The good, the bad, and the unfortunate

And sometimes they are all the same.

Some of you follow on Facebook, and you read my post from last night.  When we returned from the Community Club meeting, we faced all three.

First - the meeting went well.  The King Ranch Chicken was well received even though we had a pan and a half left.  The Bingo game was a little messed up.  We had mixed two inexpensive game sets.  So the numbers I used were less that the game cards, but it was fun even  though it was HOT.  We had 101 in this area yesterday, and the same if predicted for today.

Now last night.  The first thing was the pigs on the road.  You probably have heard of feral pigs.  They are a real problem here in Texas, and in the South for that matter.  They can be dangerous.

Usually, they are a little reclusive.  AND they aren't usually seen around here in the day time.  Well, that is changing.  G has seen them out in the day twice now.  The first time they ran when they heard him.  The other day, he fired the revolver at them (with rat shot so he knew it wouldn't do anything just hoped to scare them away).  They didn't move.  They are getting gutsy.  This may happen more often in places where people live because they are used to people.  Not around here though.

Last night there were three "piglets" on the road into our place.  They were rather close to the house.  These were like teen aged pigs.  I will bet they could be breeding at their size.  The fact they were fairly close and not afraid of the truck really scares me.  I don't want to be out at night (and now day) and come upon a herd of them.  They can and are vicious.  Their tusks can slice and tear.  I am really glad we are putting up a fence that it hog proof - or as much so as it can be.  When we get another dog, there isn't as much danger of the pigs being around.

Then when G was going to open the back sliding glass door, there was a snake right outside the door.  It had darker diamond shaped markings.  In this country, you don't take much time to check it out completely when it is right outside your door.

I was getting out of the truck with the partial tray of food when he told me to get back in the truck.  That was because the snake was headed for me.  It left the deck and headed for under the truck.  To cut to the chase, it stayed around.

G got the shot gun, and dispatched the snake.  This is where it becomes a story of the good and the unfortunate.  It was a good snake.  But we measured it this morning.  It was four feet long plus.  We are pretty sure it was a coachwhip.  They are beneficial.  But any snake that is against the door on the deck isn't necessarily a good snake.  Our hunter has been really snake wary these days.  Between him and G, the high weeks are kept low around the house and cabin.

Do I wish the snake had gotten away.  Absolutely.  I have a great fear of snakes that I have tried and tried to get over through the years.  It is still there, although not as bad.  When I was a young kid, I couldn't even tough the PICTURE of a snake.

It probably stems from the time when my parents and I lived in the country.  I was about 4 and followed my dad out  to check on the turkeys we had at the time.  When I would get scared, I would squat down and freeze.  This night it was a great thing.  Between me and my dad was a large rattle snake.  Somehow who ever went first managed to get around it.  I have been afraid of snakes since.

So what would have seemed like not a real problem is a big one.  Those pigs are going to grow and reproduce.  They are closer to the house than ever.  They are dangerous.  The snake was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Both situations are sad.

I really had too close a relationship with wildlife last night - even for me who basically trained as a wildlife biologist!