There is coachwhip in my backyard.

I told Patti, it is over 80 degrees today maybe I should wait until tomorrow to mow the yard, it will only be in the 60’s. Nope, I am not going to put it off, I am going to get it done. Out the back door with safety glasses on, ear protection in hand, I get 15 feet from the gate and I stop dead in my tracks. I slowly removed my safety glasses to make sure I am seeing what I am seeing. At the corner of the gate is a Coachwhip, it must be over 3 feet long with his head about 7 inches off the ground. I slowly step back and headed back to the house, just hoping that the Coachwhip will stay around.

I come into the house grabbing my camera yelling “Coachwhip, Coachwhip” Slowing walking back to the gate to see if the Coachwhip is still there. We, yes, Patti and Morgan had heard me yelling when I picked up my camera, watched the Coachwhip for a several minutes before the Coachwhip crawled off into the tall grass and bushes.

Now I thought that was the end of it, but I was wrong, we walked along the bushes hoping to spot him. I positioned myself where I thought the Coachwhip might go, Morgan spotted him at the base of the rose bush, Morgan was about 5 feet from the bush. The Coachwhip then started out into the yard heading straight for Morgan, “Daaaaad” Morgan said. I assured her that he would not hurt her, the he passed within inches of her feet moving to our berm in the middle of the yard. He disappeared into the tall grass once again, Wow, that was so cool. We wondered if we would spot him again. We positioned ourselves with the sun at our backs then waited and watched.

Sure enough, we spotted the Coachwhip again, he posed along time for us, moving along the rocks. Then he went back into the tall grass and bushes. Then we spotted him moving into the wax myrtle. I was telling Morgan Coachwhips can climb and so he did. In a very short time, the Coachwhip was several feet off the ground. Morgan and I positioned ourselves around the tree with the sun at our backs. We watched him climb around in the tree then move from the tree to a small bush and back to the ground. I thought this can’t get any better. I thought he is going to hide in the rocks at the base of the tree.

Nope, he moved out into the sun, on a bed of dry leaves and posed there for a long time. Morgan and I sat down on the driveway to get a better angle and took several images of him. Finally he moved into the neighbor’s yard, which is a danger zone, the neighbor has a hoe.

Wow, that was fun. And now, I get to mow my yard when it is in the 60s.