Sally - Neat observations of your snakes. You should try to get a photo of them.
I love all my garden critters, too! A garden wouldn't be a garden without them! I don't have any snakes around my ponds, but I do have one that lives under the door jam of the front door. it only comes out at night because I leave the porch light on and all the bugs (beetles) come in. Easy dinner for this snake!
My dh worried that it might get too big eventually and get stuck under the door jam because of it's size and not be able to leave. We are prepared to remove the door jam if necessary to get it out. But right now, it is still a small snake.
Here are two photos that I caught of it tonight as it was getting ready to slither out from it's home under my front door!