Lily can be fast as lightning. Nothing much that catches Lily’s eye stands a chance. During the winter months when the mice are prone to moving inside our 1792 farmhouse, Lily is quick to see that they don’t stay for long. Once she’s taken out a couple, the mice seem to wise up and head elsewhere.
Come the warm summer months, Lily stakes herself outside on patrol in the back yard where she can quickly spot the garter snakes that enjoy basking in the sun on the old stone steps leading up to the side door. Yesterday, Lily made her first catch of the season. I managed to scoop the poor creature up in a shovel and toss it to safety over the fence when it quickly managed to release itself from Lily’s jaw as she took a breath of air. Sometimes she wins. Sometimes the snake wins. Unlike the mice, the snakes won’t give up their seasonal habit. Eventually, Lily accepts their position and peaceful co-existence is reached.