George wrote:

One of my favorite creatures is the seven plus foot gopher snake which lives
and lays eggs in my shavings heap next to the garden.

Thanks so much. My wife and I love snakes and are seldom so pleased as
when we find a blacksnake sunning himself on the lawn, a couple of
ringneck snakes in mid-courtship, or--only once thus far, alas--a corn
snake hiding in the cut-off frond stubs attached to one of our palm
trees. Snakes get such bad press that it's always a pleasant surprise to
find someone saying something fair--and by definition that pretty much
means good--about them.

Owen Davies