Yesterday was a crazy wildlife day.I started the morning with a casual “Let’s see how the garden is doing” tour. Remember last week I thought bunnies were eating the lettuce? The next day the bunnies were off the hook when I found a half-grown woodchuck pretending to be invisible just inside the garden gate. I caught him and moved him a few hundred yards away outside the garden and hoped for the best. But yesterday I found two half grown woodchucks pretending to be invisible in the garden. One was bold enough to escape while I went to get the camera. Here’s the other playing his best version of “If I don’t move you can’t see me. Right?” I deported him. Probably not far enough. But at least he’s outside the electric fence.While I was hanging up the laundry the house wrens were complaining more than usual. I know the clothesline is kind of close to their nest, but we’ve had this discussion before. Looking around, I thought maybe it was the cat they were objecting to. Then I realized "That’s not the cat! It’s a grey fox." That may help explain why last Wednesday my chicken population went inexplicably from eight to seven. I went to be sure there were still seven (there were) and they seemed surprisingly willing to go back into the coop. I’ve been thinking it’s odd that they follow me around like puppies. Do you think they saw the fox? For now, they’ll have to stay in the coop unless I’m there to keep an eye out. I think I need a rooster.
At a five hour meeting last night, I was being entertained by a tiny red mite. As the committee tediously discussed each line of a ten page document the little mite explored the page on top. By the time we got halfway down each page the mite had disappeared. Then each time I turned the page, there it was. On page eight, the environmental planner who was leading the meeting absently reached over and crushed the mite. Damn! What kind of environmental planning is that?
When I got home after midnight I was admiring the bud of a Rosa rugosa Bill had brought me that afternoon. It's the most delightfully scented rose I can imagine. It opened last night to reveal a lovely velvety black caterpillar. See the hole it’s eaten in the back petal. (Wait. I can't seem to upload the picture. Maybe later.)(Edit: 6/23/06 I was finally able to upload the photo. Thank you, Blogger)
5 comments:
I can't believe all of these posts are done via dialup! We'll get you high speed soon!
I have a tendency, in many parts of my life, to muddle through with inadequate tools. I'm frugal, to a fault. And stubborn.
Oh but Mary Ann, you have no idea what you're missing! I struggled with dial-up for years (stubborn and frugal, too) - now I would never, ever go back.
BTW, your daughter is the picture of you - love her red hair.
What a delightful group of visitors - now if they will just be on their good behavior and keep to their own places :)
I was on dial up until a short time back - have to say - I don't begrudge one cent - It has been wonderful for stress reduction :)
Whew, what a delightful post! (Love the pix of your daughter; she's beautiful.) But here you think the woodchucks are the problem, and it turns out to be a fox! Your anecdote about the little red thing--bet it was one of those little red spiders; they appear out of nowhere in the funniest places, and I'm the same way with them--try to blow them off but they just manage to scuttle away to some other place. Good luck with the chickens!
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