In the leaf litter

Quietly coiled

Slither, unseen, underfoot.

– secret, special life.

Notes: Snakes create strong reactions, often negative*. Some people will re-coil even at the sight of the watercolour above. But like so many things, snakes are so misunderstood and I believe misunderstanding can sometimes lead to fear. Education and awareness is the road forward when considering ways we can be a society that connects closely with the natural world. In my part of the world**, our snakes are quiet, gentle creatures, wanting to live in peace, catching small critters and staying out-of-sight as they hang out, often in leaf-litter of the forest floor. In other parts of the world, being wary of snakes is warranted. But even so, snakes are fascinating animals, and like all of our world’s biodiversity, they are special.

* I did this watercolour in a small (3×5″) album, while on my commuter train heading home one day last week. Some people sitting nearby by saw me doing this, and I noticed raised eyebrows; more proof that people have ‘opinions’ about snakes.

** the most common snake species in my region is the garter snake, but the red-bellied snake, illustrated above, can also be found – here’s a write-up about the species from Ontario Nature. And full disclosure, I do not know all that much about red-bellied snakes, but I think they are beautiful and I ought to learn more.