Fourth of July in Leetonia

Rattlesnake hiding in our wood pile.

Happy Fourth of July says the Timber Rattler in front of our wood pile. The cool day brought it out to the sun. Lee first noticed it when she was mowing. The mowing made the rattler mad and in went under the pile and rattled at her. This isn't the first time we have had rattlers close to the house, but his location is going to make it very dangerous for the dogs if they walk near the pile. I have called a rattle snake person to come and relocate our little friend.

As you all have noticed I haven't posted much for a month. Lee and I went on our first trip with our motorhome in 12 years. The dogs went with and enjoyed it so much they didn't want to leave the motorhome. The first day we were back Speck jumped in the drivers seat and Leo sat in the passenger seat. We had to drag them out. Guess they liked it.

A lot of people are up and I heard there is some construction going on in Leetonia. I will try to get down in the next few days and get some pictures. Thanks to all who watched everything while we were gone. I have to say there isn't any where nicer than where we live. Maybe that is why it took us so long to go anywhere else. 

Looks like the weekend is going to be mild temperatures and great for all those family get togethers. Have a great time where ever you are. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Rhododendrons and Rattlesnakes

House in Gaines

Wellsboro

Wellsboro

Wellsboro

Wellsboro

Morris Rattlesnake Box

Rattlesnake head

Rattlesnake head from top of tube

Lee's annual Pet a Rattlesnake

This is a little bit of a catch up post for the last couple weeks. The Rhododendrons are so pretty around this area, I had to capture some of them for you. Our acid soil makes them bigger than I see anywhere else some as high as the first story on a house. The beautiful old Victorian houses in Wellsboro look picture card perfect surrounding by the blooming bushes. Their wilder cousins the Mountain Laurel is starting to bud and I am guessing will open up and be nice for the Laurel fest this coming weekend.

This weekend is of course the rattlesnake festival in Morris. We go every year so we can eat things off our normal diet and see the snakes. Today the weather was a bit on the cool side so their were only a few snakes by 2 pm when we were there.  But it was enough for Lee to get in her annual petting of a rattlesnake. What you can't see in the picture is "Speck", the Chihuahua was in her other hand and not at all impressed by the large buzzing reptile. The view from the top of the tube show the head, the eyes are film covered because this yellow timber rattler was in the process of shedding its skin.

The contest is catch and release at the spot they were captured. The only indignity the snakes face is being micro-chipped and petted by a hundred people. They often capture the same snake again in following years and by weighing them and measuring them it lets them track how much they have grown. Rattlesnakes are protected in this area and not allowed to be killed. All the snake catchers must get a permit from Fish and Game to catch rattlesnakes for the festival. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Heat Continues

When it gets in the 90's back here it is hot. Fortunately, this doesn't happen too much, but when it does it is hard on animal and human alike.
The rattlesnakes have been on the move in hot weather seeking the cool of the creeks.
I saw this black Timber Rattler today in front of Red Rock Camp. I saw a larger yellow one crossing Francis Leetonia road yesterday.
If you don't know what they look like you might think the black ones are sticks on the road until you look a bit closer.
Caution should be used swimming in the creeks to make sure you look out for your fellow snakes looking to cool themselves as well. Timber Rattlers aren't real aggressive but they will bite if you get too close or step on them. You are safe if you stay the length of the snake away and don't bother them. Most of the snake bites are people trying to pick them up or mess with them. Cool weather isn't in sight so keep hydrated or best yet sit in a cold stream. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Snake days of Leetonia

When the weather gets hot the rattlesnakes are on the move crossing the road to get to the cooler streams. Between Lee and I we have seen 5 snakes in the last two weeks. Two yellow rattlers and 3 black rattlers.
There is a mini cub explosion going on in Leetonia. We have a mother with three cubs and one with four cubs. It is unusual to see either but both is unheard of since we have lived here.
You are probably wondering what this picture has to do with bears or snakes. Nothing! As you are going toward Leetonia on Leetonia Road two bridges past the Whippoorwill camp you will come to a long winding hill. This hill is a bit hard to get up in the winter when there is snow and ice not so much because of the grade but the turns and length can wear out a good run at it. Well I guess this hill has another name according to Bravo Button, 80, and lifelong resident of the area. They used to call it "Balk Hill", because the horses would stop and rest or balk as they pulled wagons up the hill. No amount of pleading would make them move until they were rested. I can't say I blame them. We are finishing up the second round of Census this week and hope to get back to a more normal summer schedule. Got a visit from Mark Amand and his wife over the weekend, always nice to see a reader and lover of Leetonia stop in person. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Morris Rattlesnake Roundup

Snakes, snakes, snakes, softball, food, vendors. That pretty much sums up the rattlesnake roundup. I almost was eaten by a rather large snake at the beginning of the day. Fortunately it was made out of wood and easily released my arm. Every year people vie to bring in the largest timber rattler in the area. This year for the first time the contest was limited to male snakes over 42 inches long. Rattlesnakes are protected in this area, but I will have to say it isn't hard to find one especially in July and August crossing the road to get to a cool creek bed.

The snakes are all micro chipped, weighed and measured. There has been many snakes caught in previous years recaptured. The
snake catchers must return the snakes to the area they have been caught from and much care is taken to keep the snakes healthy during their short capture. Lee has threatened every year she will enter the contest...maybe next year. You can see her hands touching the snake in the second picture near the rattle. The handlers take the snake around the crowd with a plastic tube over their heads to keep them from striking anyone. Young and old look, touch and feel the snakes up close. Of course there are many who stay far back from any contact with the snakes.

While we were there two snakes were brought in a yellow and a black timber rattler. The yellow measured around 50" and was very impressive. It takes four guys to hold the snake straight enough to measure.

Then the black came out and measured 53" and weighed 5 lbs. The judges commented that this was a trophy sized snake by any standards. The black snake seemed particularly fat as well as long. He also was quite shiny having just shed before his capture. The snake experts explained that the snakes are born with a bud for the rattler every time they shed they get another link added to their rattle. They can shed many times a year if they are growing fast. This makes it more difficult to tell their age by the rattle links. Also if the bud is broken the length of the rattle will stop growing.

You will notice they have a double fence between the crowd and the snake in case one gets a little frisky. They said the snakes prefer a temperature between 65 and 75 so they must have been happy today with on and off showers the temperatures stayed within those ranges. My only wish was this snake handler had wore a shirt that didn't match the color of the snake so closely as it was difficult at times to tell what was snake and what was shirt.

I don't know the longest snake yet as the contest won't be over until Sunday, but I wouldn't be surprised if the 53" black rattler we saw takes it. Mountain girl, Paula, logging off.

Mountain Laurel and Snakes

Looks like the Mountain Laurel will be great this year everywhere except where the Forest Fire burnt it, between Fahneystock, Mine Hole and West Rim. It seems like it has been a long time since I have seen this much color this soon on Cedar Mountain.

The Morris Rattlesnake Roundup is this weekend and they had quite a crowd today. I don't know whose child this is touching the rattlesnake, but I do know my daughter would have nightmares for weeks thinking about it.

This little girl had no fear petting the snake while
the bitting end was inside a plastic tube. They don't get the snakes out much, but when they do it is a treat for those who would never get such a chance to interact with these amazing reptiles. The snakes are injected with a microchip and their length, sex and other information is recorded. They are then released back where they were captured. Many times the same snake makes repeated trips to the festival in following years.

A prize is awarded for the largest yellow-timber rattler and the largest black-timber rattler. In the wild these snakes avoid people and for the
most part avoid confrontation. This does not mean that people aren't bitten. In fact, last year, a man in the Slate Run area was bitten when he moved a skid a rattlesnake was under. He walked a mile before being taken to the hospital and faired fine.

The last picture is the case they keep the snakes in for people to see as they visit the festival. Next weekend is the Mountain Laurel Festival for those who prefer a different kind of beauty. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Rattlesnake Roundup

This weekend was the annual Morris Rattlesnake roundup. The rattlesnakes around here are Timber Rattlers which come in two colors yellow and black. During the contest they give out awards for the biggest yellow one and biggest black one. The snakes are micro-chiped and released back to where they were captured.

There were a total of 37 hunters, John Templin caught the biggest Yellow at 51.5 inches and Dyllan Weikel caught the biggest black at 47.25 inches. What is even more interesting is the black one was caught by Dylan's father Jason two years earlier and the yellow winner was caught by Jeff Rice 3 years earlier. The micro
chip enables this tracking of the snakes for years.

The snakes are protected animals. The snake handlers are not as well protected. The man on the left is Amos Osborn, who is a long-time snake handler at the event. Last year a snake turned around and bit him. This is the second time he has been bitten and by far the worst. You can see from his hospital pictures it was quite a nasty bite.

Amos has decided not to handle the snakes anymore since another bite would not be in his best interest. Timber rattlers are generally not very aggressive. But placed in a stressful situation
they will retaliate. This should be a warning to all about attempting to handle these snakes.

All in all it is a fun time seeing the snakes at Morris every year. Mountain Girl, Paula, logging out!