Out in the Country-ish

I wonder if I should change the name of this blog? We no longer live on the Hilltop. We now live in the country...ish. It's a few miles from suburbia, several miles from the city, but not quite the middle of nowhere. We do have neighbors. We're on one street with 1 acre lots, with farm land behind and to the side of us. So...country-ish.

 The thing is, there seems to be quite a bit of wildlife here in the Country-ish. We've seen coyotes and foxes, hawks, and many other species of bird, and lots and lots of bunnies. I do believe this morning, Violet finally managed to catch one. She's been in hot pursuit since she we moved in. I have not asked for more details on this event.

These are all things I can live with. Nice, furry, nature. I don't mind nice, furry nature. It's the other kind of nature, the reptilian, creepy-crawly variety I don't like.

 So far, we've either pulled these creatures out of the pool, the house, or off the back porch.

 A giant toad that hopped off before a photo could be snapped.

 A giant rat that turned out to actually be a baby bunny once he dried off.

2 small snakes

1 giant spider. I have been told these like to hang out in the skimmer baskets and eat the bugs the pool pump so conveniently delivers to them. Consequently, I have not cleaned the skimmer baskets since. That job has fallen to braver, less acrophobic souls in the family.

At last count there were 10 gecko's on the roof of the patio.

 This guy who lives in my hose reel box.

But it was this visitor that gave me the most pause. This was the one visitor that made me think we had made a mistake moving out here to the country-ish. This slimy, revolting thing made me call my husband and tell him that we have to move. Now.

Yes, I do realize how much I love this house, and yes, I do remember how much I wanted more space and yes, I do know how much the kids love it out here, but well...THIS LIVES HERE!!

I walked out to the mailbox, presumably stepping right over this guy who was probably curled up taking his afternoon nap on my door mat. When I came back I stepped up to the porch to enter the side door and this is what I saw. I screamed. Loudly. Then I ran around to the front door...

HE FOLLOWED ME! 

I made my way in the house and watched out the window as this vile, horrid, devil-creature slithered back and forth on my porch from front door to side door, trying to find a way to get inside and kill me. I know, you may think this an overly dramatic exaggeration, but you were not here. This snake had evil in its eyes. 

Dave has convinced me that it is unwise to move at this juncture, but you can be sure, I am very careful outside these days. I don't just wander around the property, frolicking happily. My head is down, watching every step, looking for the creepy-crawly predators. I may be in danger of walking into a tree, but I'm not going to unknowingly step over any more snakes, of that you can be sure!