Herpetologist Needed

I know that the types of non-venomous snakes far outnumber the number of venomous snakes…at least in Texas. As for the venomous variety there are but four: the rattlesnake, the corral snake, the copper head and the water moccasin.

Thanks to the noisy tail extension on the first, the handy little chant I learned as a Cub Scout (Red and yellow kill a fellow, red and black friend of Jack) for the second and the rather distinctive markings of the third, I’m pretty sure can identify these three at least 9.735 times out of 10.

The water moccasin is a wee-bit more difficult for me to pin down. I think of them as being pretty much black, but have seen some, through glass and in pictures, that were a myriad of colors. I know that the inside of their mouths are white, hence the nickname “cottonmouth,” but I haven’t had any luck in catching one mid-yawn. I tired telling him to say, “AW!” but he just ignored me. Truly, the only way I know of to see the inside of a water moccasin’s mouth is for me to be close enough for him to strike. And to me, that’s called finding out the hard way.

I only want to know what kind of snakes I’m dealing with. If they’re harmless then I’ll just leave them alone. Truth be told, I like having the harmless kind around. However, if they’re the Indian shoe variety I’m going to have to take a more proactive approach to the snakes’ and my living arrangements.

I don’t know exactly what “proactive” measures I can take, but I’ll have to find something. Looking online, I have noticed a product called, ‘Snake-A-Way’. The reviews I’ve read look promising, but I’ve only found a couple. I also don’t know if it is safe for people and pets.

So this brings me to my need…

I need a herpetologist who can help me know exactly what kind of snakes are in the pictures. I would also like anyone who has used Snake-A-Way to let me know if it’s any good. We’ve had three snakes on the porch this summer. The first one was the black snake, but I got caught up in the moment and forgot to take any pictures of him before I opened the door and he left in a hurry. The second snake is the one I killed and the third one I simply chased away.

Snake #2 – The one I killed

Snake #2 again

Snake #3

Thanks for any and all herpetological help you can lend.

I can pray the fish are biting...

I live in a part of Dallas that has several little streams, or creeks, or rivers, or some kind of winding body of water that moves, if only slowly. At least some of them feed into the ponds in my neighborhood.

Regardless of size, shape, or purpose, these streams are in Dallas, the largest city in North Texas. I’m not talking about rivers out in the middle of nowhere, these are creeks with major roads going over them and huge building all around them.

You can imagine my surprise when I’m out, not two miles from my home, and I see a family fishing off a bridge that’s is on a pretty major road. There was a man, a woman, and a small child in a stroller. Come to think of it I never actually saw a child, but only a stroller. I suppose the stroller could have been their bait bucket or their tackle box. If I happen to see them again, I’ll try to do a more thorough job of observation.

That being said, as I sat waiting for the light to change and I watched the man cast his line out between the trees I was forced to wonder about the socioeconomic standings of my city. The buzz on the streets is that Dallas; or rather Texas in general, is faring quite well in these hard economic times. Relatively speaking.

I had to wonder: Are people living that close to me so hungry that their best option for a meal is fishing off a bridge in a creek that couldn’t have been more that five feet deep? If there are, why haven’t I noticed before?

Even as I’m writing that last sentence…I know that answer.

It’s not that I haven’t noticed, it’s that I choose not to see.

I drive by that same creek everyday. Every single day. Sure I would have noticed people fishing, but that’s about it. I’m quite certain that there is poverty and need all around me, but I live in my own little world, cut off from those things. Even if those things are right around the corner.

Driving back home about 45 minutes later they were still there. Only this time the man was giving a casting lesson to a man who wasn’t there on my first drive by.

They were laughing and seemed to be having a good time. That made me feel better.

I fought the temptation to go back and ask the man about fishing off a bridge. Only because every conversation starter I could come up with sounded hollow and fake. I didn’t want this man to think I was making fun of him, but that’s how everything I said in my head of made me feel.

I drove by again a few hours later and they were gone. I don’t know if I’ll ever see them again.

Who knows?

I also don’t know if or how this is going to change me. My hope is that it will change me, but I just don’t know how yet.

What I do know is the next time I see someone fishing off a bridge in the middle of a city I’m going to stop what I’m doing, close my eyes, and ask God to please let the fish be biting.

So Whatever Happened to Chivalry???

Let me begin by stating right up front that I’m no shining example of chivalry myself. Sure, I hold doors for ladies, I always try to let members of the fairer sex go ahead of me when possible, I go around and open the passenger door of the car for women when I’m driving, and I even do my best to remember to stand when a lady is leaving or coming to the table when dining.

Come to think of it…maybe I AM a shining example of chivalry!

For whatever that’s worth, yesterday I witnessed what has to be the most abhorrent display of UN-chivalrous behavior known to man.

It’s pouring down rain. I mean raindrops the size of grapefruits and there were millions of them. I’m driving somewhere to do something when I see this man and woman walking down the sidewalk.

The first thing I noticed was that they had only one umbrella and it was over the man. My first thought was, “Man! What a jerk. He should give his umbrella to the lady.”

However, the closer I got I realized that not only was she lugging some kind of bag in her right hand and he was carrying nothing, but in her left hand SHE was holding the umbrella…

OVER HIS HEAD!

They were probably a foot and a half apart, so it wasn’t one of these, “Hey, lets share the umbrella,” things. Oh no, the entire umbrella was over him and she had her head down just watching her feet and trying to keep the drops from hitting her face. She was drenched from head to toe!

This guy was being a complete jerk.

Maybe I’m being too judgmental.

Maybe there is a really good explanation for his seemingly UN-chivalrous behavior.

Maybe he has the same odd affliction that the Wicked Witch of the West had and getting wet causes him to melt. And he wasn’t holding his own umbrella because both of his hands were broken.

Maybe he was on his way to do surgery and needed to keep his hands sterile.

Maybe they were doing an experiment on the effects of rainwater on women who are carrying heavy loads.

Maybe, Maybe, Maybe. Blah, Blah, Blah…

Make all the excuses you want, but what I know is that this guy was making us all look bad. At least all us men.

So what can we do?

Practice!

Take every opportunity you have to display your chivalry and make being chivalrous a habit. And maybe, just maybe it will become cool, again.

So whatever happened to chivalry?

I think we just got out of the habit.