The theme of this week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge is SURPRISE.
I had just completed fifteen minutes of pruning a tall Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’ holly that was about nine feet tall. As I climbed down the ladder, I came face to face with an unexpected visitor. My was that ever a surprise!
I am certainly glad that I hadn’t pruned its tail.
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/surprise-2/
About johnvic8
John Viccellio retired after 24 years in the U. S. Navy and began to dig into gardening when he could finally land in one place. He completed the Master Gardener course in 1992 and has since designed and constructed two of his own gardens. He wrote a monthly garden column for ten years and was a regular contributor to Carolina Gardener magazine. John published his first book, Guess What's in My Garden!, in 2014.
He lives in a retirement community in Matthews, NC.
A Walk in the Garden 
Now THAT would get my attention 🙂
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I can assure you that it got mine.
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Holy cow! Glad to know that you are safe.
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Thanks. Black snakes are harmless to humans. They eat mice and voles and not me.
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Good thing you know your snakes
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This was one of the few I know.
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Well…..I think this is going to get my first place prize for this week’s photo challenge.
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Thank you, Anne. Serendipity always helps.
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Oh my! I would certainly have been surprised!
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Surprise is hardly descriptive. Shock might be better.
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And what a beauty it is! Hope it nabbed a chipmunk while visiting.
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I’m more hopeful about voles.
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😲 This is a beautiful specimen, but if you ever visit KZN South Africa, please don’t get too chummy with the black snakes – their venom is deadly.
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Thanks, Hester, for the warning.
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What kind of snake is it John! Good thing you weren’t still on the ladder when he came out and made you jump!
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It is a common black snake. Quite prevalent in this area. I did see it while I was on the ladder. That’s why I jumped.
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Good one John! I have had too many encounters of being about to step onto a deadly snake! Third time in one place I took it as a sign and relocated. Fact of life in Australia.
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We have only one deadly snake in our area…a copperhead. We see it rarely, but when we do, I move away fast.
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Here we stand still … they like to chase!
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Takes courage.
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Not when you’ve lived with them all your life, for us it’s common sense. But you be careful pruning in future John!
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Yikes!
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Yikes is right.
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Scary even if it wasn’t dangerous! I’m glad you didn’t snip it!
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I try to keep my distance.
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Whoa! Was the photo shot with you still on the ladder? Glad you weren’t too surprised. Morry
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Thanks, Morry. I saw the snake when I was on the ladder and photographed it then, but jumped down quickly and took the shot you see here.
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All in a day’s work in the garden! What a super shot for this week’s challenge!!!
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Thanks, Lindy. You are right…a day’s work.
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Maybe shock rather than surprise!!
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You are right, Christina.
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Oh my, that would be a bit startling! You probably interrupted its nap.
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It surely did interrupt mine.
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Now that would be a surprise for me too. One that would still find me running in the opposite direction. I don’t know much about snakes – is that one poisonous?
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Don’t run too fast. This one is not poisonous.
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