Flower Garden @ MindSay 
All I have to say is --if snakes had fur, lil paws,whiskers and fur--I could deal much easier with them. If they at least showed some fear of me........ but noooooooooooo they wait for me on zuccini mountain and watermelon hill etc.
Sorry snake lovers but they are just not cute. After I scream and run for my life--I almost always sneak back out to look and are they in the spot they were when I left? Did they slither out of site? NOOOOOOOOO they are always in the spot that I was last standing before I took off looking like I was having a stroke.
Here is a story I wrote a long time ago soon after a snake encounter. It was written from the heart when I wasn't as brave (hm hmm) as I am now.
The Snake (true story)
"Mommy, Sunny(the cat) ran by me really
fast with something long hanging out of his mouth" said the lil one.
"Was it stiff or limp?" as my heart started to beat funny. "I don't
know but it wasn't a cord or anything and I know I'm staying back
here. Mommy, can a snake get under this door?"
I walked slowly and purposefully towards the living room. So far
so good. I was hoping to see a dead/dying snake that maybe I could
remove with a shovel. Of course I was ready to run if the cat still
had it in his mouth and would be running towards me to show off his
hunting skills. There it was. It was coiled up and not looking dead.
I ran like hell back into the bedroom to rethink my tactics(never
retreat).
Ok so now we both are walking like we are off to see the wizard.
Good sign--he is still in the same spot as we stare trying to figure
out his condition. "We better get weapons" I say no longer even
trying to look brave. "Yes, YOU should get a weapon, Mom." lil one
says. I'm explaining the whole time how we know it's not poisonous
and it's supposedly scared of us(yeah right). Also it serves some
form of purpose like killing other gross stuff. I turn to choose my
weapon. I turn back-- It's gone. No sign--just gone. It's so not
dead. We run like the wind once again.
Needless to say, my house is now all tore up and cleaning day is
shot to hell. There it is, going under the refrigerator. It's got
those yellow stripes and blotchy spots, about four feet long with a
tiny head. It's looking at me. I'm praying it gets fried under the
fridge. It reappeared as I'm looking up snake killing methods online.
All I can find is dumb articles on snake away-glue-lime-sulphur and
how we shouldn't be inhumane or kill it. It's being inhumane to me as
it slithers under my chair. I jump from chair to couch to arm rest.
Ok the bastard may still be here or may have left thru the door I left
open as I ran for my life. I think the cat was wanting to kill it but
got scared himself. I don't know. I no longer care.
I just know someday I am going to be able to put my feet on the floor
and extend my legs once again. Not TOday. I have also learned that
if you arrange your furniture just so, you never have to touch the
floor at all.
I dealt with the rat much better. It at least was fuzzy and looked like
Mickey Mouse some what. This snake knows it's got rule over our activities
until it's death/capture. It never flinched in my presence nor did it
hurry along in a panic. It just slithered slowly and hatefully as if it
knew it was tormenting us.
I love Sunny. Really I do. I am going to repeat that as many times that it takes to convince myself. ;0)
© Paul Viel
What is it like where flowers go when they die
I have enough trouble with afterlife of humans
So that question is - well - it's beyond me
I can imagine a daisy playground but
That supposes daisies are children
Or that it's to an English garden
Well tended and serene
But for all my independence of soul
I'd like to think it's a remote jungle in Africa
Or maybe South America
Hidden and wild with plenty of rain and
Sunshine that is filtered but steady and
Soil as rich as compost
If I were a flower
That would be my heaven
As I was thinking about my hubby and marriage today I got to thinking just how similar it all is to a successful garden. I know, your going "wtf" is she talking about but, just hear me out. When you think about it there are several aspects that are the same. First you decide you'd like to have a garden (marriage). You carefully select the perfect plant (mate) that you want to put in your garden according to its' traits. (What does it need from you to grow and become the best it can be, while contemplating what does it have to offer you in return) Now you place that perfect plant in your garden (marriage) and you tend to its' needs lovingly. You communicate with each other. (if a plant isn't happy it let's you know) You make sure that the soil (home) is a warm, welcoming and comfortable place to put its' roots in. You provide plenty of room for it to grow (relationships with you and others) You make sure it has enough sunshine (happiness) along with enough shade (alone time) as it needs. You provide the right amount of water (understanding) and food (sex). You give it support and admire it in all stages of its life. Constantly striving to keep it (marriage) alive. Weeding (dealing with the reality of the outside world) is a necessary chore, unpleasant perhaps but a very important job none the less. Then you decide you want to expand your garden (have children) and you plant some seeds. And in no time it seems that you have some little plants that need tending to. Being young they need a lot of nurturing and seem to take up a whole lot more of your time, energy and attention. Yet you give them all that they need and more because you are a master gardener! But you must remember not to neglect your first perfect plant (spouse) and continue to keep it happy so that the young plants can see it as an example of what they can become. When they've become adult enough, you offer them as a gift to someone else who would like a garden and who will continue to love and care for them and make them happy. But in the meantime your perfect plant (spouse) has been there through it all, growing and ageing along with you. Sometimes having to take the back seat but not minding because it knows that not only does it have a great home with lots of sunshine, food and water it also has what every living thing wants....unconditional love.
