i hope everyone out there in r.g.e land
has a great season -- even those folks down
under who are having a nice summer right
about now.


songbird

On Monday, December 31, 2012 10:17:20 AM UTC-5, songbird wrote:
i hope everyone out there in r.g.e land

has a great season -- even those folks down

under who are having a nice summer right

about now.





songbird

Thanks songbird and back at you. I am anxious already. The greenhouse is still producing tomatoes and I think that is what is keeping me going right into spring. I also have the Aero gardens in the house full of Basil, parsley and chives.
I am going to have some Rose garden issues this spring but I guess that should go to regular gardening.
Looking forward to spring

MJ

"songbird" wrote in message
...
i hope everyone out there in r.g.e land
has a great season -- even those folks down
under who are having a nice summer right
about now.

Thanks for the kind thoughts but as for the 'nice' summer, I'm feeling a bit
tender at the moment because of a number of factors............

Each morning, I go out kitted out in gardening gear after a shower and come
in dripping at about noon and swearing to myself that I really won't shower
before gardening again but each day, I get into autopilot and head for the
shower first thing..... I really must buy a dependable brain.....

Then yesterday, at dusk, I grab the compost bucket and head out to my big
plastic compost drum and flip the lid back only to be confronted by a very
large Eastern Brown Snake in the bin. I scream and back off quickly after
throwing the compost bucket and contents skywards leaving an agitated snake
wriggling madly in the bin under a partially open lid. I head inside
feeling like at total wimp.

Eastern Brown snakes are an edgy, nervy snake and highly venomous.
According to my snake ID book they are 12 times more venomous than a cobra.
I'ts hte sort of anske that is OK behind glass in a zoo where it looks
singularly unimpressive but it's certainly not teh sort of snake one wants
to meet up close and personal.

During the day we'd been working in and around that compst bin as it sits
between 2 apple trees and we were putting nets over the fruit trees as the
cockatoos are starting to take fruit to get to the seeds. Himself had also
been on his hands and knees weeding under one of the apple trees so he was
also not happy when I told him about the snake because of 'what might have
been'.

Today I decided that I needed to face the fear so went back and had a look
in the bin. No snake thankfully. I decided that I'd use my compost screw
to aerate the bin and was prepared to drop all and run if I pulled up a
snake. All went well - just lots of wriggling red compost worms.

But otherwise, on the plus side in the garden, I finally have tomatoes just
about ripe, there are zucchini on the bushes and it looks like we might get
an excellent crop of apples and pears.

I just hope that is the last sodding snake I see for the season. Ever again
would be good, but that is way too much to hope for.

On Tuesday, January 1, 2013 6:43:27 AM UTC-5, Farm1 wrote:
"songbird" wrote in message

...

i hope everyone out there in r.g.e land

has a great season -- even those folks down

under who are having a nice summer right

about now.



Thanks for the kind thoughts but as for the 'nice' summer, I'm feeling a bit

tender at the moment because of a number of factors............



Each morning, I go out kitted out in gardening gear after a shower and come

in dripping at about noon and swearing to myself that I really won't shower

before gardening again but each day, I get into autopilot and head for the

shower first thing..... I really must buy a dependable brain.....



Then yesterday, at dusk, I grab the compost bucket and head out to my big

plastic compost drum and flip the lid back only to be confronted by a very

large Eastern Brown Snake in the bin. I scream and back off quickly after

throwing the compost bucket and contents skywards leaving an agitated snake

wriggling madly in the bin under a partially open lid. I head inside

feeling like at total wimp.



Eastern Brown snakes are an edgy, nervy snake and highly venomous.

According to my snake ID book they are 12 times more venomous than a cobra.

I'ts hte sort of anske that is OK behind glass in a zoo where it looks

singularly unimpressive but it's certainly not teh sort of snake one wants

to meet up close and personal.



During the day we'd been working in and around that compst bin as it sits

between 2 apple trees and we were putting nets over the fruit trees as the

cockatoos are starting to take fruit to get to the seeds. Himself had also

been on his hands and knees weeding under one of the apple trees so he was

also not happy when I told him about the snake because of 'what might have

been'.



Today I decided that I needed to face the fear so went back and had a look

in the bin. No snake thankfully. I decided that I'd use my compost screw

to aerate the bin and was prepared to drop all and run if I pulled up a

snake. All went well - just lots of wriggling red compost worms.



But otherwise, on the plus side in the garden, I finally have tomatoes just

about ripe, there are zucchini on the bushes and it looks like we might get

an excellent crop of apples and pears.



I just hope that is the last sodding snake I see for the season. Ever again

would be good, but that is way too much to hope for.

That kind of snake might make me give up gardening, or at least composting
MJ

On Tuesday, January 1, 2013 4:43:27 AM UTC-7, Farm1 wrote:
"songbird" wrote in message

...

i hope everyone out there in r.g.e land

has a great season -- even those folks down

under who are having a nice summer right

about now.



Thanks for the kind thoughts but as for the 'nice' summer, I'm feeling a bit

tender at the moment because of a number of factors............



Each morning, I go out kitted out in gardening gear after a shower and come

in dripping at about noon and swearing to myself that I really won't shower

before gardening again but each day, I get into autopilot and head for the

shower first thing..... I really must buy a dependable brain.....



Then yesterday, at dusk, I grab the compost bucket and head out to my big

plastic compost drum and flip the lid back only to be confronted by a very

large Eastern Brown Snake in the bin. I scream and back off quickly after

throwing the compost bucket and contents skywards leaving an agitated snake

wriggling madly in the bin under a partially open lid. I head inside

feeling like at total wimp.



Eastern Brown snakes are an edgy, nervy snake and highly venomous.

According to my snake ID book they are 12 times more venomous than a cobra.

I'ts hte sort of anske that is OK behind glass in a zoo where it looks

singularly unimpressive but it's certainly not teh sort of snake one wants

to meet up close and personal.



During the day we'd been working in and around that compst bin as it sits

between 2 apple trees and we were putting nets over the fruit trees as the

cockatoos are starting to take fruit to get to the seeds. Himself had also

been on his hands and knees weeding under one of the apple trees so he was

also not happy when I told him about the snake because of 'what might have

been'.



Today I decided that I needed to face the fear so went back and had a look

in the bin. No snake thankfully. I decided that I'd use my compost screw

to aerate the bin and was prepared to drop all and run if I pulled up a

snake. All went well - just lots of wriggling red compost worms.



But otherwise, on the plus side in the garden, I finally have tomatoes just

about ripe, there are zucchini on the bushes and it looks like we might get

an excellent crop of apples and pears.



I just hope that is the last sodding snake I see for the season. Ever again

would be good, but that is way too much to hope for.

Snakes kill mice, rats and various other rodents. Just avoid them...they won't stalk you are attack without
provocation so I am told. We only have garter snakes here
thank gawd for that.

On Tuesday, January 1, 2013 12:40:08 PM UTC-5, Roy wrote:
On Tuesday, January 1, 2013 4:43:27 AM UTC-7, Farm1 wrote:

"songbird" wrote in message



...



i hope everyone out there in r.g.e land



has a great season -- even those folks down



under who are having a nice summer right



about now.







Thanks for the kind thoughts but as for the 'nice' summer, I'm feeling a bit



tender at the moment because of a number of factors............







Each morning, I go out kitted out in gardening gear after a shower and come



in dripping at about noon and swearing to myself that I really won't shower



before gardening again but each day, I get into autopilot and head for the



shower first thing..... I really must buy a dependable brain.....







Then yesterday, at dusk, I grab the compost bucket and head out to my big



plastic compost drum and flip the lid back only to be confronted by a very



large Eastern Brown Snake in the bin. I scream and back off quickly after



throwing the compost bucket and contents skywards leaving an agitated snake



wriggling madly in the bin under a partially open lid. I head inside



feeling like at total wimp.







Eastern Brown snakes are an edgy, nervy snake and highly venomous.



According to my snake ID book they are 12 times more venomous than a cobra.



I'ts hte sort of anske that is OK behind glass in a zoo where it looks



singularly unimpressive but it's certainly not teh sort of snake one wants



to meet up close and personal.







During the day we'd been working in and around that compst bin as it sits



between 2 apple trees and we were putting nets over the fruit trees as the



cockatoos are starting to take fruit to get to the seeds. Himself had also



been on his hands and knees weeding under one of the apple trees so he was



also not happy when I told him about the snake because of 'what might have



been'.







Today I decided that I needed to face the fear so went back and had a look



in the bin. No snake thankfully. I decided that I'd use my compost screw



to aerate the bin and was prepared to drop all and run if I pulled up a



snake. All went well - just lots of wriggling red compost worms.







But otherwise, on the plus side in the garden, I finally have tomatoes just



about ripe, there are zucchini on the bushes and it looks like we might get



an excellent crop of apples and pears.







I just hope that is the last sodding snake I see for the season. Ever again



would be good, but that is way too much to hope for.



Snakes kill mice, rats and various other rodents. Just avoid them...they won't stalk you are attack without

provocation so I am told. We only have garter snakes here

thank gawd for that.

Last summer a neighbors dog was bitten 2 different times by rattler snakes. One of the times the dag got in between the snake and the 6 year old twin girls playing outside. Dog was really sick but pulled through. There are various water snakes here as well, some poisionus some not. I am in eastern North Carolina
MJ

Roy wrote:
On Tuesday, January 1, 2013 4:43:27 AM UTC-7, Farm1 wrote:
"songbird" wrote in message

...

i hope everyone out there in r.g.e land

has a great season -- even those folks down

under who are having a nice summer right

about now.



Thanks for the kind thoughts but as for the 'nice' summer, I'm
feeling a bit

tender at the moment because of a number of factors............



Each morning, I go out kitted out in gardening gear after a shower
and come

in dripping at about noon and swearing to myself that I really won't
shower

before gardening again but each day, I get into autopilot and head
for the

shower first thing..... I really must buy a dependable brain.....



Then yesterday, at dusk, I grab the compost bucket and head out to
my big

plastic compost drum and flip the lid back only to be confronted by
a very

large Eastern Brown Snake in the bin. I scream and back off quickly
after

throwing the compost bucket and contents skywards leaving an
agitated snake

wriggling madly in the bin under a partially open lid. I head inside

feeling like at total wimp.



Eastern Brown snakes are an edgy, nervy snake and highly venomous.

According to my snake ID book they are 12 times more venomous than a
cobra.

I'ts hte sort of anske that is OK behind glass in a zoo where it
looks

singularly unimpressive but it's certainly not teh sort of snake one
wants

to meet up close and personal.



During the day we'd been working in and around that compst bin as it
sits

between 2 apple trees and we were putting nets over the fruit trees
as the

cockatoos are starting to take fruit to get to the seeds. Himself
had also

been on his hands and knees weeding under one of the apple trees so
he was

also not happy when I told him about the snake because of 'what
might have

been'.



Today I decided that I needed to face the fear so went back and had
a look

in the bin. No snake thankfully. I decided that I'd use my compost
screw

to aerate the bin and was prepared to drop all and run if I pulled
up a

snake. All went well - just lots of wriggling red compost worms.



But otherwise, on the plus side in the garden, I finally have
tomatoes just

about ripe, there are zucchini on the bushes and it looks like we
might get

an excellent crop of apples and pears.



I just hope that is the last sodding snake I see for the season.
Ever again

would be good, but that is way too much to hope for.

Snakes kill mice, rats and various other rodents. Just avoid
them...they won't stalk you are attack without provocation so I am
told. We only have garter snakes here
thank gawd for that.

As Fran said the Eastern Brown is not a wimpy snake, they don't spend their
waking hours stalking humans but if surprised they stand their ground and
will attack if provoked, unlike many snakes that will get away as fast as
possible under almost all conditions. Nobody in their right mind will
provoke them but if you accidentally step on one or poke it with a hoe you
stand a chance of getting bitten if you don't retreat fast enough. If they
get you to a hospital that can give you antivenene in time you will survive
but I am told the experience is very unpleasant. If you don't get there in
time start repenting very systematically.

I am quite happy to leave snakes alone to do their thing in the environment
and the more rodents they eat the better. The problem is that human
activity is often attractive to them. For example if you have chooks you
have chook food. If you have chook food you have rodents. In the
Australian bush you are therefore likely to get snakes around the chook
house. I had a red-bellied black snake living under the ramp against the
house, this was a nice warm dry shelter for it. It didn't worry me most of
the time but when it scared the shit out of my guests who didn't have a clue
what to do, it had to go. People can't have a relaxing country rest if all
they can think about is the famous dangerous fauna (that will be sneaking
into their room at night to carry them off along with the spiders,
crocodiles and drop bears).

David

" wrote:

Last summer a neighbors dog was bitten 2 different times by rattler snakes.

There's a vaccine for that now; though I don't know anything about it:
http://www.petinsurance.com/healthzo...-for-Dogs.aspx

"Roy" wrote in message
...
On Tuesday, January 1, 2013 4:43:27 AM UTC-7, Farm1 wrote:
"songbird" wrote in message

...

i hope everyone out there in r.g.e land

has a great season -- even those folks down

under who are having a nice summer right

about now.



Thanks for the kind thoughts but as for the 'nice' summer, I'm feeling a
bit

tender at the moment because of a number of factors............



Each morning, I go out kitted out in gardening gear after a shower and
come

in dripping at about noon and swearing to myself that I really won't
shower

before gardening again but each day, I get into autopilot and head for
the

shower first thing..... I really must buy a dependable brain.....



Then yesterday, at dusk, I grab the compost bucket and head out to my big

plastic compost drum and flip the lid back only to be confronted by a
very

large Eastern Brown Snake in the bin. I scream and back off quickly
after

throwing the compost bucket and contents skywards leaving an agitated
snake

wriggling madly in the bin under a partially open lid. I head inside

feeling like at total wimp.



Eastern Brown snakes are an edgy, nervy snake and highly venomous.

According to my snake ID book they are 12 times more venomous than a
cobra.

I'ts hte sort of anske that is OK behind glass in a zoo where it looks

singularly unimpressive but it's certainly not teh sort of snake one
wants

to meet up close and personal.



During the day we'd been working in and around that compst bin as it sits

between 2 apple trees and we were putting nets over the fruit trees as
the

cockatoos are starting to take fruit to get to the seeds. Himself had
also

been on his hands and knees weeding under one of the apple trees so he
was

also not happy when I told him about the snake because of 'what might
have

been'.



Today I decided that I needed to face the fear so went back and had a
look

in the bin. No snake thankfully. I decided that I'd use my compost
screw

to aerate the bin and was prepared to drop all and run if I pulled up a

snake. All went well - just lots of wriggling red compost worms.



But otherwise, on the plus side in the garden, I finally have tomatoes
just

about ripe, there are zucchini on the bushes and it looks like we might
get

an excellent crop of apples and pears.



I just hope that is the last sodding snake I see for the season. Ever
again

would be good, but that is way too much to hope for.

Snakes kill mice, rats and various other rodents. Just avoid them...

I try to do that, but it's very hard to do that when it's in a compost bin.

they won't stalk you are attack without
provocation so I am told.

Eastern Brown are known for their edginess and especially if cornered as
applies when it is in the confines of a plastic compost bin. They aren't
happy bunny snakes.

We only have garter snakes here
thank gawd for that.

The 2 varieties of snakes we have here are Eastern Brown snakes ( the
world's 2nd most venomous land snake according to how they measure lethal
dose) and Tiger snakes.

I don't know anyone who has had a load of Brown Snake venom from a bite but
I do know woman who had a scratch (not a puncture wound) from a Tiger snake
fang.

The Eastern Brown venom is 12 times more toxic thaan a Cobra whilst the
Tiger snake is supposedly only 4 times as toxic. I know just how sick the
woman was from the scratch and how she has had ongoing health problems since
she got the scratch. I can only imagine how appalling a full envenomated
bite from a Brown snake would be.

It'd be nice to live where there were no venomous snakes but I live in an
area where we have highly venomous elapids. That is just a fact of life.
Keep the eyes peeled and wear long pants and boots and that is about the
best I can do if I want to keep enjoying my surrounds.

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
Roy wrote:
On Tuesday, January 1, 2013 4:43:27 AM UTC-7, Farm1 wrote:
Then yesterday, at dusk, I grab the compost bucket and head out to
my big
plastic compost drum and flip the lid back only to be confronted by
a very
large Eastern Brown Snake in the bin. I scream and back off quickly
Eastern Brown snakes are an edgy, nervy snake and highly venomous.

Snakes kill mice, rats and various other rodents. Just avoid
them...they won't stalk you are attack without provocation so I am
told. We only have garter snakes here
thank gawd for that.

As Fran said the Eastern Brown is not a wimpy snake,

Ain't that the truth!!!

they don't spend their
waking hours stalking humans but if surprised they stand their ground and
will attack if provoked, unlike many snakes that will get away as fast as
possible under almost all conditions. Nobody in their right mind will
provoke them but if you accidentally step on one or poke it with a hoe you
stand a chance of getting bitten if you don't retreat fast enough. If
they get you to a hospital that can give you antivenene in time you will
survive but I am told the experience is very unpleasant. If you don't get
there in time start repenting very systematically.

I am quite happy to leave snakes alone to do their thing in the
environment and the more rodents they eat the better. The problem is that
human activity is often attractive to them. For example if you have
chooks you have chook food. If you have chook food you have rodents. In
the Australian bush you are therefore likely to get snakes around the
chook house.

I've had at least 2 Tiger Snakes in my chook run. One I just let slide by
me as I froze. I had to kill teh other one because he was very snug under
the galvanised waterer and just looked at me when I lifted it up to swish
out the dirt that was in the trough.

He was in a nice air conditioned spot. I gave him 5 minutes to escape as I
dressed up in full snake killing mode. Silly sod was still there when I
went back so I ahd to deal with him. Of course Himself, my hero, was out at
the time wasnt' he?

I had a red-bellied black snake living under the ramp against the
house, this was a nice warm dry shelter for it. It didn't worry me most
of the time but when it scared the shit out of my guests who didn't have a
clue what to do, it had to go. People can't have a relaxing country rest
if all
they can think about is the famous dangerous fauna (that will be sneaking
into their room at night to carry them off along with the spiders,
crocodiles and drop bears).

LOL. Gotta worry about those darned drop bears! Shame about the Red
Bellied. I dont' mind them.

Farm1 wrote:

It'd be nice to live where there were no venomous snakes but I live in an
area where we have highly venomous elapids. That is just a fact of life.
Keep the eyes peeled and wear long pants and boots and that is about the
best I can do if I want to keep enjoying my surrounds.

Move far enough north of the snow line and there are no vemonous snakes
and few enough of the other sorts. You pick your situation and you pay
your price.

Doug Freyburger wrote:
Farm1 wrote:

It'd be nice to live where there were no venomous snakes but I live
in an area where we have highly venomous elapids. That is just a
fact of life. Keep the eyes peeled and wear long pants and boots and
that is about the best I can do if I want to keep enjoying my
surrounds.

Move far enough north of the snow line and there are no vemonous
snakes and few enough of the other sorts. You pick your situation
and you pay your price.

I assume that by 'north or south' you mean on the snowy side of the snow
line in your hemisphere. This has a number of problems. The most obvious
is that the choice of what to grow is much reduced the colder your climate
is. This group is about edible gardening!

The particular problem in Fran's case is there is very little (soon to be
none) permanent snow in the Australian alps and very few people live there,
much of it is national park. Being a pasturalist in those conditions (as I
understand it she makes here living from cattle) is more difficult even if
there was land available due to the shorter growing season.

So this isn't a practical option.

The interesting thing about the profusion of dangerous snakes in Oz is that
there are so few fatalities, this is partly because most people who live in
rural areas know how to behave with snakes and also the availability of
treatment. A third reason is that despite this image of the suntanned race
of the vast outback Australians are a very urban group, very few actually
live where there are many snakes. Contrast this with Sri Lanka which is the
snakebite capital of the world. There they have a lot of people and a lot
of snakes and they live in each other's pockets.

D

Doug Freyburger wrote:
Farm1 wrote:

It'd be nice to live where there were no venomous snakes but I live in an
area where we have highly venomous elapids. That is just a fact of life.
Keep the eyes peeled and wear long pants and boots and that is about the
best I can do if I want to keep enjoying my surrounds.

Move far enough north of the snow line and there are no vemonous snakes
and few enough of the other sorts. You pick your situation and you pay
your price.

EASTERN MASSASAUGA RATTLESNAKE (Sistrurus
catenatus catenatus) is venomous and above the
snow line. not sure how widely it is beyond
Michigan but it is here for sure.

a lady down the road from us here (less than
1/2 mile) had several of them removed from her
property.

even though they are not highly toxic they can
still do some damage and i wouldn't want to be
bitten by one.

we have a lot of snakes on this property as
we encourage them by putting rock piles around
and leaving them plenty of places to bake in
the sun. i wish they were active in the winter.

the most fun one we've had around in quantity
so far is the EASTERN GARTER SNAKE (Thamnophis
sirtalis sirtalis). even the small ones are rather
fierce. i've had ones only a few inches long
stand up for themselves even when i've been
helping them out (getting them off the drive
so they don't get run over). i do have a few
pictures of one that wandered across the pavement
one day, but i don't think i have them posted
on-line.

the cutest was a juvenile milk or fox snake.
wasn't sure what it was. i let it wander along
so i couldn't tell what it was until it grew up.
haven't seen any similar since. no camera shot
at the time darnit.

most common are the BUTLER'S GARTER SNAKE
(Thamnophis butleri).

we also have plastic snakes scattered around.


songbird

Farm1 wrote:
songbird wrote:

i hope everyone out there in r.g.e land
has a great season -- even those folks down
under who are having a nice summer right
about now.

Thanks for the kind thoughts but as for the 'nice' summer, I'm feeling a bit
tender at the moment because of a number of factors............

ruhroh!


Each morning, I go out kitted out in gardening gear after a shower and come
in dripping at about noon and swearing to myself that I really won't shower
before gardening again but each day, I get into autopilot and head for the
shower first thing..... I really must buy a dependable brain.....

heh, showers are what tell me that i'm alive
in the morning. at the end of a gardening day
i'm about ready to fall over so i just get out
a bit of soap and a washcloth and that does the
job. most dirt is between the toes anyways.
hands i usually wear gloves to keep the damage
down.


Then yesterday, at dusk, I grab the compost bucket and head out to my big
plastic compost drum and flip the lid back only to be confronted by a very
large Eastern Brown Snake in the bin. I scream and back off quickly after
throwing the compost bucket and contents skywards leaving an agitated snake
wriggling madly in the bin under a partially open lid. I head inside
feeling like at total wimp.

i think running away from a threat is
much preferable than being an example.
macho BS is for TV.


Eastern Brown snakes are an edgy, nervy snake and highly venomous.
According to my snake ID book they are 12 times more venomous than a cobra.
I'ts hte sort of anske that is OK behind glass in a zoo where it looks
singularly unimpressive but it's certainly not teh sort of snake one wants
to meet up close and personal.

sounds like a good plan. i'm sure glad we
don't have those around here.


During the day we'd been working in and around that compst bin as it sits
between 2 apple trees and we were putting nets over the fruit trees as the
cockatoos are starting to take fruit to get to the seeds. Himself had also
been on his hands and knees weeding under one of the apple trees so he was
also not happy when I told him about the snake because of 'what might have
been'.

uyeah!


Today I decided that I needed to face the fear so went back and had a look
in the bin. No snake thankfully. I decided that I'd use my compost screw
to aerate the bin and was prepared to drop all and run if I pulled up a
snake. All went well - just lots of wriggling red compost worms.

*whew!* but now you are on-edge all the time out
there. are they climbers?

will you be rousting about looking for it?


But otherwise, on the plus side in the garden, I finally have tomatoes just
about ripe, there are zucchini on the bushes and it looks like we might get
an excellent crop of apples and pears.

oh good! i'm glad to hear you have a fruit
crop this year.


I just hope that is the last sodding snake I see for the season. Ever again
would be good, but that is way too much to hope for.

i will hope you won't see any more of those kind
of snakes soon unless you are moving them along to
another home. protective gear, yep, i'd be wearing
it too no matter how much i sweated.


songbird

"Doug Freyburger" wrote in message
...
Farm1 wrote:

It'd be nice to live where there were no venomous snakes but I live in an
area where we have highly venomous elapids. That is just a fact of life.
Keep the eyes peeled and wear long pants and boots and that is about the
best I can do if I want to keep enjoying my surrounds.

Move far enough north of the snow line

What 'snow line' would that be then?