Shivers and Slithers

Ok, call me crazy. It's just that every time I see a piece of rope or twine or rubber from the tread of a tire on the road, my first thought is that it has to be a snake, until I'm close enough to see that it isn't. So, yes, I am paranoid. But every now and then, I turn out to be right. Only this time, it wasn't in the road a safe distance from my home. This one was basking on the rocky driveway near my back door. Eeek! And no one was close enough to save me from its ferocious looks!

Common Name: Common Garter Snake, Eastern Garter Snake, Garden snake, Grass snake, Striped snake - The longitudinal stripes were thought to resemble the stripes that embellish the classic stocking garter.
Scientific Name: Thamnophis sirtalis

Actually, I used to play with the ones my brothers would bring home. When you grow up wedged between two brothers a year apart and another older one who was a ring leader of every kind of courageous daredevil activity, you just kind of go along with the snips and snails and puppy dog tails kind of things. But today, I didn't want to see it. I didn't want to think about it hiding under the stairs or slithering in and out of one of the blocks at the end of the driveway, or cooling itself under a canopy of weeds waiting for me to reach in with my hands to pull ... aaaaghhhh! Today I decided I really do not like snakes!