Blue Headed Beauty

Upon completion of constructing the home/studio which would stand for twenty-two years before USFS imbeciles burned it all to ash, I was cleaning up around the yard. Picking up a trashcan full of scrap wood and carpet revealed a beautiful little snake with a blue head, brown back and yellow belly coiled compactly on the still damp earth beneath it. Having never seen a blue-headed snake before, I caught it and took a long look at it. It was an early fall morning and still cool, especially in the space under the trashcan. The snake did not struggle to get away, instead settling in to enjoy the heat radiating from the palm of my hand. I didn't hold it very long, reluctant to cause harm, and gently released it with a thank you for allowing me to examine it. It didn't zip away, staying still for a bit before leaving.

I've never seen another one like it since then.