Summer has definitely arrived. School is out, the crops are planted, the days are warm, long and free! Doris and I are poking around our favorite coulee – across the road from our farm home. Small, it has no permanent creek, but there is a catch-basin slough at the south end. It collects run-off water, grows reeds and is home to many interesting things: red-winged black birds, meadowlarks, dragonflies and butterflies. To my delight, water in the slough also means my “creepy-crawlies” of all sorts show up. I spend much happy energy catching some tiny toads that appear when the slough is high, and deposit them in my overall pocket for the ride up the hill to our home.
It is nearing noon and Doris says, “Mommy will be ringing the lunch-bell soon. Marjie – you’d better collect your things and we’ll head off.”
Just then, out of the corner of my eye I see it – a snake! A wee, little, young garter snake. I shout in glee and the chase is on. Most times the snakes win races like this, but today I am the victor. Into my empty pocket it goes. Who knows, it might consider the passengers in my other pocket as lunch! I brush the dirt off my knees and hurry after my sister. Continue reading