The Norah Files; Lucy the Snake

*The Norah Files*  For a couple of years I have been sharing stories via Facebook, on the many adventures of  my curious, nature loving, precocious, 8 year old Daughter.. Whether she is a product of her off grid life and backwoods atmosphere or is just wired this way, let me tell you, she is something else ;) . The response to these stories  has been wonderful, so I have decided to start sharing them here ... enjoy!


Lucy The Snake

Norah now  has  a pet snake, well we have a pet snake.... No, we didn't buy it at the store...
The way this all came to be is funny to say the least.

Let me start by saying that we live and are surrounded by a whole lot of nature.. We are surrounded by National Forest and miles and miles away from any real civilization.  One thing we do have here that we aren't too crazy about are snakes.. and quite a few of them.  Black snakes, water snakes, garter snakes, and yes even Timber Rattlers and Copperheads; and we have seen our share of all of them

What you don't expect or hope to never happen is to have them in your home.


Norah and I were working on her evening fiddle lesson when I heard something hit the ground.. to which Norah Yells " SNAKES.. MOM SNAKES, 2 of them!!!!!"
Of course my first reaction was to get up and move to the other side of the room as quickly as possible.. haha...
I did not see them at first,,,,and wast sure what to expect; huge snakes? poisonous snakes?? then as I got closer,  I saw to little ring neck snakes on my dining room floor.. While Norah was watching them and saying things like "COOL!" and " Can I keep one!?!?!" I was grabbing metal bowls , which were my weapon of choice, in an effort to throw them on top of the snakes and keep them prisoner until my Husband got home..
Welp that didn't work the greatest,, they both slithered out half way,, so I stood on the bowls in an effort to smush them( really I would have just liked to put them outside without hurting them as I realize they are quite harmless, but there was NO way I was letting them get away. I did what I had to do).



Robb returned Home, and removed both injured snakes from the house. Norah's eyes teared up when we told her we had to let them go....

Ughhhh, I dread that pouty face, it gets me every time..
"Ok, you can keep one outside in your Tree House, but the other one we have to let go"


The next morning, Norah woke with her Father , and before me.. She was outside collecting bugs at 7 am for her pet snake. She had found an inchworm, a slug and a cricket,, which she placed neatly in a "bowl".. I worked my way out of bed,, made it about 20 steps before she asked me where she could find some Neosporin or peroxide.. Apparenly I had mad  a pretty good cut on the snake while standing on that metal bowl in an effort to keep him from getting away..

She researched the computer for preferable foods, how to heal a wound, how to build a habitat. and got to work...

So how the next part happened I'm not sure,, I think it went something like.....
"Mom can I bring the snake in the house"
" no"
" come on mom, pleasssssse"
"no! Norah! NO!"
and so on...

and then of course the snake made its way in the house..

Her Name is Lucy and apparently she is our new pet for the time being.....
My only rule is that Lucy is not allowed in her bedroom and I must be able to see the cage at all times ...

Lucy has played an active roll during Norah's Calico Critters pretend play, has listened to many bedtime stories, and even made a trip into town with us ( She had the container , in her purse,, .. don't worry I wasn't surprised as she has stashed  toads in there before..)

so there you have it......

This morning I walked in the house and heard myself utter "good morning Lucy"............So I think I am ok with her , for now.. as long as she stays in her cage...

Norah agreed to let her go as soon as her cut if fully healed...............

Another chapter of the Norah Files comes to an end...............
;)