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Man-length Rat Snakes and Salamander Drowners: Western NC Summer

Published August 1, 2021

I, Bernie Harberts, did not use generative AI to write or illustrate this article. Spell check and grammar check, yes. AI, no.

I often write about particular things that happen here up the Shoebox Canyon, from untangling a rat snake that got caught in our stove to what it’s like to split locust posts to make a new fence.

A six-foot rat snake removed from a bluebird box on the Harberts family farm — Removing a rat snake from one of our bluebird boxes. It was too late. I released the snake unharmed. It was six-feet long.

What I’m less good at is providing an overall view of what my wife Julia and I are up to. This week Julia put together a mid-summer update on what our life looks like here on our western North Carolina farm. Here are a few photos I think you’ll enjoy and then a link to her photo-essay on her blog ConsideringAnimals.com. I hope you’re having a great summer.

Julia Carpenter running to the barn during a heavy downpour with mule Polly sheltering under a chestnut tree — Julia running back to the barn after a real salamander-drowner of a downpour. Note mule Polly ducking the downpour under our chestnut tree.

Mule Polly nudging Julia Carpenter for a sip of homemade beer — Polly charming Julia out of a sip of juice jar beer

A female hummingbird caught in a towel after mistaking the cabin for a feeder — A female hummingbird that mistook our cabin for a feeder. I caught her in a towel and released her unharmed.

Close-up of a hummingbird's back feathers — The back feathers on a hummingbird

View from the mountain bald above the Harberts family cabin at sunrise — Mountain morning: the view from the bald on top of our mountain

Panoramic view from the mountain bald above the Harberts family cabin — The panoramic mountain view

A jar of sun tea brewing in the summer sun — Summer time means sun tea! For more summer time photos, from twin fawns to cherry pie, come on over to Julia’s post on ConsideringAnimals.com.

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