.
It doesn’t happen often. Our house is too far away from the woods and they have to cross a long wide open space to reach the buffet.
.
.
Matter of fact this is only the third time in twenty years we’ve seen it.
.
.
But momma fox brought a baby to the buffet last night.
.
.
And we were beyond thrilled. Baby is on the left, and as you can tell not a little baby anymore, but momma won’t risk them in the open when they’re small.
.
.
We might be down to one baby woodchuck.
.
.
Although he/she isn’t a baby anymore.
.
.
To be honest it’s hard to tell this one and momma apart anymore.
I like to think our veggie buffet bonanza has given him/her a good start in life.
.
.
I know it’s definitely expanded their waistline.
🤣
.
.
Our chuckers are social eaters. They happily munch alongside deer, skunks and raccoons.
.
.
And yes, wild turkeys as well.
.
.
Until said turkey gets a little too friendly.
.
.
And is chased from the buffet for the duration.
.
.
When the summer weather turns hot, our bird bath becomes a popular place.
.
.
I’ve been filling it three times a day, not because the birds have an unquenchable thirst….
.
,
But because their mad orgiastic bathing spills most of it to the ground.
.
.
🤣
.
.
There’s always something that needs to be repaired at Casa River, and sometimes that something is the Barn Mahal porch.
.
.
For some reason ( read – crazy Maine weather, massive frost heaves and lack of gutters ) one section of the porch lifted over the years with the result being smashed and then rotted wood under the corner post.
A cousin was called to assist… as there was heavy lifting required and yours truly sucks at that.
.
.
I also suck at not exclaiming WTF! when I go outside to check on the repair progress.
.
.
I doubt that set up was OSHA approved… but it did the job and supported the roof while the post was removed.
.
.
Rotted wood.
.
.
Please note I am not standing on the porch to take pictures.
.
.
Rotted wood replaced….
.
.
Corner post cut and reseated.
.
.
With a hammer, because fine tuning was required.
.
.
And yes, it’s a bit crooked now.
.
.
But my bat was rehung and the roof is still over our heads… so I’m calling it good.
.
.
For months we’ve had a nightly fox visitor for whom I lay out little piles of expensive dry dog food with taurine. ( It was recommended by a vet friend and is the closest I can get to the food U.K. Amazon refuses to ship to the United States) We love seeing him (her?) scoot across the lawn and settle in for a nosh. But last night?
.
.
I was seeing double.
.
.
Two beautiful foxes happily munching.
.
.
Brother and sister? Husband and wife? Friends with benefits? I don’t know…
.
.
But they’re both gorgeous!
.
.
💕💕💕
.
.
I woke up to this the other day.
.
.
Husband was having his coffee, I was reading the news and Lord Dudley went running to the back door.
.
.
Where a little inter species communication commenced.
I was all for letting our little back deck visitor in, but was prohibited to do so by my grumpy husband.
Boo to unadventurous spouses.
.
.
I think we’re down to two baby woodchucks now.
.
.
There were originally seven…. and I’m choosing to believe momma just booted them out of the den as opposed to the more disturbing killed and eaten by predator explanation.
.
.
The two remaining siblings stay pretty close together.
.
.
Especially when feeding.
❤️
.
.
Since the stone border was complete, it was time for the next step. Garden soil.
.
.
Thankfully our local Agway had a giant pile and it was only a few miles away.
.
.
(Action shot)
Though why my husband kept bringing back such small piles I don’t know.
.
.
He made 7 trips, half a yard each time. And I kept spreading it while he went back for more.
.
.
I’m hoping it’s good soil.
.
.
But I’ll mix some fertilizer in before I plant just in case.
.
.
Another action shot.
.
.
It should not surprise you to learn that halfway through the process the husband decided I was raking incorrectly and relieved me of the job.
🤣
.
.
Viola!
.
.
The what seemed like never ending stone perennial garden border construction is complete.
.
.
Yes, it’s much smaller than I wanted.
.
.
But I’m pleased with it all the same.
.
.
It was a lot of work and the husband did a great job.
But the best part? Our marriage survived all the arguments it caused.
Next up? Dirt and flowers!
.
P.S….. I wrote this a few weeks ago. The lawn is actually the crunchy brown from yesterday’s post.
.
