September 18th was pool closing day here at The Blue Lagoon. It typically goes smoothly as there were only a few tasks to complete before the pool company arrived. This year there were not any mechanical problems to deal with, but there was one small critter problem.
Most of the Summer, Merlin The Frog lived in and around the pool, and behaved himself very well. You can see how nicely he posed for this picture. I think he enjoyed being King of The Plastic Lily Pad. In order to place him in a more normal “frog environment,” Merlin hitched a free ride to the subdivision pond, in a bucket, a new experience for him. We wish him well in his new surroundings.
Upon watching the water level drop to below the skimmers yesterday for closing, I spied something on the pool wall that I thought could be some leaves. Upon closer investigation, I noticed it was moving. I went outside, barefoot, cause that’s what you do around a pool, and looked more closely. A SNAKE!! We went all Summer long without seeing one of those slithering reptiles, and here he shows up the last day to enjoy the pool!
He had apparently made himself comfortable coiled up where the rope would hook on to divide the shallow water from the deep end. Cozy, huh?
Now this is where a telephoto lens comes in handy, oh and shoes! I posted this photo to Facebook to find out if anyone knew what kind of snake he was. The most likely answer I received was, Bullsnake, harmless, let it go. So I went with that, there was no way in hell I was going to try to catch this creature in a net and then not be able to get him out of the net, and then what would I do with him?
Apparently he didn’t like the photo shoot and got all agitated with me.
Being the amateur photographer I am, I’m typically found snapping photos of aircraft, not snakes. I promise, this is not the St. Louis Zoo, Reptilian House, it’s the backyard. I think he looks rather “smug” in this photo. He raised his head and stuck out his scary looking tongue at me a few times. I figured that was a cue that the photo session was over.
Apparently he liked the “hum” of the pump motor, submerged in the water, and swirled around there for a bit, and then disappeared! So where is he now? Who knows, a neighbor’s yard, under my deck, in the bushes, under a rock? You can bet that I will be on the lookout for him and possibly his family, as he appeared to be one of the youngin’s!
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