How did that get in here?

Last night as I was reading in bed before turning out the light to go to sleep I was interrupted by Dr. Hair saying "Mom, there's a bird in my room and it just flew downstairs." I threw on a robe and we went downstairs to let the bird outside. I saw it flying around the kitchen, then it went into the pantry and Dr. Hair saw it go into a big box where I keep plastic containers used in lunches during the school year. I got a dishtowel and draped it over the box and took the box outside. Once outside on the patio I pulled the towel off expecting the bird to fly out of the box to freedom. It didn't! So Dr. Hair grabbed a flashlight and I looked into the box where I could hear the creature moving around but couldn't see it. I moved the containers around and finally got a glimpse of it. It wasn't a bird but a little brown BAT!!

I wish I'd had my camera handy, but didn't so couldn't get a picture. The little thing looked just like a cartoon creature peering over a cool whip container up into the light beam of the flashlight. It didn't make a sound and to get rid of it I finally had to dump the contents out onto the concrete before it finally took off.

Bats are useful for eating insects, especially mosquitos. But how it got into the house is still a mystery.

Several weeks ago I found a baby snake in the basement. It was not a friendly snake either, as it kept opening its mouth and striking. I don't know what kind it was because I couldn't hold it to get a good look at it. I captured it in a quart yogurt container and took it out to the garden. How it got in or where it came from I have no idea.

Many years ago in Virginia we occasionally found baby snakes in our house; they were beautiful light grey with a dark necklace. They never opened their mouths or struck so I could pick them up and hold them. They were smooth and lovely. Only once did I find more than one at a time. Weird. But true. No idea where they came from either.

I'm not the kind to scream about creatures in the house. I've battled all sorts of insects, reptiles and mammals in my time. Good thing too, what with raising four boys.