Our visits to Klahanie Kamping are always a high point of every summer but it was a little to hot outside for the snakes this time. While snakes require heat to warm up their bodies, they also lack the ability to cool themselves, so overheating is a serious health risk. Thanks to Klahanie’s ample amenities, we were able to have our event in their nice, cool shop. With the help of our wonderful volunteer, Sarah’s help, everything went as smoothly as ever!

It’s so wonderful to see familiar families as well as many new faces too! I saw some INCREDIBLE acts of courage, particularly from one brave soul who was trembling… yet kept pushing herself to go a little further. I love spending time with fellow snake-lovers, but it’s those acts of unbridled courage that inspire me daily. It’s been such a privilege to witness the generational impact of this work. I started this work simply because I wanted fewer dead snakes. It brings me so much peace to know that our Klahanie Kampers family will always be eagre to protect our native snakes when they come wandering through the grounds.

We’ll be returning to Klahanie on August 17th and they always welcome guests to come fall in love with the fun, family atmosphere of this amazing campground.

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We had an absolute blast at Digby Scallop Days! The turnout was amazing and everyone was so kind & gentle with my pets, I can hardly wait to visit again! Judging by your feedback, you had just as much fun as we did and I’m so grateful for your warm welcome. There’s really no magic or “snake-whispering” involved in what I do. These shy little animals are just NOTHING like their reputation and, once you see them as they truly are, it’s hard not to fall in love with them.

Thanks to everyone who visited and a HUGE thanks to Digby Scallop Days for inviting us and to all the volunteers & staff who helped make it a resounding success!

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Many thanks to the Municipality of the County of Kings for inviting me back, and HUGE thanks to my volunteers Sara & Sarah for all their help! It’s always a special privilege visit with folks right here in my home community.

 

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THANK YOU, for having such open hearts!

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Snakes live mysterious lives of stealth. When we DO encounter them in the wild, they usually think you’re about to eat them… so they’re quick & often sassy to scare you off. My ambassadors, on the other hand, know that humans are never a threat, which gives me the opportunity to show you what snakes are REALLY like!

As you can see, it was a pretty large group, so I was especially thankful for my beloved Kate-Lynn’s help! We saw a LOT of courage from Embers & Leaders alike, but it was their compassion & patience with each other that really made this visit especially memorable.

Thank you Embers for being so gentle with my pets and for representing the very best in Guiding!

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As someone who struggles with chronic anxiety, I know that the first rule of anxiety-club is that you don’t talk about anxiety-club. We tend to feed off each other, reinforcing each other’s fears, so we only discussed the topic briefly before transitioning to the practical exercise. At its core, “anxiety” is simply “distrust,” so I can’t cure anxiety. I can, however, provide a safe, affirming environment where you’re free to stretch yourself as far as you’d like, without fear or judgement… and we saw some AMAZING acts of courage on this outing! As I face some of my most anxious moments, it’s YOUR courage that inspires me to push through it!

One young lady was particularly inspiring. She worked so hard to hold a snake, shivering with nerves… but she pushed through it and held Wilson, one of my largest ball pythons. As if that wasn’t courageous enough, as I was taking Wilson away from her, Marsha asked if she could hold him again for a photo… AND SHE DID! My hope is that the empowering experience of confronting and overcoming anxiety is a feeling they’ll chase in all aspects of their lives, because the only thing holding us back is fear.

I’ve come to understand that our weaknesses are part of us, but they do not define us. To the contrary, they are stepping-stones to finding our strengths! I’m still finding my own way through fear but your courage has been an enormous source of strength for me. HUGE thanks to the staff and student at CK for a fantastic day focused on all aspects of wellness & self-care! We’re so grateful for the opportunity to share these amazing experiences with you!

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We saw so much courage throughout out visit, from kids & adults alike! Everyone was so kind and gentle with my pets and my babies were very well behaved… except the corn snakes! If they weren’t trying to squeeze into the chairs, they were disrespecting boundaries. This was my first time visiting a school solo but staff were so helpful and gracious, with that inspiring, can-do attitude I see in so many small communities, and their assistance had a visible impact on the children’s comfort-level. Many teachers even took huge strides confronting their personal fears!

I’m so grateful to all staff & students for being so amazing with my pets. Thank you SO much for inviting us and I hope we get to visit again in the future!

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Huge thanks to Emma, Sarah & Alexia for all their help, and I’m so thankful for all their support! My hope is that, by teaching people to love one of nature’s most reviled creatures, the entire natural world will become accessible & fascinating! Judging from the response, I think succeeded!

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Not many photos because my photographer (aka: my beloved wife) was working but, as you can see, the star of the show was my dear friend, Dinah-Mite Pythons‘ adult boa, Zephyr! Kate-Lynn went so above & beyond… she actually took time-off so that she could bring Zeph for a visit, so HUGE thanks to our Katie! Emma & Kate-Lynn, both, did an amazing job at helping people connect with these misunderstood critters, I couldn’t be more proud of them.

Snakes live shy, stealthy lives so we rarely give them a second-thought. Their mysterious lives and weird shape are enough to cause apprehension, but the handful of potentially fatal species makes ALL snakes suspect and terrifying to many. However, the vast majority of snakes are completely harmless to humans, including all of our native Nova Scotia snakes along with my ambassadors, all common pet-species. I don’t have any special “snake-whispering” powers… they’re just incredibly misunderstood and it’s been such a privilege to be able to show you what they’re REALLY like. They may be packaged strangely, but they’re just little animals… with their own unique behaviours and individual personalities.

Thank you SO much for inviting us back and I hope we’ll have many more opportunities to visit in the future! |

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