Radio announcers often talk about how wonderful it is to have beautiful warm weather for weekends, not realising that farmers often need rain.
However, the warm sunny weekend, that was sent to us recently, was a welcome relief from the cold, grey days that we’ve been experiencing!
As you can see by the clear picture Cape Arid, the air is quite dry too.
But, the first warm days, after a cold winter, often bring out unwelcome visitors. We live at the bottom of granite hill that is surrounded by crown land… and thick native bush. So thick in spots, you can’t walk through it.
As much as I love the wild flowers it produces, I don’t like some of the creatures that live in it. Foxes I can deal with, racehorse goannas and bobtails, well, they can give you a fright but they’re basically harmless. It’s the snakes I hate.
The first year we shifted to this house, we killed 26 tiger and dugite snakes. Now I know this is often frowned upon by people who would rather relocate them, (and I’m sorry if I offend anyone by my actions) but out here, there’s nowhere to relocate them. This is where a snake re-locator would take them!
They live in the bush and as soon as a tiger snake moves on, another takes it spot – they’re territorial. With young children and precious working dogs, snakes just aren’t tolerated at the house. The paddocks? Fine. No problem. Just not at my house!
Hayden was out riding his bike, when I first heard the bloodcurdling scream! I raced out to see a big, fat tiger snake cruising along the road. Unfortunately, by the time I located a shovel, it had gone, but not five minutes later, I went to the chook house and there was a young tiger snake with a mouse in it’s mouth. That one didn’t escape my shovel!
So, now we’re on the look out again and I’ve been out mowing all the grass around the house for easy viewing!
Oh Fleur! This sounds terrifying. I live in Sydney and loved Red Dust but I still struggle to imagine what it must be like to live a rural life, you are the only wroter that has come close to getting it… maybe the tiger snakes are too close for this city dweller though! Looking forward to Blue Skies… any news on a date yet?
Hi Fleur – whilst some people may be against this idea as well. Since mum and dad have been on the station they have allowed their cat population to increase (not feral but not quite all pets either) – now they don’t get a snake within a km of the house.
I definitely have a huge phobia about them and would do anything to get rid of them – especially tigers – very aggressive!
Hi Frankie, Thank you for your comments about Red Dust. Blue Skies is nearly there! My deadline is September 1, with a release date around May next year.
Gemma, thanks for your idea – it’s been a bad year for mice and that’s what the snakes are hunting. We’ve installed some live mouse traps to try and get rid of them. We don’t like using baits because of our dogs. Yeah, tigers are aggressive and I don’t like ’em at all. Thanks for getting in contact!
Hi Fleur,
I recommend a 410 Boito, cheap as chips! (you’ve probably got one already) Shot a tiger snake last year. I can cope with “black backed- black sided-red snakes” but browns and tigers are rather un-nerving. Fortunately my kids have left home and all live in the city where they have to deal with traffic and terrorists. (daughter is a policewoman in Sydney where snakes are not such a menace) but sometimes I lie in bed wondering what she is dealing with! Let it rain…. All the best,
Trev.
Hi Trev and Sue
Trev, great recommendation- I’d love to use a gun, but Anthony jokingly says I might put a hole somewhere in the house if I use one! I’d much rather not have to get within a shovel length of them, but I guess that’s they way it’s going to be. How are you keeping?
Sue, thank you for your lovely comments. I’m so pleased that you liked Red Dust. Blue Skies isn’t that far away!
I nearly stepped on a tiger snake a few months back. I stupidly turned my back on it and it moved away so I didn’t see where it went. I was supposed to be going to feed the chooks but it took about another hour before I mustered enough courage to do so and then I took 15 instead of 5 minutes to get there! Dad found it the next day when he nearly put his hand on it when trying to detach a pump. We didn’t loose it then!!
Kelly
Good to hear that you got it Kelly! My kids got a bit uptight when I sent them back into the chook house after I’d killed the snake in there! I could n’t seem to convince them that there wouldn’t be another in there – don’t know why!