The decorative stones in our garden beds
are home to more than shrubs and flowers.
After several days of heat followed by rain,
the azaleas popped with radiant colors.
Our home in Sturbridge, Massachusetts,
featured a stone wall fashioned by my
father as a retaining wall. It was also
home to garter snakes who slithered about.
One morning my husband stepped on a
visitor but caught his foot in time so as
to do no harm. Both temporarily startled.
A game of hide and seek?
Our friend loves the warmth of the rocks
in the garden and on our small retaining
walls for the garden beds. Our slithering
snake friend lives under our front step.
Sometimes as I sit in one of the front porch
rockers, a snake greets us through a
slight opening in the stone; our daughter has
a green-hued visitor near the beach.
No matter the abodes, it seems that we
humans are the outsiders. Mere mortals
encroaching on their habitat. I laugh as
I observe what nature affords us.
Dr. Mary Ann Niemczura 
Beautiful photos and post! Love seeing the warmth and what nature has to offer. It’s wonderful!
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Emily, thank you for your lovely comment. If we just open our eyes and look around nature, there is much beauty to behold. May you have a great weekend. “”__””
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Even more than with us human beings snakes and other reptiles depend very much on the warmth and energy that comes from the sun.
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Peter, your comment is much appreciated. Thank you for your insight. We have so few days of actual warmth in our neck of the woods that it amazes me when I encounter them. Hope all is well and open where you are. Enjoy the weekend. “”__””
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You too, Mary Ann!
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Peter, thank you/Danke!
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Lovely post and photographs, Mary Ann. It always surprises me when I find lizards and snakes in our garden, too!
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Clare, thank you for you lovely comment. We are just visitors on our property for the birds let us know when to keep away from their young. Our resident snake basks in the warmth of the front step. We think the rabbits have been snacking on some of our bushes too. It’s fun to observe Mother Nature. Enjoy the weekend. oxox
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xoxo
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Blessings and hugs. oxox
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Wonderful photos and I wonder too at your calmness and acceptance of snakes as a part of natures unfolding.
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Thank you for your comment. The calmness and acceptance of this brand of garden snake is the fact that it can’t harm me. Startle me but that’s fine since it doesn’t want to be stepped on. Now I have a great deal of respect of rattlesnakes out in the West of the US. I am not calm but don’t put myself in a dangerous position if there is a potential of harm. After almost 50 years of teaching, I practiced calm and acceptance all the time. It is a learned art form I think. On the inside though, please don’t put an unknown snake near me or a tarantula! No thanks. What kinds of snakes have you encountered as part of nature? Be well and safe.
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We often have a ladderback in the house, well now and again and then do not see it for long periods. It is harmless but best left alone . Others are grass snakes and a strange Andalusian lizard.
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It’s probably best to admire them and leave alone. In this case, knowledge is power. Personally, I look around our stone walkway and garden beds with decorative stones which these garden snakes enjoy. I, too, would stay away from a ladderback. Hope you have a good week. I imagine you have lovely weather this time of year. 🙂
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Our landscaper just left but pointed out our resident snake and mentioned there might be a couple in the garden. I did more photos. I thought of you an your ladderback in the house. I frankly would scream if I encountered a snake in the house. Be well and safe.
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