A Serpent in Paradise

I always wake up early and as soon as I stir inside the house my animals - a dog and a cat - let me know they expect me to come out and say "good morning" and give them some food. So the other morning it was just after 5am when I switched on the outside light and went along to the pen where the cat is usually penned at night. She had refused to come in the previous night but was frisking along at my heels this morning. When we were almost at the pen the dog jumped sharply back and I took a second look at what was ahead. Part way up the side of the pen and along a cross piece was a snake!

I don't like snakes - in fact I am frightened of them! I grew up in New Zealand where there are no "nasties" like snakes and I have never got used to them up close. At that hour of the morning what was I to do? I waited until nearly 6:30 and the snake hadn't moved. I phoned friends that I know are early risers and talked to my friend's husband. He asked what color and shape it was and told me I didn't have to worry because it was only a python of some kind - not poisonous and not dangerous! I had already worked that one out! (Isn't google wonderful at ID-ing strange creatures!) When I told him I was still frightened he told me he would come around in a while - and he did!  This is Graham, Sarah's husband. and as you can see he was not at all worried by the snake - and as you can see by the grin on his face he thought I was quite funny! Anyway he put the snake in a bag and took it away and released it well away from houses.

Sarah suggested the title for this post. She is an artist and I appreciate how her view of the world makes me take a second look at things and see them from a different perspective. We often go kayaking or hiking. While I watch and photograph the birds moving around and am delighted with their color and pattern she goes looking at vegetation and comes back with detailed photos of small and delicate plants - with a bleached bone sheltered underneath the foliage! I think she would like me to find the things that are less than perfect as well as the very beautiful things around where we live.

For more photos from around the world visit Our World Tuesday