Snake in the Grass

We live on the shore of a very small lake - really more of a pond.  One of the features of our shoreline is garter snakes.  These beautiful creatures rustle through the tall grass and swim quickly away as I approach.  They have a dark body with three stripes - most often yellow although green, blue, red and orange are not unusual.  The little boys in our neighborhood search for garter snakes in a nearby vacant lot.  Cats sometimes carry them home.  I know that many people do not welcome snakes in their grass, but I do.  Here is a web site from the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife that will tell you all about our snakes.  If you live in another state, check your browser for snake information.