Jake the Snake

After dinner tonight Adam, Luke and mommy went out to the patio. It had been a 100 degree day, so we waited 'til after dinner to go outside to play. Luke was content in his playpen and I was sitting beside him. Adam was standing on the edge of the patio and said, "Mommy, big snake!".  I decided to believe him and I rushed over. Sure enough there was a very big snake: about 4 feet long and 1 and a half inches in diameter. I pulled him away from the snake, as he was within a foot of him. I wasn't sure if it was a gopher snake or a rattler.  I called for Paul and he took some lovely photographs. We decided that he's a gopher snake and is likely assisting our cat in killing rats and mice. So, Jake the Snake is living under our patio now and I will keep an even closer watch on Adam.