Monday, September 21, 2009

Snakes, part 2

The last time I posted I talked about fears. I mentioned one of my fears was snakes. A few days ago when I went outside in the front yard to check out the beautiful white butterfly flitting around the butterfly bush (butterflies and hummingbirds love that plant), I walked across the grass barefoot. I was standing there staring at the bush, hoping the butterfly would light so I could get a good look at it. I hadn't seen a white one like that at the bush before. Something tickled the top of my toes and foot. I thought it was the grass since it hadn't been cut yet because it's been raining so much. I happen to glance down, and it was a snake sliding over my foot. Thankfully it was only a foot long. But a snake is a snake, even if it looked like a baby one. At that moment I jumped back and looked around for its mama. I don't think my heart stop beating fast for a long time after that. I learned a few lessons that day: don't walk barefoot across the grass, look down where you walk (I could have stepped on it and that thought makes me shudder), and check out the yard before going across it.

Have you ever had a close encounter with one of your fears?

8 comments:

GunDiva said...

The first time my daughter had to go potty outside she was five or six and we were in the desert. I was explaining the importance of making sure the bush was unoccupied when we turned around a little scrub brush, and right there, coiled up, was a rattlesnake. According to my daughter, I screamed a little bit (I thought it was a loud gasp, but who knows?) and slowly backed her up. I calmly told her that we'd have to go find another bush - one that didn't have a snake. She then told me she didn't have to go potty anymore. Not because she'd peed herself, but because it "went away".

Here's hoping your little foot climber was the non-poisonous variety :)

Debby Giusti said...

Margaret, I'm with you. I don't like snakes. Yikes!

Gun Diva, oh my gosh!!! A rattlesnake. My family and I lived in the Mojave Desert for two years. We had a rattler in the garage. Luckily, hubby got rid of the critter!

Loved seeing so many Ladies of Suspense at the American Christian Fiction Writers conference in Denver. Congrats to Pamela Tracy for her BOOK OF THE YEAR win!!! WHOO-HOO, PAM!!! We're so proud of you!!!

Lynette Eason said...

Ack! No you didn't! A snake? {Shudder} that's my feeling. My daughter would have picked it up, brought it home and promised to feed it and take care of it if she could just keep it for her very own!

I come face to face with a fear everytime I get on an airplane. But my desire to go places seems to be outgrowing my fear. Thank goodness!

Project Journal said...

Margaret,
That would have scared me so bad! However, my story will make you shudder....

My grandparents own a farm. We were up by the pond one summer, walking around it. Then I stepped on something. I looked down, sure enough it was a snake. I cannot remember how big it was, but it was not tiny like a garter snake. I ran faster than I ever have I think! Lol! All the way back to grandma's house, which is about a 10 minute walk from the pond. Lol! I can laugh about it now even though it still freaks me out!
Hannah

Linda Hall said...

Oh my goodness! !If a snake wiggled across my foot I would jump a mile. A good case for wearing flip flops outside.

My biggest fear is heights. I wouldn't bungee jump or skydive if my life depended on it.

Debby Giusti said...

Linda, I don't like heights either. Nope, no bungee jumping for me. No getting close to the edge of a cliff. Fact is, I'm a coward! :)

Now my characters are a totally different matter. I shove them into danger anytime I can.

Project Journal said...

Lol Debby! It's a good way for you to live your alter ego, right!?
Hannah : )

Margaret Daley said...

Your stories about snakes gives me the chills even sitting at my desk. Thanks for all the responses. I love using fears in my books to push the hero and heroine but in real life I'd prefer not encounter something like snakes.