Kittens, Frogs and Snakes

Papa is still tottering on the edge of wellness having good days and bad days. Because of that we, especially Z, have been making more frequent trips down to Tuscany to see them.

Last weekend was quite lovely – Tuscany was sunny and bright as compared to Milan which has had quite hormonal weather ranging from torrential rain to sun and then to hail… From Mum and Papa’s place we could hear thunder and see the black clouds but we remained under the sun.

One of the new arrivals to Mum and Papa’s Tuscan farm was this crazy hilarious little kitten! She doesn’t have a proper name yet, but she’s very sociable – almost like a little puppy. She wants to play and get into whatever you’re doing. She was playing a funny game one-day and trying to balance herself on our car’s rear windshield wiper! Then, when I was pitting cherries, (Oh! I forgot to mention, Z and I picked two whole sacks of cherries! We were trying to save a few from the birds), this little kitten was trying to jump into the pail where the cherry pits went! Too silly.

Just before leaving I went down to the frog pond near the house because I wanted to watch the froggies – you can hear them singing all night and during the day if you draw close you hear the “flip! Flop!” of them jumping to hide in the pond. My plan was to get close and then stay very still until they regained courage and came out and began croaking again.

It worked! I had to be very patient, but after about 15 minutes they all began moving and croaking along to one another. I was especially happy when they came close enough to me that I could see them really well – brilliant green, puffing out their cheeks… and then, I saw the reeds shake a bit again and looked to see if another frog was coming out… woah! Right through the reeds and grass directly toward me comes a yellow and black water snake!!! It must be about 4 ½ foot long and a good inch thick around the middle… stay still… don’t move… maybe it will go away… No, it came right up to me about a food and ½ away, stopped dead in it’s tracks and then began to raise itself up… one… two feet… tongue began flicking in and out… that’s too much! I bolted back and to the side and, thankfully, as soon as I moved it bolted away too! It was MUCH faster than me, so I’m glad it wanted to run away and nothing else…