Pond Friends

   Sometimes you can go your whole life without seeing something that is supposedly rather common.  There can be several reasons for this not excluding the "seeing but not identifying" or the "overlooking the obvious".  I have a tendency to try to identify everything that is in my realm.  The Bayou offers a plethora of critters and plants...all which interest me.  It goes without saying that I do misidentify some and always am open to receiving any definite identifying marks if I am incorrect.  It helps me to learn.

  While out pulling the overgrowth of water hyacinths from the little Frog Pond, I came across the cutest snake. At first glance, I knew it was not a cottonmouth so I felt safe being knee-deep in the same waters with the critter.  I finished my chore with the snake not making an effort to move except off of any plant that I grabbed.  Finally, I was able to step out of the pond, grab the camera and get some photos of my new-found friend.  I figured I could call it a friend after spending an hour or so together in the same shallow pond.  We were now friends!  After looking closely at the little snake and then later at the photographs, I became even more excited.  From all the information I can gather, this is (hopefully) a Mississippi Green Watersnake!  Why does this make me so excited?  These snakes are relatively common but I have never actually seen one up close and personal.

  With the snaky in the pond, I am noticing less and less frogs.  My little snake friend will soon be huge and the pond will be void of the froggies.  Perhaps, then, I will have to rename to oversized puddle as "Snake Pond" and be happy with the new resident.  Although I shall miss the frogs, I welcome this new friend.  Froggies can move over to Puddle Pond with its Pebble Creek.