it doesn't want you there. I was hoping to get better shots, but these maybe show the reality of a typical animal sighting a little bit better.As I began to take a few more pictures, I heard the sound of running footsteps and the excited laughter of the two little kids coming up behind me. I figured it was time to leave, for the safety of this snake, and so I could get to my hiding place further down the path, before they saw me. Kids are sometimes way too curious for their own good, or mine.
In the end, I got away safely from the evil little menaces, and I think the snake did too. The whole thing gave me a thought though. I'll have to round up some of the kids in my family, and take them on a quiet tour of these fall trails. They'd have a good time learning about some of these things.
Until tomorrow, The Everyday Adventurer says goodbye, and the snake says ssssssss.
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Hi Ratty, I know what you mean about wanting to be alone to concentrate on those photos, but do you really think the kids are EVIL? Just because they were being noisy. The adult with them maybe was negligent or ignorant or both. Now squirrels in my garden? They are evil! ;-> Hope this doesn't offend you on my first visit to your blog and comment. :-)
ReplyDeleteFrances
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I'm glad you stopped by, Frances. Don't worry, I don't think kids are evil at all, not even the two in my post. I thought the story looked a little harsh too when I was writing it, but it was actually quite a comical situation for me. The kids were just having fun out in nature, like they should. I was actually glad to see kids out there.
ReplyDeleteSomething I didn't add in the post, was that I thought about waiting and showing them the snake. I decided not to, because I was in a hurry to see something else.
If you read some of my other stuff, you'll see that I try to add a little bit of odd humor here and there, to make things a little more entertaining. And I wasn't offended at all by your comment :) I welcome all comments, and yours was good and well thought out. Thanks.
By the way, as I said on your site, I really love your pictures of the waterfalls. Even though we have vast amounts of water here in Michigan, I've never see a waterfall here.