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I’m not sure why…
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But momma woodchuck always looks pissed off.
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Is it because her children are always under foot?
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Or because the pesky human woman keeps spraying all the tasty munchies with coyote urine?
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Maybe it’s because her tatas are hanging so low they scrape the rock wall.
Tough call… but I’m going with gravity. That’s bound to make any woman cranky.
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Last weekend my husband installed the downspout on our new back deck guttering.
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For some reason (Far be it for me to question his process. But I did… and was told to go back in the house) he decided to reroute the water’s path and secured the spout to the side of the corner post instead of the front.
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He was proud of how it turned out.
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And while it passed the water test as far as leaks go…
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With liquid gushing out the end freely….
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I did take issue with the placement.
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Because, call me crazy….
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But unless the rain is going to hook a 90 degree turn and drain into the pipe as it’s supposed to…. we’re going to have a mess.
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Our backyard has been seeing a lot of visitors lately.
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And baby chucks are learning where the buffet is located.
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Yes, damn it.
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She’s still here.
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I don’t think momma Chuck is enjoying the competition for apple slices.
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But babies like the grain as well. And climbing in the food bowl is always fun.
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One brave little chucker ventured out from under the barn to have a nosh with his mother.
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Okay, he stayed quite close to momma…
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But he’s still the only one we’ve seen out in the open.
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They’re silly critters at this age.
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And he was having a blast scampering all over the rock wall.
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There’s a big wide world out there to explore little guy….
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Enjoy!
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Baby woodchucks are on the move.
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I spotted three.
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Make that four.
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And they’re cute as a button.
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I’m not sure if they’re actually living under the barn this year, or momma just brings them in for a nosh now and then.
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But I enjoy watching the little devils munch either way.
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While I enjoy a good Hendrix riff as much as the next girl, the purple I’m talking about is of a different variety.
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Irises!
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Japanese Iris to be exact.
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They’re smaller and easier to deal with than their larger cousins.
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But still put on a lovely show.
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These pictures were taken a few weeks ago, before Maine started its horrible drought and heat wave. Things were still green, instead of the crunchy brown they are now. It’s amazing how fast the change can come. Today’s temperature?
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91 and feels like 104…. at 9:00am!! Unheard of in my state. Our two window a/c units are working overtime and barely keeping up. Even His Lordship is feeling it….
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Which is why I put him on an ice pack.
When I tried to remove it?
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I got the look.
😳
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Our resident mallard is really into his food.
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And yes, I meant that literally.
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The rival males still show up now and then.
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But our female has made her choice and they end up wandering around aimlessly…. as single men are apt to do.
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Standoffs with the woodchuck are still a thing.
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And the male mallard is showing some battle scars on his breast.
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But this day they were victorious…. and took a load off next to the spoils.
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Disturbing duck facts added for dramatic ending.
You’re welcome.
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Our pair of visiting mallards is so cute. The male follows the female around the yard like a lost puppy and sits patiently while she nibbles.
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But then….
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Two rival males arrived.
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He chased them, he flew at them, he put his head down and charged them but nothing worked.
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They just kept moving closer.
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Right after I took this picture he went full ninja duck on their ass and finally drove them off. The Mrs? She was not impressed and simply kept eating.
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The bowl of deer grain is popular, with everyone but the deer for whom it is intended.
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Our resident woodchuck, (named Chuck because we’re creative that way) loves it…
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But so do our new friends the ducks.
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It’s first come first serve at Casa River, and no matter how much posturing and maneuvering the waterfowl did…
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Chuck reigned supreme.
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And even barked at them when they got too close. I’ve been known to do the same around my margaritas, so I don’t judge.
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A few weeks ago the waterfowl landed.
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A pair of mallards who have since taken up semi residence.
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They come to nibble under the bird feeders and have discovered that deer grain and fox food is tasty as well.
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We wake to the sound of quacking, and when a thunder storm rumbled by the other day? They flew in and took shelter.
❤️
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