Blizzard-Ice Storm January 23-26, 2026

[woodworker]

Our last house had a barn with laid up stone basement. We had a copperhead problem and they were quite aggressive if startled. I loaded 38 snake shot for the ones that were aggressive. I was the quartermaster for our boyscout troop and stored the 50 containers of equipment for camping in there. We were loading trucks up for a big camping event and the scoutmaster grabbed a container with a big one on top. Needles yo say he screamed like a little girl before grabbing a shovel to toss it outside and decapitate it. We found another place to store everything after that. I hate copperheads and they reproduce like rabbits.

And if you smell cucumber in the summer time, you are either in the garden, OR there is a copperhead nearby. This is NOT an old wives tail and I have proved this several times over the last couple years…

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[Fordup]

And if you smell cucumber in the summer time, you are either in the garden, OR there is a copperhead nearby. This is NOT an old wives tail and I have proved this several times over the last couple years…

Luckily where we live now there are only garter snakes. There's about a 3 inch hole in our back yard and in the spring several come out everyday to lay in the sun. Later in the spring There's a dozen or more little ones always popping in and out of the hole. Biggest one is about 3 ft and friendly. Several of them live in the garden all summer.

 

[AzScorpion]

And if you smell cucumber in the summer time, you are either in the garden, OR there is a copperhead nearby. This is NOT an old wives tail and I have proved this several times over the last couple years…

The area of Arizona we're in now is all desert around us so there's way more critters here than up in the Phoenix area where we were before. When we were here this summer looking at houses we were walking down the sidewalk one night right at dusk and I heard this noise, almost like a sprinkler was starting up and the air was coming out first. I looked to my left and saw a rattle snake 2' away with its tail up and it got louder and louder. I pushed Annie off the curb (it was a side street with no one there) and I jumped off myself and high tailed it out of there. Darn thing blended in with the dark landscape stone so well I never saw it. It was a small rattler coiled up but I heard those are more dangerous because they can't control their venom/bite yet. Of course now she's petrified to walk when it's getting dark out now.

 

[woodworker]

Luckily where we live now there are only garter snakes. There's about a 3 inch hole in our back yard and in the spring several come out everyday to lay in the sun. Later in the spring There's a dozen or more little ones always popping in and out of the hole. Biggest one is about 3 ft and friendly. Several of them live in the garden all summer.

Yep, they like bugs, good to have around. They will however bite the crap out of you if you interrupt one.

 

[Fordup]

Yep, they like bugs, good to have around. They will however bite the crap out of you if you interrupt one.

We used to have a Jack Russell that got bit by one right before he ripped the head off it. Didn't seem to affect him. He was a nutcase that liked grabbing things and winging them around.

 

[AzScorpion]

We used to have a Jack Russell that got bit by one right before he ripped the head off it. Didn't seem to affect him. He was a nutcase that liked grabbing things and winging them around.

I love those dogs and always said if we get a dog one day I want to get a J R. Others that have had them say they're great dogs and very smart.

It might be from all the years of watching Frazier and his father's dog Eddie. lol

 

[TxOTRRanger]

I love those dogs and always said if we get a dog one day I want to get a J R. Others that have had them say they're great dogs and very smart.

It might be from all the years of watching Frazier and his father's dog Eddie. lol

That was always my favorite character on Frazier. Eddie. It was funny to watch and see what kind reaction Frazier's Dad would get from him.

 

[woodworker]

The area of Arizona we're in now is all desert around us so there's way more critters here than up in the Phoenix area where we were before. When we were here this summer looking at houses we were walking down the sidewalk one night right at dusk and I heard this noise, almost like a sprinkler was starting up and the air was coming out first. I looked to my left and saw a rattle snake 2' away with its tail up and it got louder and louder. I pushed Annie off the curb (it was a side street with no one there) and I jumped off myself and high tailed it out of there. Darn thing blended in with the dark landscape stone so well I never saw it. It was a small rattler coiled up but I heard those are more dangerous because they can't control their venom/bite yet. Of course now she's petrified to walk when it's getting dark out now.

They are better off left alone and given a wide berth but, Baby rattlesnakes are not more venomous than adults, and the belief that they cannot control their venom injection is a myth. While baby venom can be more concentrated, adult rattlesnakes have much larger venom glands and deliver a far greater volume of venom, making them generally more dangerous. And yes when disturbed, they will scare the liquid or solids out of you.

 

[Fordup]

I love those dogs and always said if we get a dog one day I want to get a J R. Others that have had them say they're great dogs and very smart.

It might be from all the years of watching Frazier and his father's dog Eddie. lol

That Russel must have been drugged. Ours was the smartest and most active dog ever. Good dog for very young active families. And if you get one be prepared to pull it out of groundhog holes by its back legs . Met his first rattlesnake in the tall grass on the edge of Glencoe campground when we took him with us to the Sturgis rally back in 2002. Good thing he was on a short leash.

 

[AzScorpion]

They are better off left alone and given a wide berth but, Baby rattlesnakes are not more venomous than adults, and the belief that they cannot control their venom injection is a myth. While baby venom can be more concentrated, adult rattlesnakes have much larger venom glands and deliver a far greater volume of venom, making them generally more dangerous. And yes when disturbed, they will scare the liquid or solids out of you.

IIRC I heard when the baby ones bite they don't know when to release and keep pumping venom into you. Either way I'm usually more alerts but we were walking and talking and the darn thing blent into the rock so well I never saw it. First time I almost shart myself in a long time.

 

[woodworker]

IIRC I heard when the baby ones bite they don't know when to release and keep pumping venom into you. Either way I'm usually more alerts but we were walking and talking and the darn thing blent into the rock so well I never saw it. First time I almost shart myself in a long time.

I never walk the big girl without a hickory cane just in case. I’ve been bit by black snakes plenty, it’s about like getting caught on the thorn of a rose bush. Wash it off and roll on. However I made the mistake of jerking when one struck and he ended up leaving 13 of his teeth in my hand.

 

[woodworker]

That Russel must have been drugged. Ours was the smartest and most active dog ever. Good dog for very young active families. And if you get one be prepared to pull it out of groundhog holes by its back legs . Met his first rattlesnake in the tall grass on the edge of Glencoe campground when we took him with us to the Sturgis rally back in 2002. Good thing he was on a short leash.

My uncle use to pay huge dollars for the smaller ones just for ground hog hunting. And once they get hold of a whistle pig, you have to almost pry them loose.

 

[Motorpsychology]

My uncle use to pay huge dollars for the smaller ones just for ground hog hunting. And once they get hold of a whistle pig, you have to almost pry them loose.

Had to look up "whistle pig." Same same our woodchuck. I had a hard time imagining a drunken Russel!

 

[woodworker]

Had to look up "whistle pig." Same same our woodchuck. I had a hard time imagining a drunken Russel!

Yep.

 

[TJC]

Hopefully it helped a few out just being more informed than relying on apps that don't always update fast. Your area should be good for a while now and that was one heck of a storm last week spanning 2300 miles. This is shaping up to be a really active/brutal winter for many on the east coast and central states.

I still can't believe how cold it's going to be over the weekend in Florida. For Ft Lauderdale (33) and Miami (35) to get this cold is pretty epic. Well it is if you're a weather geek. lol

I have a good friend from back east who now lives near Doc in Haynes City, FL. He's been complaining to me about the last couple summers and how hot & nasty it's been and he kind wishes he never moved there. He should be happy now that the lows are in the 20's there.

I grew up where the southern most 35F readiing is, and I only remember it going into the 40s.... and that was a very rare occurance. We'd see our breath on occasion while walking to school. I do remember people reporting once that they saw lite snowflakes falling somewhere in north Miami, but they never reached the ground.

We didn't even have a furnace in the house. On occasion, we'd break out a portable kerosene heater, but only a handful of times in my 20 years there. I remember putting out a pail of water on the back porch to see if it was freeze. It never did. I do remember the orange groves being sprayed with water to keep the temperature at freezing, no lower. but that was up near Orlando.

Those are very unusual temps for South Fla.

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