I was mowing the yard this evening when I spotted this beauty slithering across our driveway and snatched him up after a quick chase - although similar in markings to a Texas Rat Snake, this is actually a much rarer Prairie Kingsnake,
Lampropeltis calligaster callisgaster. This may be the same specimen I caught in our yard last spring; if so, he is growing nicely. He was a bit feisty at first, but quickly calmed down and I had my daughter snap these pics before I took him down and released him in our barn, where he can catch mice to his heart's content.
Remember, be kind to our no-legged friends, 'cause a snake could be somebody's mother . . .