A Face Only a Mother Could Love??

More from my weekend at Lightfoot Bay.....

On my morning walk, I saw a small garter snake lounging in a sun spot aside the trail. She was stretched out in a C shape, head raised off the ground. Having the camera with me I took several pictures of her, all the while keeping my distance.

I have a love/hate relationship with snakes or being completely honest, I am frightened of them. I avoid pictures of them in books, flipping the pages quickly as if the snake could jump off the page and on to my lap. I always wear shoes when walking outside, just in case. It is irrational I know, considering my actual face to face encounters with snakes are few. I can count on two hands the number of times I have seen snakes in person.

But I must admit I am fascinated with the garter snake. Perhaps it is due to its petite size and pretty yellow/black striped body. It doesn’t have a ferocious look about it that you see with the hognose snake we have here in Michigan. In fact, up close their face has a gentle, quiet demeanor.

  

That said I still have no interest in getting closer or even handling that snake, taking the “I won’t bother you if you don’t bother me” position with them. Snakes play an essential role in the environment by controlling the rodent population.  But for me, the snake will remain best observed from a distance.