Okay, a two-part note.
First, a fuzzy bunny story: We have lots and lots of wild hares. Last yr, while I was sitting on a stone bench near the front door, reading a pile of junk mail (I'm a sucker for junk mail catalogs) a baby bunny hopped right in front of me, totally unafraid. (Too inexperienced to know better.) It went into the shade near the azaleas and proceeded to groom itself, scratch itself behind it's ear with-its hind leg, and stretch, shoulders downward and rear end up, just like a cat or dog. I must have sat there for 1/2 hr. It was so much fun. I've never seen a bunny do that b4.
Feel better Beth?
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Okay, Beth, don't read the following--it's about snakes again.
I agree, the snake crawled into the top of the washer, looking for a water source.
They can disappear very quickly beneath anything from leaves to dirt to clothing.
I encountered a 4-ft blk rat snake (oops-I found out it wasn't--see below) this afternoon while watering my plants. It was slithering across the big slate steps down a small hill. Luckily, it went directly across my path but one step down, so I stood and watched it go by. It was actually very pretty, all black with-white bands. And it ended up under the ivy, beneath the bushes. Once it stopped, I could no longer see it, and it was less than 2 ft from me.
*I just looked it up online and it was an Eastern King Snake. They lay eggs in late summer and the little ones hatch in fall. They capture and eat other snakes, particularly water moccasins. Way To Go, King Snakes!!!
Unfortunately, they also eat turtle eggs.
Now, if it had been in my washer, and had reared up at me, I would have screamed bloody murder. But outside, where it belongs, that's okay.