It's snake time in the garden, be careful. - Page 3

tam91 · May 1, 2011

Tarantulas are ok. They're pretty friendly, we used to let them walk around on us.

Coral snake etc.... not so much.

fortyonenorth · May 1, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by tam91

I used to play with them, make 'em strike a stick so the tourists could take pictures. Yes, I was crazy. Hmmm... maybe stupid? Anyway, I always won, and they made great hatbands.

You can't just make a comment like this without explanation - or did I miss something earlier in the thread? I know you're not snake charming in Crystal Lake - was this a previous "wild" life of yours?

Irv Wiseguy · May 1, 2011

Corona Barb,

It might have been someone's escaped pet; I don't know. Last year we had a green parakeet hang around our bird feeder for a few days and a few years ago a neighbor's chicken jumped over a few fences and ended up in my yard!

I didn't see any rattle at the tail, but I didn't specifically look for one. I suppose it could have been a baby rattle snake that hadn't grown any rattles yet. I don't know how realistic rattle snakes are portrayed in the movies, but they're always coiled up and in a strike pose in every Western I've seen. The yellow and white snake in my yard was just lying still and straight, not coiled up at all. I think it was young because it looked less than a foot long.

If I see it again I'll try to get a picture, but this is the first time in 20 years here that I've seen a snake of any kind in my yard!

Thanks,

Irv

brokenbar · May 2, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by fortyonenorth

You can't just make a comment like this without explanation - or did I miss something earlier in the thread? I know you're not snake charming in Crystal Lake - was this a previous "wild" life of yours?

I too had them as pets when I was a kid but there are poisonous varieties. They can crawl over you and are really very tame and friendly. I too had no idea that Illinois was a "hotbed of tarantula activity"! Is voodoo alive and well at Chrystal Lake? Was Tami a Voodoo apprentice?

Stay tuned for "The Rest Of The Story"!

recruiterg · May 2, 2011

One of the few positives of living in Minnesota is the fact that we don't have to deal with snakes. The only snake I have ever seen is a Garter Snake. My kids like to pick them up and play with them when they find them.

When I was younger, I lived in Taiwan for a while and they have a snake with a name that translates to "100 Pacer." If you get bit, you walk about 100 paces before you keel over and die. Glad I never ran into one of those...

tam91 · May 2, 2011

Oops, didn't mention a little detail

. I lived in the Arizona mountains for a while. Pretty wild up there - had a bear in the front yard, and a mountain lion in the back yard. Tarantulas were always around, and I did have a rattler on the front doorstep (no fair snakes before coffee, although I did wake up in a hurry). The one that I really did not care for was the scorpion - as he found me before I saw him. That wasn't so much fun.

When riding the horses on the dirt road, often there'd be a rattler and I'd flip him out of the bushes and get him to "pose" for the tourists photos. Luckily, unlike the scorpion, I always saw the snakes first.

tokizy · May 2, 2011

Nice thread. Just like most here and Indiana Jones, I hate snakes. I live outside of Atlanta and hope I don't see any in my raised beds or back yard.

To share sentiments I love the upstate region. I grew up in northern New Jersey and moved during high school to Atlanta. I travel for business in NY. I usually fly to Rochester and drive over to Albany and north of there to Saratoga Springs. Its one of my favorite areas, and if I could I would move there. I don't mind cold weather and snow.

Farmette · May 2, 2011

Hubby and I have been working on his family's genealogy lately. We will be in the northeastern states for awhile this summer and the genealogy is going to lead us to Kingsbury, Washington County, NY. I think this is around Hudson Falls...upper NY state, is it not? Hope so, because after reading this thread, I think we need to visit as it sounds so beautiful!

**carolyn137** · May 2, 2011

Tok, I live about one hour north of Albany on the Vt border so if you have any extra time you're more than welcome to stop by. Saratoga is just 40 min from me as well.

Farmette, Kingsbury and Queensbury are both built up/commercial suburbs of Glens Falls but are both historic in terms of setlement before Glens Fall grew larger and swalloed them. Yes, if you're in Hudson Falls you aren't too far away, but none of those are bucolic villages exuding charm.

To see that you've have to drive East over my way from there, about 45 minutes where I live in Washington Country to see some gorgeous scenery and small lovely villages. And you too have an invitation to stop by if in the area.

Hopefully summer and if I can get get my walker out to the deck and it is NOT black fly season we can sit and chat and you can enjoy the sound of the brook that runs by my deck that cascades over a 30 ft waterfall.

May 2, 2011

Carolyn.

How long and when is "Blackfly" season? They are biting, blood sucking insects aren't they? We have mosquitoes. Louisiana has love bugs (they will cover your windshield with goo in ten minutes) and I have been in NY state during Mayfly season. With the Mayfly's, I had to clean my windshield every 30 miles.

Ted

**carolyn137** · May 2, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedln

Carolyn.

How long and when is "Blackfly" season? They are biting, blood sucking insects aren't they? We have mosquitoes. Louisiana has love bugs (they will cover your windshield with goo in ten minutes) and I have been in NY state during Mayfly season. With the Mayfly's, I had to clean my windshield every 30 miles.

Ted

Black Fly season is usually from about mid-May until early July, it depends on each season. And yes, we have loads of mosquitoes here as well. And yes, those black Fly bites are bloody events and they get in your nose and ears and are just awful and the bites also are very itchy. SPme fp;ls even wear those veiled hats to keep them out of noses and ears and the long time residents here laugh a lot about that.

I've never seen Mayflies block a windshield but they sure make for a cheap trout fly.

tam91 · May 3, 2011

You make a great advertisement for a screen porch.

I'm somewhat obsessed at the moment, I would kill for a screen porch - I have misquitos most years that could carry you away.

barkeater · May 3, 2011

Ted,

Blackfly season ends when Deerfly season begins

KLorentz · May 3, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedln

Tam,

I would welcome you to Texas with fields of Bluebonnets.

and if you want to make an entire wardrobe from snakeskin, I will introduce you to this guy.

Ted

Nice Ted. Have not seen a site like that since I lived in Cali. Now about that old timer you have with the tongs.Boots etc? Nah I would have him relocated to live his life in peace.To good for rodent control.Just keep em away from people.

Kevin

Mark0820 · May 3, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by barkeater

Ted,

Blackfly season ends when Deerfly season begins

Deerfly are the worst. I'm glad I seldom see any in Cincinnati.

May 1, 2011	#31
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	Tarantulas are ok. They're pretty friendly, we used to let them walk around on us. Coral snake etc.... not so much. __________________ Tracy

May 2, 2011	#36
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	Oops, didn't mention a little detail . I lived in the Arizona mountains for a while. Pretty wild up there - had a bear in the front yard, and a mountain lion in the back yard. Tarantulas were always around, and I did have a rattler on the front doorstep (no fair snakes before coffee, although I did wake up in a hurry). The one that I really did not care for was the scorpion - as he found me before I saw him. That wasn't so much fun. When riding the horses on the dirt road, often there'd be a rattler and I'd flip him out of the bushes and get him to "pose" for the tourists photos. Luckily, unlike the scorpion, I always saw the snakes first. __________________ Tracy

May 2, 2011	#39
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Tok, I live about one hour north of Albany on the Vt border so if you have any extra time you're more than welcome to stop by. Saratoga is just 40 min from me as well. Farmette, Kingsbury and Queensbury are both built up/commercial suburbs of Glens Falls but are both historic in terms of setlement before Glens Fall grew larger and swalloed them. Yes, if you're in Hudson Falls you aren't too far away, but none of those are bucolic villages exuding charm. To see that you've have to drive East over my way from there, about 45 minutes where I live in Washington Country to see some gorgeous scenery and small lovely villages. And you too have an invitation to stop by if in the area. Hopefully summer and if I can get get my walker out to the deck and it is NOT black fly season we can sit and chat and you can enjoy the sound of the brook that runs by my deck that cascades over a 30 ft waterfall. __________________ Carolyn

May 3, 2011	#42
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	You make a great advertisement for a screen porch. I'm somewhat obsessed at the moment, I would kill for a screen porch - I have misquitos most years that could carry you away. __________________ Tracy

May 3, 2011	#43
barkeater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b Posts: 1,439	Ted, Blackfly season ends when Deerfly season begins __________________ barkeater

May 1, 2011	#33
Irv Wiseguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 281	Corona Barb, It might have been someone's escaped pet; I don't know. Last year we had a green parakeet hang around our bird feeder for a few days and a few years ago a neighbor's chicken jumped over a few fences and ended up in my yard! I didn't see any rattle at the tail, but I didn't specifically look for one. I suppose it could have been a baby rattle snake that hadn't grown any rattles yet. I don't know how realistic rattle snakes are portrayed in the movies, but they're always coiled up and in a strike pose in every Western I've seen. The yellow and white snake in my yard was just lying still and straight, not coiled up at all. I think it was young because it looked less than a foot long. If I see it again I'll try to get a picture, but this is the first time in 20 years here that I've seen a snake of any kind in my yard! Thanks, Irv

May 2, 2011	#35
recruiterg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Edina, MN (Zone 4) Posts: 945	One of the few positives of living in Minnesota is the fact that we don't have to deal with snakes. The only snake I have ever seen is a Garter Snake. My kids like to pick them up and play with them when they find them. When I was younger, I lived in Taiwan for a while and they have a snake with a name that translates to "100 Pacer." If you get bit, you walk about 100 paces before you keel over and die. Glad I never ran into one of those...

May 2, 2011	#37
tokizy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Dacula,GA Posts: 51	Nice thread. Just like most here and Indiana Jones, I hate snakes. I live outside of Atlanta and hope I don't see any in my raised beds or back yard. To share sentiments I love the upstate region. I grew up in northern New Jersey and moved during high school to Atlanta. I travel for business in NY. I usually fly to Rochester and drive over to Albany and north of there to Saratoga Springs. Its one of my favorite areas, and if I could I would move there. I don't mind cold weather and snow.

May 2, 2011	#38
Farmette Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 985	Hubby and I have been working on his family's genealogy lately. We will be in the northeastern states for awhile this summer and the genealogy is going to lead us to Kingsbury, Washington County, NY. I think this is around Hudson Falls...upper NY state, is it not? Hope so, because after reading this thread, I think we need to visit as it sounds so beautiful!

May 2, 2011	#40
tedln Guest Posts: n/a	Carolyn. How long and when is "Blackfly" season? They are biting, blood sucking insects aren't they? We have mosquitoes. Louisiana has love bugs (they will cover your windshield with goo in ten minutes) and I have been in NY state during Mayfly season. With the Mayfly's, I had to clean my windshield every 30 miles. Ted