We were outside trimming one of our Fire Thorn shrubs this evening. We generally trim them back before winter every year. Charles was getting the higher branches that I could not reach and found this nest.
No bird in sight so I took the opportunity to get some photos without disturbing the nest. I did hunt for something to identify the eggs and found a chart. It looks like a Song Sparrow to me. We have seen several Sparrows over the summer.
It seems a little late in the year for eggs to still be in the nest. We were careful not to disturb it or remove branches too close to it. I will keep an eye out to see if there is any sign of the mama bird. It is very close to the bird bath I set out for them this spring.
We lived in Illinois during my grade school years. The house in the woods we remember as Briarwood. That is where little brother caught the snake, we met a three-legged raccoon, Mom caught and preserved a giant Luna moth, and I got a cigar box full of bees that I learned to preserve for myself.
Lizard Lore
I suppose the bee sting at the yellow house (former post) started it. Then there was the pet lizard my brother kept hid outside all summer at Lake Geneva. We would watch it, learning how it manages to live, but never let Mom know because she would make us get rid of it. At the end of summer when the weather started getting cool, my brother explained that lizards hibernate all winter and come back out the next summer. So, we buried it underneath our trailer, hoping that would protect it some from the cold and snow. We moved at the end of school that year and never got to see if he survived. I did look to see if I could find were we buried him one last time before we left. I thought about that a lot the following year.
Fishing- first and Last Time
I also went fishing the first and last time of my childhood. I was three, I think. Dad and older brother took me with them after I begged to go. I knew if I stayed home, I had to do girly stuff and I was not interested in that on warm summer days. I do not know where we went or how we got there and back. All I remember is sitting on the bank of a stream, waiting for the fish to bite. They final caught one and I was so distraught seeing the hook poking inside and back out of that poor fish’s mouth. They were trying to get the hook out and it looked like they were hurting it more, so I was crying and begging them to hurry and get the hook out. I would not stop crying until they through it back in the water and I could see it was going to live. So, you see why I never got to go again.
Flowers and tORNADOES
When we first moved to Illinois, our house was in a new addition called Coventry, so that is how I remember that house. It’s where we lived when the Palm Sunday Tornadoes hit, but that’s a story for another time. There were not many critters there, so I learned more about plants. The tornado did blow a plant into the yard that I have never seen before or since. I liked it, so Mom helped me plant it at the corner of our house, in back where we played in summer. Mom planted Zinnias from seeds all down the side of the house. They always grew so thick we could cut a fresh bouquet whenever we wanted. Mom was not much on vegetable gardening, but she could grow flowers and houseplants. Especially vines.
Three Legged Raccoon
Dad’s parents at Briarwood
A year later we moved to Briarwood. The house was set back in a woods. I loved it. We took walks along the paths in the wood ands saw all kinds of wildflowers birds and insects. One day a raccoon came hobbling out of the woods. It only had three legs. It looked like one of the front legs was cut off. We ran in to tell Mom and she came out and looked. Either Mom or Georgie told us its leg was caught in a trap and that is how he lost it. Mom said they like peanut butter, so we put some in an old jar lid and took it outside a little bit away from the house, but where we could watch from a window. Mom told us not to touch it because you can get bit and sick from the bite or other germs and bugs on it.
Much like my oldest son did to me, I had to test this theory to see if it was true. We took peanut butter out to that raccoon every day. Sometimes if we had peanut butter sandwiches for lunch, I would save the last bite for him. He got so used to us that he would come right up for his peanut butter and not even pay attention to us, so we no longer went inside to watch. Pretty sure it was Tim, my youngest brother, that began petting him. We considered him our pet at that point. One day one of my brothers was in the woods and the neighbor boy on the other side of the woods, shot that raccoon out of a tree. We were all pretty upset with him. He was older than me and mean so there was nothing I could do, but I think my dad talked to his about staying out of our woods after that.
Luna moths and stinging insects
The Luna moth was on the outside of the dining room picture window. It was dark out and having the light on while we were sitting at the table attracted it. It was a rare thing for us to be at the table after dark, so it must have been a summer night and Dad was probably out of town on a business trip. It was huge and Mom decided to go outside and catch it. I do not remember how she did it, but she managed to preserve it and had it hanging up until we moved again.
What I do remember is that I learned to put a cotton ball soaked in alcohol in the bottom of a jar, place something on top of that so the alcohol would not touch the insect or it would discolor it. Then place whatever insect I had caught in the jar and pup the lid on tight. The fumes would kill the insect and then you could use it in a display. I got on old cigar box from somewhere and began collecting one of each insect that uses a stinger. Wasp, Hornet, Sweat Bee, etc. I took a straight pin and push through the insect’s body into the bottom inside of the cigar box. A few years later this came in handy. Eighth grade Biology we were asked to catch at least 100 different types of insect and pin to a board for display.
I began to learn more about the insects that year, and what were good helpful insects verses what were harmful insects. An important thing to learn, especially if you plan to garden. I have since learned to try to identify insects and research whether they are helpful or harmful. Identifying insects that will kill your trees, shrubs or gardens is the first step to preventing this destruction. At the same time identify insects that pollinate or are natural predators to the harmful insects helps you to understand why it is important to encourage them rather than killing them just because it is a bug.
9/20/2020 In my driveway the Mantis Dance
The Praying Mantis is one of the most helpful insects for your gardens. They eat many pests including mosquitoes which I am grateful for. They also eat many of the pests that are trying to eat you garden plants. I see them often and am very careful not to disturb them.
Love this old Cracker Barrel rocking chair. Cracker Barrel was a special place for my sons. The year they were baptized, a couple of our church friends took us to eat at Cracker Barrel. It was the first time for the boys to eat there, and they were hooked. One of their favorite things besides how much they love the food, is the old-fashioned rockers and checker games outside on the porch. Both boys would play checkers while waiting for our table. After that they insisted on my husband taking us every year on Mother’s Day. A few years later, we switched to my birthday which is a month earlier. Mother’s Day was getting to be too crowded. The last time my son, Charles was home on leave, he took us there. It brought back pleasant memories for all of us.
A couple years before Young Charles left for boot camp, I was browsing through my favorite used furniture store. I found an old white Cracker Barrel rocking chair and I could not resist getting it. I had been wanting a wooden rocker for some time and this one was perfect. My boys and everyone of my cats love that old rocker.
Late at night after everyone else was in bed, I would turn off the all the lights and one of my boys ended up in it, telling me all about whatever is on their mind. Something about rocking in the dark is good for the soul. When it was not one of my boys, it was my cat. Yes, my cat has learned how to make the chair rock. Now that Charles is gone, he left his cat with me until he can have a home of his own. She has taken his place on the rocker late at night and shown our newest kitten how great the old rocker is and how to make it rock.
Several years ago, Dollar General bought the empty lot next door to us. They put up a privacy fence, so we did not have to look at the parking lot or worry about cars using our driveway to get to them. I was grateful for the parking lot, but it was so drab. I asked permission to attach things and add vines and such to beautify it. With their permission I began.
A couple shrubs and a couple vines, add some odds and ends…
I wanted to make this into a haven for birds, bees and butterflies, so we started out with two Trumpet vines and placed an old rusty wheelbarrow in between them. Hummingbirds are one of my favorites and Trumpet vines are a good way to attract them. They bloom in the summer and usually last until fall. I planted some lemon mint in the wheelbarrow and some Lilies to the side. Although I do not remember what type of Lilies they are, they are still blooming every year.
Next, we planted Lilac shrubs. They serve two purposes. First, they provide a good nesting area for several types of birds and the blooms in the spring attract bees and butterflies. The second, they remind me of the Lilac trees that me and my brother used to climb when we were kids. I loved the scent of the blooms back then and I still do.
Over the years both the vines and the shrubs have grown quite large. In the spring and summer when they are blooming, they hide most of the fence and the store behind. To my surprise, three years ago, two little volunteer Lilacs popped up to the right of this area. They looked like someone had cut a branch off one of the original shrubs and stuck it in the ground. At first, I was not even sure they were truly Lilacs. One of the volunteers was the same distance from the originals as I had planted them from the Trumpet vines, so I left it where it was. The other volunteer was too close if it were to someday get as big as the Lilacs I had Originally planted. So, I transplanted it equal distance on the opposite side.
Volunteer Lilac
Last year both shrubs had grown quite a bit and appeared to be thriving. The leaves looked enough like the originals that I was almost sure they were Lilacs, but there was still just a bit of nagging doubt in the back of my mind. This year the shrub I had transplanted had one tiny bloom at the bottom. It was kind of lopsided looking, but I did not care. I was so excited to have proof that I really had two more Lilac shrubs. I cannot wait until next year to see if I will get more blooms.
Persicaria virginiana (Virginia Knotweed) above left, is a new volunteer plant that most likely was donated to this haven by the birds that spend so much time there. It is used by some as garden a border or in shady areas where few plants grow. Others consider it invasive because it will take over other plants. Because the Lilac shrubs and the Trumpet vines have grown so thick this area is too shady for a lot of plants. I like it because of the deep shade of green and the contrast of the tiny white flowers. Also bees love it as well as birds love it, so it is perfect for the purpose of this area and it is edible so I know it won’t harm any of the cats that wonder through our yard on occasion.
I used an app called PlantNet to identify this plant and was surprised at how quickly I got an answer. I would recommend it if you are trying to identify something new in your area. Over the years we have had several new plants show up. unfortunately, they have been invasive weeds of little value and difficult to keep at bay. This has led me to try out this app and research anything new that pops up, so I can remove it quickly if it is undesirable. I generally use Google and read several articles to find out if it was something, I want to keep or something that needs to go.
I have been growing mint for so many years, I cannot remember when I first planted it. We use it a lot of ways. I think I first planted it after reading about all the pests that do not like it. Our whole neighborhood had ants everywhere and they were starting to come in the house. So, I planted it in the flower bed down one side of the house. I put one long stem with several leave in a spray bottle and fill it up with vinegar. I use it to spray the counters stove and you name it, in the kitchen when I am cleaning. Everything comes clean, smells good and no ants.
One year when we were buying starts for my vegetable garden, we saw a chocolate mint plant. Of course, we could not pass that up. I planted it in front of my house in one of the flower beds. I love the shade of green and it was a good filler to use in between the flowers. My sons were already in the habit of grabbing a couple mint leaves and chewing them like gum. They said it made their mouth feel tingly and their breath fresh. They really liked it when the chocolate mint was added. According to them, it tasted like a Peppermint Patty. Now my nephews and my friend’s granddaughter do the same when they visit.
I love to make tea with mint and various other herbs. I make it with fresh herbs during the summer and dry enough to make the rest of the year. Charles, my oldest son, has been drinking mint tea since he was young. I have always drunk hot tea in winter months when I frequently get bronchitis. I learned this from my grandmother, who made what she called a hot toddy, to help with breathing easier. I would hold the steaming cup under my nose and breath in the steam until it cooled off enough to drink it.
Chocolate mint
My son noticed that mint tea settled his stomach, so we started fixing it minus the alcohol all during flu season. After we started growing the chocolate mint Charles decided he would help me with the process of drying mint for winter. He wanted to be sure I had plenty of chocolate mint, so he took an old metal wreath frame and made a huge wreath of chocolate mint for me and hung on the kitchen side of a door. A nice touch to the kitchen and plenty to last all winter.
Mint leaves – tea ball full or 1 teabag if you do not grow your own
1 tsp Honey
1 tsp Lemon juice
1 capful of rum or whiskey (adults only)
I use fresh ingredients when possible, but if unavailable a bottle of lemon juice and mint teabags can be found at most grocery stores. Sometimes, during cold and flu season, I make a whole pot of tea in the coffee maker with a large tea ball or just put a large amount of leaves in the coffee filter.
On the hottest days of summer, I like to make iced mint tea. I just rinse a large amount of fresh mint and boil it in one of my largest pots. After it cools a little, but is still warm, I strain it into a large glass container. Then I add ¾ cup organic sugar and stir until dissolved. Pour over ice in my favorite glass and put the rest in the refrigerator for later. This has been one of my favorites since long before my kids were born. My younger brother used to ask me to make it for him years ago.
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Echinacea is an herbaceous flower commonly called coneflowers. That means they are edible. Daisies have been my favorite flower since I can remember. Echinacea is in the daisy family and since being edible it is not harmful to pets. For this reason, I planted three flowers in my front flower bed two years ago. The flowers were ridiculously small the year I planted them, and I was not sure they would live over winter. The next year they came back and were a little bigger but still three plants.
This year they exploded all over my entire flower bed. I got so many compliments and my neighbor asked if she could get some of the seed heads for her flower gardens next summer. We trade flower starts a lot and she has given me several, so of course I gave her some. I also got a request for seeds from my sister-in-law and will be mailing them too her as soon as I am finished drying them enough to shake all of the seeds of them.
In doing some research this spring I also discovered that it is not only not harmful to pets, but some people make a tea out of it and give to their cats to boost their immune system and help with stress. I am careful with my cats, so I googled it and read many articles and they all said it was safe for cats if they nibble on it.
KitKat loving it
My sons’ cat, KitKat lives with me while he is in the Navy. She is the one that always wants to nibble at my house plants or if I bring in cut flowers. I research every house plant to make sure it safe because I know she will get into it. So, I cut one flower and put it in a vase where she could get to it jus to se her reaction. She started nibbling on the petals as soon as she set eyes on it, so all summer I have kept at least one fresh flower in that vase.
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Our back yard is a work in progress, ever changing to meet our needs at the time. When our youngest son was born, we had a chain link fence put in around the immediate part of the backyard. That was 22 years ago. We wanted a safe place for him to play. The sidewalk from what was then the back door, to the shed at the back of the yard, divided the yard in half. We divided each side in half and eventually had crumb rubber put in two areas. The first area was a section at the back by the shed. We had bought a large swing set for his first birthday and set it up there. Knowing boys, we knew he would need to have a soft landing. The other was just off what was soon to be the porch so if he fell running out the door, he would have a soft landing there too. The crumb rubber was made from old tires that were put through a giant shredder. We got the crumb rubber from a company in town where my husband worked for a year or two.
The old porch built when our boys were toddlers
Our next change was to put patio doors in where the windows facing the back yard were. Once the doors were put in, we had to build a porch. Since we were doing a lot of remodeling, we built it smaller that we would have liked to and intended to add to it someday after we were done with the rest of the house. By that time, we had our second boy and foster children off and on for a few years. The back doors made it so much easier to take the kids outside to play. We ended up changing what had been the door on the side of the house, to a window. For a long time, we used the old steps where the door had been, as a catchall for supplies we were using for whatever project we were working on at the time. Now I am slowly but surely turning them into a rock garden. That will be a future story.
Resent Years
Patio Begins 2019
We had found some used pavers the previous year to use on the area just off our back porch. In searching for more pavers to cover a little more of that area, we found a large quantity of a different type of paver and decided to purchase them for creating a patio in another area. So, we delayed finishing the porch area and, as you will see, it is a good thing we did, since we had to tear out the porch and build a little bit larger one, leaving some extra pavers for that area.
Clean up begins
My husband enlisted the help of one of my older son’s friends. It was a lot of hard work, but they got the pavers laid by the end of summer. Several bricks from a former project had to be removed in order to get this patio done and with the back porch rotting out we had to delay the clean up and getting the yard in order so we could get some usable up in place of the rotted porch before winter. Late this summer we finally got the clean-up done. My neighbors new how hard we were working on this area, but they had not seen it yet. They were also making some changes in their back yard to make it more friendly for their young grandchildren. They donated their adult size swing so they could replace it with one for the kids.
I went in to get my husband to come take a look at it and a porch glider they were getting rid of. He helped them bring the glider over and got it on the porch. It will need a little work refurbishing, but it is perfectly usable for now, so maybe by next we will get that done. We next brought the swing over and set it up on our patio. I added cushions they also donated, and I love it. It is very comfy and perfect for our back yard. I am very happy with the progress.
As of September 11, 2020 – Note our friendly little squirrel on the fence
Finishing the Back Porch
2020 Rebuild
Last year our back porch started rotting through and we had to tear it out. We got it started and put down something temporary so our dogs could get in and out without problems during the winter months. My youngest son helped his dad get the frame finished and put it in place. It was too heavy for me to help.
This spring we were able to get it almost finished with the help of our friend Robert Alford. I was amazed at how fast the two of them got it finished. We bought the railings used, from someone on an online sales group, to use on our front porch. Since there was enough left, we decided to add it to the back so the match. We try to use recycled materials as much as possible. We are planning on wrapping the railings around the front, just up to the step this fall. We weren’t sure if wanted to do that at first. After using as is all summer, we both think it would be helpful for those days we overdo it, to have the railing to pull our tired bodies up the stairs.
My nephews have been visiting lately and one of our big things is to go outside and see what kind of bug we can find. I grew up with four brothers and raised two boys, so I am very much up on bug hunting. My nephews like to take pictures and then let them go. Over the last couple weeks with my nephews we have mostly found cicada shells and grasshoppers. It started with the oldest nephew finding a live cicada in our front yard. Over the years my boys and I have found many cicada shells. None of us had ever found a live one. We got a picture of it being carefully held, but when my nephew set it down it flew away before we could get a picture. We found several shells over the next few days, but no more live cicadas.
We saw a lot more grasshoppers than usual, but it took some time to catch one and get a photo. While we were out exploring, we walked over to our neighbors and looked at some of her flower garden plants. While feeling the softness of a Lamb’s Ear plant we noticed some kind of bug on a mint plant I had shared with her. We got the picture but have not identified it yet. During our little exploring walks, we have seen or heard many crickets and other common insects. I am so pleased to see yet another generation of nature lovers and their inquisitive minds, ever searching and learning about the world around them.
A Wasp’s or Hornet’s Nest
Our neighbors were weeding some tall weeds by the back of our garage. They got quite a bit weeded and suddenly started getting stung. After running back in the house, they called to let us know not to go back there until the hornets or wasps settled back down. Our neighbors said they did not see the nest, but they thought it was on our side of the fence either in the tall weeds or on the side of the garage.
My youngest son was fascinated by a show about an exterminator and how he would catch and release most pests but not wasps or hornets. He would send for a beekeeper if it was bees. One of our friends grew up with his dad owning a pest control company and my son enjoyed watching him and asking questions about how to handle different pests. So, my son has overseen all critters to decide what needs done ever since.
The next morning when I got up my son and I went back to investigate. I showed him where they had been weeding and he could not find anything. We saw wasps flying over head but no nest. Finally, my son decided to go around to the other side of the fence. It appeared they were hovering above a log that was laying against the fence. He could not tell whether the nest was in the log or in the ground behind it, so he decided to pull the log out and took off running. A swarm of wasps came up like a small cloud, so we decided to go back in the house until they calmed down. I let me neighbors know not to go back there yet so they would not get stung again.
We got busy with other things and my son had schoolwork to do so we forgot about it until late and it was too dark to worry about it by then. The next morning my son and I went back to see if we could find the nest. With the log pulled out and the wasps fairly calm my son was able to find the nest. He instructed me to go back to the house and tell the neighbors not to come out until he was done. Shortly after that he came in and said he used a full can of hornet spray, which usually will kill a large nest, but it did not seem to phase them. He had also used some type of firework to blow it up but even that did not work.
My son and my husband headed out to the garage and looked through all the possible insect sprays. We usually try to do everything organically, but this size of a wasp nest just survives almost anything, and my neighbor is allergic, so we felt it was more important to get rid of the wasps quickly. He finally found something our exterminator friend left behind and sprayed it with that and then set off a mortar left over from the Fourth of July. We stayed in the house while my son was handling it, but when I heard the mortar it was so loud it startled me and I ran to the back door and yelled out to my son to see if he was okay. He said yes but do not come out now.
Yellow Jacket Nest
I little while later my son came in and was so excited. “Mom you have to see this, come here” he said. So, I went in the kitchen and he had the wasps nest laid out on the counter in sections. He said he got the queen and that means they will not rebuild the hive. Gently using the tweezers, he placed the queen where I could get a good picture of it. He then got two of the workers and placed nearby so we could get a shot showing size comparison. The queen is always quite a bit larger. The next step was to pull some of the eggs out and look at the development from beginning to those about ready to hatch. After I got a picture of that, he found some about to hatch that were not phased by the poison, so he put everything on a couple of paper plates and placed them in our deep freezer.
Stages of development
After all was done, I sent some pictures to my niece to let her know what we had to use for a home school lesson for her sons. When my nephews got here, we pulled the nests out of the freezer and checked out everything. We began researching to see if we find out whether they where wasps or hornets. We found a comparison page and the queen looked exactly like the Yellow Jacket Wasp. We then looked to see whether it was called a nest or a hive. Bees use hives but wasps make nests. The Yellow Jackets chew wood to make a pulp and build their nests. Some are quite large. Years ago, we had a hive up in one of the trees that was the size and shape of a soccer ball. That is another story and if I happen upon the picture of it one day, I may tell that story too.
My Pet Bee
My Pet Bee
My pet bee, loves mint, especially when it is blooming. This bee has followed me around all summer when I am out working in my gardens. Early on in the Spring my brother called me. My husband was watching a movie, so I went outside to hear him better. I needed to go out in the back yard anyway to tend to some of the things recently planted. While we were talking this big bee started following me around. She never got close to me but stayed just out of reach on me right side. I mentioned it to my brother and he thought it was interesting but not surprised because I’ve been fascinated with anything and everything living since the time I can remember.
The next day went I went out to work on my yard and gardens in the back yard, I noticed that bee was still there and she continued to follow me around. I thought maybe the hive was nearby and I have all kinds of things planted that would interest bees. I soon got used to this bee following me around the backyard. When I went out of the fence to work on some things that are further back , we have four lots, she still followed me. By this time I really didn’t think about much. Sometimes I even looked over and said “Hello Bee”
My brother called me as he does now and then and I was getting to go out and sit on the front porch. We were chatting as I grabbed my water and headed out the front door. Getting comfortable on my wicker chair, so we could have a nice long chat, I looked up and their she was in the front yard. I mentioned to my brother and he said “Really, the same bee you were telling me about following you around your back yard?”. “Yes same bee” This happened several times, but it never bothered me so I let it be.
Then came the day she was pollinating the mint i grow along the side of my house. I had my phone handy so I decided to see if I could get a good picture. I took a few, but she kept moving around the bloom she was working on so I decided to try for a video. I was thinking if I could get a good enough shot I would be able to look up what kind of bee she was. She looked a lot like a bumble bee, but no stripes, just shiny black on the end. Sure enough I was able to find out what kind of bee she was. A carpenter bee and it said the females are loners. They mate in the spring and leave there eggs in old wood. They drill a tiny little hole, leave the egg and enough pollen to feed it when it hatches then they close up the hole with the saw dust they made when drilling the whole. After that they go on there way alone the rest of the summer. That is is how I came to think that my pet bee was a female.
Past
Watching my nephews has brought back many memories of bugs and other critters that my older brother brought to my attention. The first being the hive of bumble bees from the “Yellow House Bees Versus Tulips” story (9/2/2020). There have been many other bugs and critters encounters with a couple of my brothers and both of my sons.
Look what made a home in the shed – 2018
A couple years ago my youngest son went outside to clean out the shed where he kept several of his water and Nerf guns, as well as a couple toys that he made for various Halloween costumes. He came in after awhile and told me to come out and look what he found inside his home made toy. I expected it to be a spiders nest or a stink bug or something similar. Instead it was a birds nest with a few eggs in it. He was worried that the mama bird would not come back and wanted to know what to do with it.
I had recently read an article from bird rescue place. They had said touching the nest would not prevent the mom from coming back, or if a baby fell out you could pick it up and put it back and the mother bird would still come back and care for it. So I suggested that he put the toy back up on the inside wall where it had been, and just wait and see if she came back. My son went back to cleaning out the rest of the shed and ignored the nest. Mama bird soon came and sat on the fence to watch. Eventually she went back in the shed and sat on her nest.
The rest of the summer she sat on the nest until her babies hatched and she continued to feed her babies until they were ready to fly. My son continued to use the shed all summer and just ignored the bird and let her feed her babies. He got a close up of the bird’s nest in the shed both with the eggs an when they hatched. my son could come and go and work on projects in the shed and Mama bird just went about her business of feeding her young. She seems to accept him as a guard for her babies. I believe they were sparrows. Reminds me of a song my dad used to sing, “His Eye is on the Sparrow”. That makes me happy.
Blue Racers versus Rattle Snakes – Briarwood Lane
One of the encounters with a younger brother (6 years younger), was short but memorable. We had moved to a little house in a wooded area. A large section of woods was on our property and we used to follow the trails just to see what kind of things lived back there. My younger brother, age five, was an avid fan of Marlin Perkins on “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom”. After watching a show about Blue Racers, a nonvenomous species of snake that is amazingly fast and known to chase humans, but will only bite when annoyed, my younger brother became fascinated with snakes. Although the Blue Racer’s bite is painful it is not poisonous and causes no permanent harm.
One day after his daily walk through the woods looking for whatever might be there, he came home carrying a tiny baby snake. He asked me if I would get mom to bring him a jar that he could put the snake in. Mom came out, took one look and had him drop it in the jar. Then she said to let our older brother have it so he could put tiny holes in the jar lid. Little brother handed over the jar and went in the house to wash his hands or something on that order, per Mom’s instructions. I could see the look of panic in her eyes but somehow, she managed to keep it together until little brother was out of sight.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Mom told us it was a baby rattle snake and they are more dangerous than an adult. Mom had read that in one of her many books about everything. My older brother agreed to take the snake back out in the woods and kill it. She insisted that we not tell my younger brother but instead told him that it escaped before my older brother could get the holes punched in the lid. I cannot really remember for sure, but I think we were told not to let my younger brother go in the woods without our oldest brother supervising him.
