Bad year for snakes

Few weeks ago I stepped out on the side steps sat down, smoking, reading stories on the phone. When finished 7 or so min. later this bugger was about 12" away from me the whole time I guess, I was like you bastid. I was feeling unusually compassionate for life at the moment and decided a plan to sweep it into a small bucket and toss it out to the woods.
It was not cooperative, so I shooed it out to the front yard and gave up, only to slice n dice it with the mower a half hour later. Oh well I tried to be a good boy. LOL
About a 3' er garter snake. A toad got the same treatment 2 passes later, ha
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