Threat level-- red

We met the third rattlesnake today. We killed the third rattlesnake today. Our threat level is now back to red. It had been at orange for the past couple of days since we had not seen any snakes in over a week. I tell the kids every time they cross the threshold of the house to go outside, "Watch for snakes. Watch for snakes. Watch for snakes." I am a robot of repeated warnings.

My sweet husband shot the snake with his Father's Day gift. My youngest son got his weapon of choice out -- his buck pocketknife. After the head was chopped off and buried out in the field, Nathanael cut the rattle off of the snake and very proudly showed me his knife covered with rattlesnake blood. It was a nine button rattle. I was thoroughly grossed out on top of being freaked out.

Fall is coming in just a few short months, and with the cold weather comes a retreat of snakes. Ahh. I always knew I loved the fall. Until then, I must continue my robot mother nagging and my walking with my head down swaying it to and fro looking in every nook and cranny. I know that God put enmity between the snake and the woman in the garden, but honestly, what a bizarre animal. The bodies writhe for hours, headless. Watching it makes MY skin crawl. Harland touched it with his bare hands as he helped Nathanael with the rattle removal, and his hands smelled like he had been scaling a fish. I was taken to a new level of disgusted.

All the while I had dinner in the oven. To say I lost my appetite might be an understatement. I guess I should be thankful we were having spinach rolls and meatballs instead of fish. We will look forward to the giant vultures/buzzards coming tomorrow to pick the skeleton clean.

Thankfully, no kittens were close to the snake. They have been hunting grasshoppers and ladybugs and learning to climb trees, but hunting mice and scaring off snakes are not in their short list of abilities yet. As a side note, we are glad to report that the kitten Nathanael named Kevin is indeed a boy. He was labeled female for about three days because he was a late bloomer when it comes to his boy parts. The best we can tell, we have one girl and three boys.

The puppy saw the snake after it was dead. That seems to be his modus operandi. I am thankful he has not been bitten, and I am hoping he will learn to stay away from them and to warn us. I know he is more oblivious than my children so I will keep doing my warnings and searches and will keep the threat level at red.

I am overflowing with thankfulness again as I think of the danger and of the fact that everyone has remained safe. I know snakes are loved by many and probably not a big deal to most. I am, however, realizing that my life and my stories and the things I am learning are influenced greatly by my fears. That includes snakes at this moment. There are new things in life every day to be afraid of. Thankfully there is one less rattlesnake on the Cason Ranch to fear.

Isaiah 41:9-10 "I took you from the ends of the earth, from the farthest corners I called you. I said, "You are my servant; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."