By Pauline Tom

Praise God for the rain. Looking back in past Augusts, “Montage” mentioned crunchy grass; and, we prayed for rain. How beautiful the rain sounds and green grass!

A soft rattle near sundown on Sunday turned my head back to the spot on the soft grass where I had just scooped dillo dirt from a bag. Rattling. Diamonds. Triangular head. The snake slithered away, towards our deck. In fact, by the time Ron Tom responded to my calling out and calling cell, the snake disappeared under the deck.

Ron questioned the validity of my identification, since neither of us had heard of a rattlesnake rattling in retreat. Seri did not understand me; so, I texted up our local Snake Rescuer, Rick Thomas, 512-393-1986. “Yes, they will rattle and move away at the same time.”

I wondered that night if Rick knew of a way to lure a snake from underneath a deck. “My experience is they have a large range they roam, and it’s likely moved on.”

So, all you out there in a large range, be careful. If you’re on the lookout and see a rattlesnake, usually the rattlesnake will move away and present no danger. But, danger comes when a human unknowingly places a hand or foot towards the snake. 

I’ve wondered, “How would a person listening to recorded sounds through headphones hear a rattlesnake’s warning?”

Cattycornered across the street, Christine Greve found a garter snake on her driveway. On Nextdoor.com she posted a photo. My husband nailed its exact id with “checkered garter snake.”  Gary White advised “good snake.”

I heard a good tidbit from our next door neighbor, John Sheldon. Last week, three ring-tailed prowlers entered his mega truck through an open window and made a mega-mess while claiming some food. John had quite a clean-up job, even sanitizing with bleach. The next night, paw prints showed they tried up one way and down another to get back in. 

And, would you believe it, John forgot to roll up the windows another night?

Here’s a never-before-told tale that I almost told John on Sunday. Quite a long time ago, I “prowled” over to their driveway late one night while following “Find My Phone” on Ron’s iPhone. It led me straight to their garbage can. What to do? In my head, I saw a jerk tossing it in an easy hiding spot when I came looking. What did I do? I took a quick peek – into an empty can. And, I learned that “Find My Phone” cannot always be trusted to give an exact signal out here in our little city. Turns out, my phone was on a shelf in my closet.

Ten years ago in Montage, “James & Dianne Polk reported the return of their Rufous Hummingbird. Keep fresh syrup in your feeder throughout the year, and you might attract a wintering Rufous Hummingbird.  That’s right. Labor Day is not the date to take down your feeder. Keep it up!”

And, keep on sending tidbits, please. ptom5678@gmail.com (subject: TIDBIT) or leave a message at 512-268-5678. Thanks! Love, Pauline.