I Saw a Snake Today, Yay!

Yesterday the thermometer where I live reached 63 degrees and it felt wonderful. The sun was warm and there was very little wind. Sixty-three may not be the warmest temperature, but after an extraordinary cold and snowy winter here in Minnesota, it was long overdue. I am an avid walker and have been oppressed by the weather for months.

Each person I passed during yesterday’s walk made a comment about the weather. It was finally warm enough to leave that extra layer at home or peel it off after realizing that a jacket or sweater wasn’t needed after all. People smile more and the pace of our steps naturally increases when winter is laid to rest.

"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness."
- John Steinbeck

With the melting of the snow comes mud and puddles. My dog loves the water and happily strolled into the crevices of melted snow that lined our walking path. If he could talk, I know he would say he was happy that winter is gone too. My dog is also twelve years old with aging hips and can’t endure like he once did, so, I walked for a bit with him and then brought him home and headed back out. For the first time in months, I walked comfortably in just a t-shirt and didn’t get cold.

As I neared the final leg of my walk, I approached a sunny section on the trail of mud and puddles. My eye caught some movement ahead. I got excited. It looked like a snake? Eeeek! I hope so!! Not that I am a lover (or a hater) of snakes, but if I was seeing a snake, it meant the ground was no longer frozen! It was! Yippeeee! As I got closer, I saw it was a garter snake and it was not nearly as happy to see me as I was to see it. It struck at me multiple times and was hissing between strikes. It’s small stature along with knowing it’s not poisonous, hardly made me feel threatened, however, I gave it plenty of space while taking its picture and recording it’s anger towards me.

A friend told me it had likely just shed its skin and was probably angry from being woken from it’s long winter nap. That made sense to me, except it didn’t match the mood of the people and dogs I had encountered. The humans and the dogs were happy to shed their winter skin! The dogs ran like crazy through the trails and puddles, joyfully celebrating spring! The people, as I mentioned earlier, took off their jackets and walked a little faster wearing ear to ear grins for each passerby.

I was truly happy to see that snake. Call me crazy if you’d like, but I wanted to pick it up and hug it and kiss it and tell it thank you for the sign that winter was over! What a true representation it was. Shedding that winter skin to be renewed by the spring with a shiny new one literally made my day!

“Spring is a true reconstructionist”. -Henry Timrod

Spring is a time of renewal. What has been dormant in winter, breathes new life. I discovered a small patch of bamboo that was knee high. I hadn’t seen it the two days previous as I walked past. It was new growth. Not everything grows as fast as bamboo, but new life was visible all around. The birds seemed to be singing louder, the tree frogs and red winged blackbirds returned with their sweet songs, only heard in the warm months. A pair of wood ducks called to each other and swam with mallards and geese in a small pond.

The dark of winter has melted with the snow and given way to buds, blossoms and blooms whose colors and scents will replace the snow before long. It’s hard not to take a look inside myself and see what’s been hidden in the depths of winter. What things about me could use some attention and freshening up? That list is longer than it probably should be. Springtime brings these things to the surface and gives new energy to what’s been hidden. What I have been putting off comes front and center, ready for me to allow for growth and nourishment.

“In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.” - John Muir

What has been held captive by winter is moving again. The search for warmth, at least temporarily, doesn’t have to be a long trip. Take a walk outside, leave your jacket, open your eyes, your ears and breathe it in. Feel the warmth of the sun. If you’re lucky enough to see a snake, or any other critter whose life is dependent on the spring, offer thanks that a new season has arrived. Winter (in these parts) will return, but not before I get out and experience one hundred or more long walks to take it all in.

I saw a snake today! YAY!

“Spring is when you feel like whistling, even with a shoe full of slush.” - Doug Larson

“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” -John Muir