Do You have a Garden Companion?

[JimWWhite]

This is my buddy, Sneaky. Old Sneaky Snake's over 5 feet long and I often find him wrapped around the base of a planter box or in one of the blueberry bushes on one side of the garden. I think he's there because there are field mice that have set up home under some of the boxes. If so, then he's very welcome. I'd never hurt him and I know he won't hurt me unless I try to handle him and then he might chew on my arm but he's not poisonous. He's just a black rat snake. Beautiful animal. He's over 1-1/2 inches thick at his widest point. One day I was mowing around the garden and almost hit him with my riding mower. I was able to get it stopped in time and got off to chase him off but black snakes are like possums in that they freeze up when they get scared. That's why you see so many dead on the roads all the time. But I just reached down and picked him up by the tail and carried him over to the woods along the side of the yard and let him go. I'll find him in the garden many times during the spring and summer.

 

[AmyRey]

Oh Em Gee. I would FREAK out.

 

[thistlebloom]

I don't know why a husband wouldn't count, Mary. Still, I might take a 3 year-old as a better alternative .

Yes indeed! My 3-yr-old complains far less than the hubby. I make him run the tiller for me, then after that, it's my business.

Sorry to hear you lost your buddy Thistlebloom. They are cute dogs. I didn't know a coyote would kill another dog. :/ I lost my 13 yr old chow mix the week before Christmas too. That was HARD.

My boys used to help a lot in the garden, and they liked to grow mini pumpkins to sell for a little pocket jingle. Then they got older and developed what son #2 calls a "will of their own" . So I garden alone, except when my sweetie hauls a lawn chair over to keep me company.
It is difficult to lose a dog. I shed a few tears just loading little Mosleys picture. I really miss his sense of humor.
Sorry about your dog too. Thirteen years is a strong bond.

 

[digitS']

I am sorry about you losing one of your companions, Thistle! Mosley looks like a right fine pal to have had around.

When I was out in the country, Laddy, the neighbor's dog was often stopping by on his rounds. He was a very friendly guy and big! He was a collie/St. Bernard and somewhere between those two breeds in size.

The coyotes just beat the tar out of him one time. He was laid up so bad that we were afraid he was going to die. He survived but stayed much closer to home after that.

That Black Snake is my kind of garden buddy, Jim! I used to come across a Gopher Snake now and then and I found a little Brown Boa at the edge of the garden once! He was so tiny, however, I first thought he was an earthworm.

V, we are blessed with having the Western Bluebird and Mountain Bluebird with ranges that overlap here. However, I've gotta say that it has been years since I've seen a Mountain Bluebird!

Did you know that the Mountain Bluebird is Idaho's state bird? I'm not sure what the problem is with them. Maybe Thistle sees them where she lives. I think they don't like human communities - darn shame to have a state bird that doesn't like what the human residents are up to.

A Black Phoebe , Hoodat? Interesting that I am supposing that the Mountain Bluebird doesn't like our communities but the North American Phoebes are noted for their appreciation of living close to people.

Steve

edited to add this link to information on our local Boa. .

 

[jojo54]

Thanks for the nice comments about my blog Steve. I enjoy photography and thought it might be a nice way to play with my pics and exercise the brain at the same time.

Lulu is a ray of sunshine and alot of laughs both in the house and garden. :coolsun

Thistlebloom, sorry for the loss of your sweet pup. That was a neat photo of the two of them. Losing a friend is always tough.

 

[RustyDHart]

When I'm weeding or dead heading my Dahlias....the sheep run up to the fence between their pasture and my dahlia field...looking for a spent flower, a few weeds, a broken stem off a flower plant etc...They have 25 acres of pasture(s) and if I'm in the Dahlias... and they can see me....Look Out!!! They want to help.... maybe not help....they just want to munch down on the flowers. They get their treats....spoiled rotten woolies.

 

[thistlebloom]

Yes Steve, as a matter of fact we do see quite a few Mt. bluebirds out here. We also see the western bluebird, but it seems like not so many. I'd like to add to our nest boxes to encourage them to raise their babies here, they're so beautiful.

Jojo, I love the story about Lulu, chickens have a lot more going on than they get credit for. How sweet of you to give her a place in your home!

We get a few little snakes in the garden tho none as impressive as Jims. I like them even tho if they startle me I am apt to scream like a girl!

Your sheep are very cool Rusty. When I lived at home we kept an old ewe that would twin every year for my sisters and my 4H project. She was verrry stealthy about sneaking into the garden for an unscheduled snack!

I'm really enjoying this thread Steve, thanks for posting it!

 

[journey11]

That's a good garden pal to have around, Jim! We had a big one just like that, but he got too close to the swing set and met an unfortunate end. I regretted it the second we did it. I would have had to relocate him though, anyway.

Rusty, that is a really pretty picture with the sheep in the background. Makes me long for summer (and green pastures) even more than I already am!

ETA: Yes, this has been a nice topic.

 

[hoodat]

http://jimwwhite.smugmug.com/Portfolio/Favorite-Pics/PICT1152/82211399_Jjymf-M.jpg
This is my buddy, Sneaky. Old Sneaky Snake's over 5 feet long and I often find him wrapped around the base of a planter box or in one of the blueberry bushes on one side of the garden. I think he's there because there are field mice that have set up home under some of the boxes. If so, then he's very welcome. I'd never hurt him and I know he won't hurt me unless I try to handle him and then he might chew on my arm but he's not poisonous. He's just a black rat snake. Beautiful animal. He's over 1-1/2 inches thick at his widest point. One day I was mowing around the garden and almost hit him with my riding mower. I was able to get it stopped in time and got off to chase him off but black snakes are like possums in that they freeze up when they get scared. That's why you see so many dead on the roads all the time. But I just reached down and picked him up by the tail and carried him over to the woods along the side of the yard and let him go. I'll find him in the garden many times during the spring and summer.

I think snakes are one of the most beautiful animals god ever created. It beats me why so many are afraid of them

 

[wifezilla]

I was never afraid of snakes. I grew up in WI and none of the snakes are poisonous. Now out here in Colorado, there are rattlers, but they are at least polite enough to let you know you might want to back off. Snakes are so cool.

As for gardening buddies, a couple that looks like this hangs out in the grape vine over the duck pen. They wait for me to let the ducks out of the secure night pen so they can go in and grab some spilled oats

These guys are only allowed in the garden in fall and spring before I plant. They were quite naughty and pretty much devastated this patch of bishop's weed. They know if I have a shovel it could mean worms and will totally spaz out if they see me pick it up.

And of course the 3 cats always want to know what I am doing. Here is our oldest kitty Cookie (21).