Spring has sprung!
I let my dogs out tonight before putting them to bed and then noticed this snake ( 10 to 12" ) was on my back patio. I immediately yelled at my dogs to come back in. Journey came right away but Bogart saw it and was staring at it so I told him very sternly to get inside and to my surprise, he did! He must have sensed my panic because he came right in and he never does that, he eats everything! Not sure if  it was  poisonous so I didn't get too close and just let it go on its way. Kinda scary.
UPDATE
Hubby said this appears to be a Diamondback Water Snake and it is nonvenomous! Yay!