rippstein: summer snake encounters

This last week has been all about snakes. We asked for some of the education, other 'learning opportunities' were just brought to us and some just came up in a conversation at dinner. Here's how:

We spent five days in the beautiful southwest (New Mexico) for my annual family reunion with my Dad's side of the family. I could go on for posts about my family-how diverse, adventurous and fun they are-but I won't. The highlight of the trip for The Pill was a visit, with 4 other little pipsqueaks, to the Rattlesnake Museum. Not a quiet and serene museum in that sense, but one filled with live rattlesnakes and videos of them existing in nature. I left with the heebie-jeebies and still certain that I don't like snakes.
Two bike rides this week came complete with rattlesnakes. One I wasn't present for, but involved a panicked tumble down the trail after my girlfriend's front tire was struck my a rattlesnake. I believe the tire survived, my girlfriends nerves did not. The other was last night when we rounded a corner only to have my IPOD free ear catch the blaring rattle of an angry snake. It slithered a few feet off the trail, but stayed in sight long enough for us to all get a good look. And even more heebie-jeebies.
That last encounter came an hour after one of my darling neighborhood girls, whose Dad is an ER doctor and therefore in-the-know, randomly educated me that if bit by a rattlesnake, suck the venom out and spit. Weird.
Finally, a very large blow snake was found dead in the street in front of our house. It must have been hit by a car, but was not mushed or mangled. The Pill and his equally adventurous sidekick spent a couple hours poking, prodding, lifting and laughing. Until Ripp decided we should skin it. And that is exactly what he did, along with an audience of about 10. There were more squeals and giggles along with a few dry heaves from me. They talked about what looked to be a mouse in its intestine and how we weren't going to waste the skinless snake, instead throwing it near the old rusted car that house a family of foxes. Yes, we have foxes in the hood too. And then Ripp asked for tacks and salt. So they could do this.

A summer science learning opportunity.