Category: New Hampshire

My Encounter With The Milk Snake

Milk snake
The poor guy was stuck

A few days ago I was doing yard work and walked into my garage to see a long snake stretched out beneath the house doorway.

I got the shovel thinking I would chase him outside, but I realized he couldn’t move. His tail was wedged into the wall.

So – I’m thinking – what does that mean?  Was he up inside the wall?  How did this happen?  Does he have family left inside my wall too?

There was no time to worry about swarms of snakes all cozied up in my insulation.  I had to call someone to help him.

I found 2 numbers and no one answered at either one.  It was 5:30 and all the wildlife people were gone for the day.

By now, the snake had stretched himself across the bottom of the doorway and had stuck his head under the threshold – between the cement and the wood.   So I could no longer see his head.  His tail was still stuck and it was an odd view.  I should have taken a picture, but it was just freaking me out and I still wanted to find someone to come help him.

I went inside and had a beer while I contemplated calling the cops.  Maybe they were not busy and they had an officer who actually liked snakes and he’d be happy to come out and help.  Then again, maybe they would tell me they don’t do that sort of thing, take my name and address and consider me a nuisance.

snake in the garage
Milk Snake

The story has a happy ending. When I went back outside I was just in time to see his tail slip through the crack beneath the door.  He had pulled it free.  I was hoping that crack led him outside. At least he was out of the wall.

The next day I noticed a snake skin along the bottom of the house just outside the garage.
I pulled it out and measured it – the markings were just like the markings on the milk snake. I don’t know if the skin had been there a while or if he had shed it after his escape.

I didn’t know that there were snakes that big in New Hampshire. I did get a call back from Fish and Game the next day and they left a message saying that I should put on some gloves and help him get free! Uh… I don’t think so!

snake skin measurement
Measuring at 41 inches.
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Blueberry Picking on Pitcher Mountain

Blueberry picking sign and cash box at Pitcher Mountain

We had started a tradition years ago when we first moved to New Hampshire. We found a great little mountain to climb that offered a gorgeous panoramic view and it was loaded with blueberry bushes.

We’d head up to Pitcher Mountain in Stoddard in July and each of the kids would help me fill our little buckets full of blueberries.
This year my son was not too thrilled with the idea. It’s boring. He’s 14 now. But he was hanging around the house without anything to do and I convinced him to go just for the hike. He whined and moaned and couldn’t wait to leave, but I managed to get him to help me pick at least a few berries.

I asked him which trail he wanted to take back down and he said “the fastest one”.

Then I put my dollar into the box when we got to the parking area at the bottom, and he said that I was probably the only person who put any money in. He said it like I was such a moron. Teenagers.

Pitcher Mountain is quite a drive for us now that we have moved, but it’s still one of my favorite places to hike. We had a great time! 😉

The view in the photo below is one of the best from the top. It was clear enough to see Mount Monadnock.

View from top of Pitcher Mountain
View of Mount Monadnock from the summit of Pitcher Mountain.
mountaintop view
Looking northwest from the summit.
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Two Barred Owls That “Talk” All Night Long

For the past week or so we’ve had owls hanging out in the vicinity of my house. We were watching TV one night and my son muted it and said, “what’s that noise?”
It was a long hissing, screech sound which I can’t explain, but when we looked outside we saw a big bird swoop through the trees. It was almost 9:00 PM and it had to be an owl. Not only one- but I think there were three. A few nights later, after putting up with their constant screeching back and forth to each other – all night long – I saw one sitting in the dead tree outback.

We went out on the deck and it just stared at us. After a moment another one swooped up from the woods and the two of them watched us intently until the flash from my camera scared them off. The photo isn’t too good, but here they are. It’s been quiet lately so maybe they have moved on. I hope so.  I loved seeing them, but enough with the noise already!

I had to look them up, but I think they are Barred Owls which are common around here.

Two Barred owls in a dead tree
Holy Cow – Shut Up!

This is a Beautiful Week for Enjoying The New Hampshire Outdoors

View from Pitcher Mountain

Here in New Hampshire we are having a gorgeous weather week with temps in the 80’s and 50’s (at night). With sunshine and low humidity, who could ask for more?

It’s a great week to get outside and hike, kayak, swim (take the dog) and pick local berries.

I am planning a trip to my favorite little mountain this week to see what I’ll find for blueberries. Pitcher Mountain is easy to climb and has fabulous panoramic views from the top. This time of year the place is loaded with blueberries – I just hope they are blue by now.

Roxy In the lake
Roxie wades in the lake to cool off

It is not necessary to get into the car and travel on a nice day.  Sunny, warm days are perfect for walks and I currently live near a lake in a rural area.  My landlady lets me take her dog Roxie with me, and we have loads of fun getting exercise together.  On our way home I let Roxie take a dip, and she loves the water.

If we decide to go hiking, we have Mount Monadnock and Pack Monadnock (smaller) close by in the towns of Jaffrey and Peterborough in the southern area of the state. And if my son was younger we’d take another ride up to Ruggles Mine in Grafton.  That is a cool place to visit and collect rocks.