Nature almost struck

*playing the Sneaky Snake song in my head as I type this.*

Coming back to Highlands after dinner one Saturday I saw a snake just disappear into the barn, right across from the door to the trailer.  Dammit.  "Snake" I yell.  "I think its just a rat snake though".  Mark:  "Oh yeah?  Where is it?  You mean this one in here?  RATTLING it's tail and coiling up like it's about to strike?!"  Yeah, I guess that's the one...

Ten tense minutes, much yelling at Mark not to get bit (from a safe distance over by the truck), and a sharp hoe blade later...

And Mr Snake met his untimely end.

In the morning, the body was gone, but the head remained. 

 *shiver*

I'm just not in the mood for all this nature.  It's their land, not mine.  Their ecosystem.  They know all the hiding places and have the best defense weapons. We are the ones who allowed the mice to find a cozy home in the barn with the damn birdseed.  Mark and I are sorely outnumbered.  Possibly outsmarted.  And holy hell, I'm not in the mood to retire to Snake Hill.