A snake story

Randy and Trampis actually had a week with no baseball or football practices, so they came to LG for some fun and adventure. We decided to take a trip to Marley Creek for a picnic, skeet shooting and 4-wheeling. The kids hit the creek 1st thing, the boys were looking for crawdads and the girls were catching water skippers.

So, some of us just sat around the picnic table visiting and enjoying the shade. It was hot when we left LG and much cooler and more pleasant in the shady mountains.

Cynjyn loves Randy's dogs. Touchdown and her got along swimmingly and enjoyed playing in the creek.

When we started skeet shooting, Touchdown stayed by Cynjyn, Catcher on the other hand, hated the guns and camped out under dad's truck.

After a yummy picnic of pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, watermelon, chips and rice krispie treats for dessert, the kids were off again on the 4 wheelers, and in the creek. We were visiting and mom asked me if there was anyway Taz would ever consider bringing a snake back. I said no way, he was afraid of snakes. She didn't think Trampis would either. You see, Trampis is not very adventerous. He won't go on amusement park rides such as roller coasters and such because he is a BIG chicken. Well, about 5 min. later, we heard the boys squealing and giggling and talking excitedly. I go and look around the bend and see Trampis leading the way with a SNAKE on a big stick. I warn mom that he's really coming with a snake. She is so afraid of them and so is Cynjyn. I tell C to stay close to Grandma because she won't let Trampis tease her and get too close. Trampis had thrown a rock at the snake and KILLED it. He came running back into camp saying, "I killed a snake, I killed a snake!" Well, the snake had a big gash in it, but it was still moving a little and everytime it did Trampis would squeal in fear!! It was opening and closing it's mouth and freaking us all out.

Here he is with his prized catch. He was so proud of himself, but boy he would not touch it!!

Finally, Granpa went and picked it up and it wrapped it's tail around his finger (It was MOSTLY dead, as they say in Princess Bride!). Here he is trying to give it to Trampis to "dispose" of properly, but Trampis wouldn't fall for it. He only stuck his stick out to get it!! It provided us with about a half an hour of entertainment.

Meanwhile, Trampis the snake killer, wouldn't catch crawdads either. He'd find them and make Taz put them in the pail. Grandpa said they could only bring big ones home and they had to eat them. So, they dumped out their catch and Trampis told Taz which ones to keep.

When we got home Trampis promptly cooked them,

and ate them. He thought they were delicious!!

Taz was sad because his legs were killing him with growing pains and he had this huge bruise on his shoulder from shooting the 410 at the clay pigeons. Oh, yeah, and on the way home, we say the huge herd of 200+ elk. They were in the meadow! What a night, what fun!