Big Snake in the Squash Garden

I was out harvesting squash today, dancing among the vines picking the fruits of my labor. Joyce was with me assessing which were suitable for picking and which were not. We made our way around the squash garden and at the last squash I was reaching down to pick it when Joyce said, “Bill there is a big black snake wrapped around that one.” I had my glasses on, but under those big leaves I did not see the snake until I was almost reaching in there. At that point, all the hair on my legs and arms was standing at attention and didn’t lie back down for a half hour. That was it for me in the squash garden for the rest of the day. I’m always a little unnerved for an hour or so after coming close to one of those snake events, but this one was so close I couldn't get past it today. 

That snake didn't keep me from harvesting some pears. We may have been a bit early, but past experience had taught us once the deer find the tree the pears disappear sometimes overnight.