2015-03-17
For the past week or two I’ve hopefully searched  the garden for signs of life. Peaking out from the snow my little shrubs that went in the ground at the last minute this past fall looked sad, sadder, and then whatever comes right before severe depression. With the exception of a few shrubs they each have their own issues but the frustrated finger points to the (lots of bad words here) critters looking to fill their bellies by sampling one of everything. Winter burn has caused some damage but not all of it and I know this. While I am on the topic of the four-legged’s roaming the yard, I should mention this past weekend’s visitors. We’re talking 16 legs around 3am. After they woke me up I secured photo evidence.

Before I indulge your curiosity I am excited to say amazing things are happening outside too that generously counterbalance the frowny faces: the bulbs I put in (without knowing anything other than that you dig a hole, but the bulbs in a certain direction, cover them up, and water) are showing up everywhere. Today I noticed them in the one location I was certain I wouldn’t see a single sign of them.

Back to the creatures roaming around our house. My sister, we’ll call her C.C., occasionally sends a group text to the family with an update on her backyard friends; her favorite last year was baby bunny. I have nothing to say for the bunnies here except that it is pretty cute when they scatter from the headlights hit them when you pull in the driveway. C.C., here is an  incomplete creature update from the past month: Bunny, Raccoon, Deer, Squirrel, Red-winged Blackbird, European Starling, Carolina Chickadee, Black-capped Chickadee, Fox Sparrow, Fox, American Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, American Crow, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker . . . . 


2015-03-22
We cleaned the bird feeders and changed our bird seed to exclude peanuts. So far no sign of raccoons again. And in closing  I can say - as my famous last words - a week after beginning this post while  what I hope to be our last snow until next season melts away - I am happy to say there have been no dead mice in the basement for a couple of months. I'm sure the chipmunks will be scurrying around wreaking havoc sooner than later.