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Around the Valley by Jennifer Chasse

September 25, 2014
Hello neighbors and welcome new subscribers. Go right to the Events Calendar

If you've been reading a while you may know I moved recently to the woods and have a critter problem. Not raccoons and deer like I expected, but ginormous spiders and snakes which terrify me. On Facebook you may have even seen some of the source of my nightmares. The house came with some bricks and building materials around the house and in the driveway creating the perfect habitat. We finally were able to take a weekend to clean it all up, and fortunately we were cautious because we uncovered a nest of 8 copperheads plus 2 black widow spiders! This has to be a record of some sort, right?  

I've got peppermint oil sprinkled everywhere plus New River Pest Control on speed dial, but I'm still walking around with a stick and am afraid of my own shadow. Joe feels confident all critters are gone, and my fingers are crossed he is right we can go back to enjoying the bunnies and the gopher. If this house does not toughen me up, nothing will! 
This week inside NRV Macaroni Kid:
PETA members and others who feel they need to convince me snakes and spiders are misunderstood: I know snakes and spiders have a place in the food chain and blah blah blah but they can't live in my yard, nor my garage. They creep me out. The Hokie Bugfest is as close to comfortable I get with them and that's only because there are trained entomologists and heart defibrillators there.