Legless Lizard - Posing Like a Snake!

My husband and I were mowing our new lot last weekend for the first time. It was a land-mine field filled with fire ant hills and snakes! Or so we thought.

I was pushing my mower through a particularly thick patch of clover when this came slithering out...

Yes, I screamed. Like a girl even.

Steven stopped his mower and came across the lot to see me pointing to about an 18" long "snake" and he went to go get a shovel to kill it pick it up and throw it back in the marsh.

Our neighbor lady came down from her house and walked over to us to take a look and she picked it up! She said "Oh, this is a legless lizard or 'glass' lizard. I see him all the time. Oh no, the end of his tail got cut off." and started walking away with the lizard to set him free.

Found out later she is an arborist. And I am guessing an avid animal lover. Being an animal lover myself I am so glad I didn't chop off more of that lizard than the tip of its tail! In case you are wondering I think I could have talked Steven into letting that poor baby go back into the marsh, even if it was a snake.

The fire ants, however, did get the best of my right foot. And I got the best of their hill with some leftover gasoline. What? I can be a little vindictive. ;)

Side note:
This neighbor lady is on one side and the neighbor lady on the other does triathalons. I think I am going to have to step up my game to live in an area with these bad a$$ bit*&^es! :)