Norah'S

Photo from the internet.  It is a Texas rat snake.

Dear Mr Snake in my garden,
I did not enjoy sharing my path with you this morning and cannot thank you this time for showing up.  Why did you do that?  Why were you stretched out across my path with your head raised?  Why didn't you just slither off into the tall native grasses?  That is where you are suppose to be.  You are in charge of rat control. I have the path reserved all the minutes between the 7th and 8th hour of each morning.  You do not need to be there. I was OK to stop and wait for you to leave.  But you didn't.  I had nothing more than a few straw like sticks to toss at you.  You never flinched.  I talked to you. You never flinched. I found another little stick and I found my courage too.  I started to turn back  but I know you are harmless and so I passed by you with my head held as high as yours Mr Snake in my garden. I held that flimsy dead stick in my hand and again you never flinched.  I turned and looked back and you had slightly changed positions.  You gave me a lot to think about as I circled the path.  And I was glad you were gone when I came around again. I wondered  if the encounter was about finding courage or being brave or slowing down, or being thankful or just walking in beauty.  Please remember my schedule and if we should cross paths again, please go.

My laps went by quickly this morning with all this thinking I had to do.  I'm looking forward to the weekend....as usual but this weekend I will be in the Sewing Studio.  I've already finished my weekend laundry and  I am making new curtains for my bedroom.  I started them this morning and I don't expect them to take very long to finish.