I've new but slow getting to the lounge

[Shanty]

Sorry for being slow in getting to this lounge. It so happens I am usually slow at leaving a lounge. Yup, slow as usual, but I am pleased to be on this forum. Lots of good information for this garter newbie, which is WHY I came here in the first place. I have had snakes KEEP ME for most of my life. My run-in with a garter along the Touchet river in Washington state at age 6 got me "infected," or "envenomed," according to some of your forum garter experts. As I may have hinted, I've come full circle BACK to garters. Why? Who knows really. Maybe it WAS that bite when I was six.

My hometown is a small burg north of Walla Walla, Washington. Waitsburg is a wheat country town of about 1000 souls. Good souls for the most part. But I was introduced to "crawly" snake things in Northern Idaho and in South Central Washington where my Dad did his student teaching stint and then took his first teaching and coaching position. Lots of Pituophis and Thamnophis in both areas.

We lived in Arizona, too, for a year where I learned how NOT to place my hands and arms into burrows chasing after lizards. That first sting from a fairly benign arachnid taught me NOT to do that again. Of course, I never imagined that a rattlesnake would be in one as well. Lucky 12 year old kid!

Had aunts and uncles in Oregon (Eugene), Iowa (Cedar Falls and Des Moines), and Illinois (Belvidere) who hosted me for a few summers. Needless to say Thamnophis kept me busy in all three locales, although I never did get a concinnus in hand. Too excitable as an ADD kid I guess. Saw plenty of those red-marked beauties making a getaway across a pond or into the grasses, however. They did stir my imagination and dreams. On the other hand I did catch plenty of radix in Iowa--although they were all "garden" snakes to a kid from Washington state who had no idea what a radix was at that juncture in his wasted life. Now I do. There are a few over in the tubs on a shelf in the corner of my office. Sirtalis by the dozens came to hand (and aquariums). Later in HS I signed up for Project Science, a class wherein a student could have any projects of their desire. My projects included box turtles, racers, and garters. Of course, I had to describe the species, understand (and communicate via reports) their husbandry, and then care for them for a HS "quarter." Since my Dad was a teacher and coach at the same HS he was able to buy box turtles from Carolina Biological. I caught the racers and garters locally.

Spent eight years in the U S Army traveling the world and the US. Here is where my life took a wrong turn. I associated with nefarious folks who drove slowly along roads at night (the US) or poking around ancient ruins and abandoned thatched roofed homes (Thailand and Korea) for snakes. It wasn't until I was stationed in San Antonio, Texas, that I REALLY learned how to cruise roads for snakes. Two more never-do-wells and I searched Texas roads for Baird's rats and Mexican milks. Oh, yeah, there were some nice looking rattlesnakes about, but they just slowed us down.

Worked as associate editor of a small hobbyist magazine in Pennsylvania after I left the Army. A couple Eastern garters in a terrarium kept my two children captivated (yup, they inherited the "science kid" gene), along with countless salamanders in a second terrarium. My son, Brenden, (who spent time in the Army as an MP, with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan) has kept a few ball pythons himself; my grandson, Brenden Jr., likes leopard geckos. My daughter Shana not so much, although she is an animal freak. So is my granddaughter Naomi. My "science kid" gene led to several passions, BTW. Racing pigeons, exhibiting pigeons, chickens, breeding bettas and guppies, hybridizing irises, etc. My reptile activities over the years saw me cultivating rosy boas, leopard geckos, jeweled lacerta, corns, variable kings, Mexican milks, Sinaloan's, Nelson's, Baird's rats, desert kings, mountain kings, Arizona kings, ball pythons, Hogg Island boas, Calabar pythons and some I've probably forgotten to list. Now I am cultivating garters and still have some chicken genetics projects on my acre of West Texas sand.

After 22 years at Fort Bliss, Texas, where I was an officer training developer, writer, curriculum manager, and instructor, I retired. Retirement is cool. I should have done it when I was 22. Only thing is, I didn't have a trust fund.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Welcome Shannon! Glad to have you on the forums!

[guidofatherof5]

Nice to have you with us. Retirement is awesome.
I did it 5 years ago after 28 years in law enforcement. Now, everyday is Saturday.

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard.

[chris-uk]

Welcome aboard.

[Saji]

A salamu aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu!

Welcome!

[Shanty]

Wa alaikum assalaam!

[Shanty]

Gracias, and thanks, for the welcome to the rest of you forum folks.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

R.i.p my friend you will be missed!

sorry for being slow in getting to this lounge. It so happens i am usually slow at leaving a lounge. Yup, slow as usual, but i am pleased to be on this forum. Lots of good information for this garter newbie, which is why i came here in the first place. I have had snakes keep me for most of my life. My run-in with a garter along the touchet river in washington state at age 6 got me "infected," or "envenomed," according to some of your forum garter experts. As i may have hinted, i've come full circle back to garters. Why? Who knows really. Maybe it was that bite when i was six.

My hometown is a small burg north of walla walla, washington. Waitsburg is a wheat country town of about 1000 souls. Good souls for the most part. But i was introduced to "crawly" snake things in northern idaho and in south central washington where my dad did his student teaching stint and then took his first teaching and coaching position. Lots of pituophis and thamnophis in both areas.

We lived in arizona, too, for a year where i learned how not to place my hands and arms into burrows chasing after lizards. That first sting from a fairly benign arachnid taught me not to do that again. Of course, i never imagined that a rattlesnake would be in one as well. Lucky 12 year old kid!

Had aunts and uncles in oregon (eugene), iowa (cedar falls and des moines), and illinois (belvidere) who hosted me for a few summers. Needless to say thamnophis kept me busy in all three locales, although i never did get a concinnus in hand. Too excitable as an add kid i guess. Saw plenty of those red-marked beauties making a getaway across a pond or into the grasses, however. They did stir my imagination and dreams. On the other hand i did catch plenty of radix in iowa--although they were all "garden" snakes to a kid from washington state who had no idea what a radix was at that juncture in his wasted life. Now i do. There are a few over in the tubs on a shelf in the corner of my office. Sirtalis by the dozens came to hand (and aquariums). Later in hs i signed up for project science, a class wherein a student could have any projects of their desire. My projects included box turtles, racers, and garters. Of course, i had to describe the species, understand (and communicate via reports) their husbandry, and then care for them for a hs "quarter." since my dad was a teacher and coach at the same hs he was able to buy box turtles from carolina biological. I caught the racers and garters locally.

Spent eight years in the u s army traveling the world and the us. Here is where my life took a wrong turn. I associated with nefarious folks who drove slowly along roads at night (the us) or poking around ancient ruins and abandoned thatched roofed homes (thailand and korea) for snakes. It wasn't until i was stationed in san antonio, texas, that i really learned how to cruise roads for snakes. Two more never-do-wells and i searched texas roads for baird's rats and mexican milks. Oh, yeah, there were some nice looking rattlesnakes about, but they just slowed us down.

Worked as associate editor of a small hobbyist magazine in pennsylvania after i left the army. A couple eastern garters in a terrarium kept my two children captivated (yup, they inherited the "science kid" gene), along with countless salamanders in a second terrarium. My son, brenden, (who spent time in the army as an mp, with tours in iraq and afghanistan) has kept a few ball pythons himself; my grandson, brenden jr., likes leopard geckos. My daughter shana not so much, although she is an animal freak. So is my granddaughter naomi. My "science kid" gene led to several passions, btw. Racing pigeons, exhibiting pigeons, chickens, breeding bettas and guppies, hybridizing irises, etc. My reptile activities over the years saw me cultivating rosy boas, leopard geckos, jeweled lacerta, corns, variable kings, mexican milks, sinaloan's, nelson's, baird's rats, desert kings, mountain kings, arizona kings, ball pythons, hogg island boas, calabar pythons and some i've probably forgotten to list. Now i am cultivating garters and still have some chicken genetics projects on my acre of west texas sand.

After 22 years at fort bliss, texas, where i was an officer training developer, writer, curriculum manager, and instructor, i retired. Retirement is cool. I should have done it when i was 22. Only thing is, i didn't have a trust fund.

[guidofatherof5]

Wow, we just spoke on the phone a week or so ago, I could tell he was a good person.
Our friendship started by me sending him some hemostats and a S.F. Garter Snake Zoo penny. Shannon wanted to return my kindness with some of his own. On the phone he said "it seemed the right thing to do" I assured him he didn't need to send anything, he told me he knew I would say that.
A few days later I get this awesome book he made on Vista Print. He asked me to not share about the book as he didn't get any permission to use many of the photos. I'm honored to have it.

R.I.P. Shannon.