While relaxing on the barn porch the other afternoon…..
Our peace and quiet was disturbed by one very perturbed rodent.
Momma squirrel was back and chattering up a storm.
She was scrambling up and down the posts.
Running back and forth along the eaves.
And most definitely making her presence known.
Her memory is long.
And apparently all has not been forgiven.
In life, symmetry is rare.
So when you see a baby woodchuck….
In the woodshed?
You reward him with an apple.
Because he’s just that cute.
And he doesn’t always get along with his family.
I think we can all relate to that.
And on the ground.
It was a meet cute.
And apparently they hit it off.
She was a foxy lady after all.
A little snuggling.
A few nips behind the ear.
And viola.
A happy couple.
Or not.
What do I know?
I have no idea why we have a pair of visiting Mallard ducks this year…
But like all the other critters who venture in….. they’re welcome.
Though the drake’s table manners leave a little to be desired.
Is standing in the dish of deer grain really necessary?
Other times he’s a bit like Caligula.
And eats lying down.
Ducks.
I hope they remember how nice we are to them.
It’s fierce.
And when her babies are around?
(Yes, I’m talking about woodchucks…. were you expecting something else?)
When her babies are here….
And her babies are there…
Momma knows no fear.
Take a look at who she chased the other evening.
You go momma chucker!
The baby woodchucks are everywhere.
Behind the barn, in the rock wall, on the porch, under the deck.
Which means….
They’re going to be saturating my blog for a while.
Because really….
If there’s anything cuter than a mini woodchuck eating apples?
I don’t know if I’d survive it.
Our resident buck with the felt covered mini rack has flown the proverbial coop, which is a shame, because I think most of you…. some of you?…. alright, at least one of you… was enjoying the fuzzy updates on antler growth progress.
But never fear.
Our old doe, who we call pregnant because she always seems to be, has last year’s progeny with her on a daily basis now.
So we’ll start from scratch.
Baby buck antlers.
At this point, they’re just little nubs that he keeps rubbing on trees and rocks.
And can you blame him?
The poor little guy looks like a four legged Frankenstein.
Have I mentioned how much I love the baby woodchucks?
If not, get used to it… because I’ve been spending a lot of time making friends with them.
I’ve found sliced apples are a great ice breaker.
And if I’m enjoying a little Crown Royal apple while making woodchuck friends… all the better.
It took a while for them to get used to me and they were pretty hesitant to come out with me so close.
But the lure of apples proved too much.
Admit it.
That’s pretty damned cute.
So, can you see it?
Look closely now.
Not until you get near enough to look up.
There.
The neighbor’s tree adjacant tree house, hidden from sight by trees.
I love trees.
Here’s the husband for size reference, holding the enemy of trees. The chain saw birthday gift I’ve lived to regret.
I neither know, nor want to find out what he was cutting down there.
I shall just enjoy the leaf cover those glorious trees provide.
And maybe do this –
I heard some Hellacious (Yes, that’s a word. At least in Maine.) chattering the other afternoon.
Looked out back…
And saw momma red squirrel perched on the plant hanger.
She was flicking her tail and screeching like a Hollywood starlet who ran out of Botox.
She screeched so hard a seed fell out of her mouth.
It only took me a minute to figure out why.
The other visitor.
No worries readers, momma escaped unharmed.
River's world..... 