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The little chuck was back on the kitchen landing yesterday….
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Scampering around, having a grand old time.
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His Lordship on the other hand….
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Was not enjoying it nearly as much.
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Since we replaced the storm door and he can see right outside at cat eye level?
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The critters are driving him mad.
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I swear they do it on purpose.
🤣
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Our new storm door is Lord Dudley Mountcatten’s most favorite thing in the world right now. As soon as we swing back the kitchen door in the morning and allow him viewing access? He’s perched. Watching the world go by at perfect kitty height.
He watches birds. The rain. Squirrels. A leaf blowing by. It doesn’t matter… he’s there. And riveted.
So when I heard him cackling the other day I figured it must be something good.
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And it was.
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A baby woodchuck climbed the stairs to the landing and lay down on the welcome mat.
Right there.
In front of His Lordship.
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It was almost too much for a cat to bear.
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That little chucker got comfy… and stayed.
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No matter how crazy it drove our resident feline.
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🤣
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The little chucks love their carrots.
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And there’s one baby who holds his high in the air.
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So high it tips him off balance.
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I never manage to get a picture of him falling over while nibbling …
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But trust me, it happens.
😊
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Every spring Maine has a pollen problem. The trees explode with new growth and yellow powder covers everything. And since winter hung on a little longer this year? The pollen season has stretched into summer.
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This was I-295 southbound a week ago.
Not fog. Not smog….
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Pollen. Choking the air.
Makes me glad I don’t have allergies.
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It’s rare, but woodchucks do climb trees. As evidenced by this photo I took of a youngster checking out our apple tree branch.
Even rarer?
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Capturing a picture of the young woodchuck kamikaze diving off said branch.
He was fine and wandered off shortly after the drop.
😳
Warning – little bit of grossness ahead.
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I bought a rotisserie chicken for a chicken and dumpling casserole recipe the other day. But as I started carving it?
Eewww …
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I can honestly say I’ve never seen whatever the hell this was before.
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A big blood spot on the breast and something disgusting that looked like pumpernickel bread in the meat.
What the hell!
Was it an infection? A tumor?
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Either way, it was disgusting and completely off putting.
Needless to say we ordered pizza that night.
🤢
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It isn’t often the entire woodchuck clan shows up for a nosh at the same time.
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But I managed to snap a few quick shots of momma and siblings vying for carrots the other day.
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A bit of squabbling took place among the kids.
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But no one got in mommas way.
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😊
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Lord Dudley Mountcatten was perched on his viewing platform, totally absorbed by something.
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Thinking it must be worth a look, I stepped outside.
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And spotted a beauty.
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An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.
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We used to have a lot of Monarch butterflies in our yard but they’re few and far between these days so this little guy was a welcome sight.
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So pretty.
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So delicate.
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They really are wonderful.
❤️
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Momma Chuck and two babies showed up for broccoli yesterday.
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The little guys look so funny trying to maneuver their veggies.
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They watch mom sit up and eat so they try to mimic her stance.
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One little fellow holds his broccoli too high…
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Which throws him off balance.
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His brother says to hell with that and just sits.
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But baby number one is determined.
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And more than a little crooked.
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I’ve only seen three baby chucks this year which is unusual as momma tends to have four or five. But one of them is brave and has been scampering off on his own.
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Right up on our deck.
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After a rain shower.
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He was a bit damp and bedraggled.
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And stopped for a quick drink.
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Before heading back home.
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They’re so cute when they’re young and uncoordinated.
💕
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One of the baby chucks is visiting daily now.
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And learning the correct carrot consumption stance.
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He’s a little wobbly…
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And sometimes he tips over.
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But practice makes perfect.
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❤️
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Just when I was getting worried we hadn’t seen any baby woodchucks?
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One brave little guy followed momma out of the shed.
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At first he didn’t know what to make of the carrot buffet…
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And wanted mom to feed him.
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But momma chuck isn’t exactly a hands paws on parent…
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And let him figure it out for himself.
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Before long he was happily munching alongside her.
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River's world..... 