Those Lazy Dazy Snakey Days of Summer

This is Herman. He's my pet snake, but I use the word "pet" loosely. He comes and goes at his leisure, which he seems to have a lot of.

I first discovered Herman at the beginning of summer, when the warm days were banishing me to the indoors. Herman's favorite chair is located on my front porch, which is shaded in afternoon. As you can see, he has a favorite pillow, and it was beneath that pillow, neatly lining the edge, that I first discovered evidence of Herman--his shed skin.

Then I spotted Himself a few days later, sunning himself on the arm of the wicker chair. He watched me, I watched him, and since neither of us seemed inclined to bother the other, we settled in to our own work. Herman has watched me paint a bench, sweep said porch many times, and answer many knocks of UPS and Fed Ex deliverymen. Herman is what I hope to be--mainly unflappable.

A couple of weeks ago, Herman left me another skin, this one artfully entwined among the wicker spokes of the back of the chair. So entwined was it that the lovely thing tore when I tried to pull it out to show the little boys across the street. (I daresay they think I'm the Science Lady. I've shown them pigeon eggs in my flower bed, ripe sunflower heads--even their Mom didn't know where sunflower seeds actually came from--and, of course, a dog large enough for them to ride.)

This morning Herman was waiting in his chair to greet me from my trip. I looked for him yesterday, but yesterday afternoon was rainy and damp, so Herman must have been holed up wherever he goes when he's not hanging out in his chair. He's been in the chair most of today, though. Wonder what he's thinking?

He's a lovely blue-eyed snake. I hope he stays around for a good long time.

~~Angie