My husband kept calling it a racer…also harmless, but damn if they don't scare the caca out of you regardless.

That's my phobia … reptiles … including lizards … I use mothballs and lyme (Snake-Away does not work)around our house … certain times of the year to discourage reptiles from "setting-camp".

The snake on the picture looks like a black rat snake …

Since you are in the Boonies … here are some hints to keep them away …

There are four main ways to discourage snakes from moving into a yard or home:

1.Eliminate cool, damp areas where snakes hide. Remove brush and rock piles, keep shrubbery away from foundations, and cut tall grass.
2.Control insect and rodent populations (the snakes’ primary food source) to force them to seek areas with a larger food supply. Put grains in tightly sealed containers and clean up residual pet food and debris.
3.In rattlesnake-infested areas, construct a snakeproof fence around the backyard or play area. Use 36-inch high galvanized hardware cloth with a 1/4-inch mesh and bury it 6 inches deep, slanted outward at a 30-degree angle. Make certain the gate fits tightly and swings into the play area. Keep all vegetation away from the fence to prevent snakes from climbing over it.
4.To prevent snakes from entering basements and crawl spaces, seal all openings 1/4 inch or larger with mortar, caulking compound or 1/8-inch hardware cloth. Check for holes or cracks around doors, windows, water pipes, electrical lines, etc.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/natres/06501.html

Thanks for sharing the wonderful photos at the State Fair.

I wish you well :) Melek

"What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well." ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

We have a funny story from my parents' very first visit to the U.S. back in 1997. We stopped at a rest area in Georgia and I was in the car watching my mom come back from the bathroom when I saw her look terrified and jump up. It so happens that there was a snake in the sidewalk and it stood up to attack my mom as she almost stepped on it!

My mom couldn't believe it. She said "I've lived in Brazil all my life and never seen a snake and I have to come and be faced with this here in the U.S.?" Well, she should have considered that it was the "Wild" Southern part of the country ;-).

Talk about boonies! ;-)