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The little guys are on the move.
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And damn it, they’re adorable.
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One little fellow loves the wagon wheels and uses them like a jungle gym.
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Momma isn’t a doting parent and I’ve actually watched her steal apple slices from junior.
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I know people dislike them and yes, they can be destructive… but thankfully they’ve never wreaked havoc here other than a few holes.
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Maybe they’re being nice and paying us back for the daily treats.
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The forest of trees my husband recently planted need to be watered and I’ll give you one guess who has to do that….
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Twice a week I man handle 300 foot of hose down to the back forty to give them a drink.
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And once that sucker fills up with water? It is HEAVY.
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But I’ll do it, despite my bad knee and pinched neck nerve because I refuse to let $700 worth of trees die. The husband loves to plant them, but never offers any follow up care.
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After that I was down on my hands and achy knee to plant. It hurts, but is so rewarding.
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Sadly, the mice are at it again. They live under the floor of the baby barn/shed and damned if they don’t chew the blooms off my marigolds and drag them through a hole.
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I plugged it with some stones, hopefully that will stop the raiding.
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The fox has a lot of competition for his nightly nosh lately.
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Ducks, deer, skunks and raccoons not to mention a family of voracious woodchucks.
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So true to his name… he’s started arriving earlier in the evening to beat the crowds.
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Handsome and clever, that’s our boy.
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😊
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Baby woodchucks are making their way out from under the man cave/barn.
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And the little scampers are adorable.
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I’ve spotted three so far.
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With one little tiny runt.
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Naturally he’s the sweetest and clumsy as all get out.
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I just love them.
💕
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Because we can all use a little levity.
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Living in the country probably gives me the advantage here, but you never know… some of you have backyard alligators and I can’t top that.
My list of chasers;
A chicken. Don’t laugh, they’re quick and vengeful little buggers.
A billy goat. I barely escaped with my posterior intact… although now that I think of it, a little less of that wouldn’t be a bad thing.
A skunk. Thankfully they don’t have very good eyesight … I lost him behind a shrub.
A mockingbird. Never underestimate the ferocity of this bird. He used to dive bomb our poor cat on a daily basis.
A snapping turtle. Granted I didn’t have to run very fast with this one, but those jaws can snap your finger like a twig.
A bat. Was he actually chasing me? I don’t know, but he was trapped in our house and I didn’t take the time to find out.
And finally, an elk who chased me around our car. I was photographing a herd in the Smoky Mountain National Park from a far off, safe distance when a lone female came up from behind and let her displeasure be known.
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I don’t recommend that experience.
😳
So how about it? Who’s been chasing you….
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Buffet buddies.
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Momma chuck and the mallard pair seem perfectly content to share.
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Even if they do bump into each other on occasion.
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Lord knows the birds drop enough seed, nuts and fruit from the feeders they’ll never run out of snacks.
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Our beautiful fox stopped by for a little fallen bird seed snack recently.
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It was early evening …
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So another frequent visitor dropped by as well.
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That’s one brave duck.
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Another missed opportunity and this time it was entirely my fault. When walking his Lordship I usually keep a loose finger grip on the leash but the other day I had it looped around my wrist and wouldn’t you know it… that was the exact moment our resident red squirrel b*tch darted right out in front of Lord Dudley Mountcatten.
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He ran to give chase but was jerked back by the leash I couldn’t drop just as he reached for her.
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It was a close call… but damn it, she escaped.
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Up the cedar tree she went… and sat there for a good 20 minutes teasing my boy.
And me for that matter.
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He could have had her.
It was so close….
😫
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Momma Chuck has been visiting off and on for a few weeks now and while I’m not sure if she’s moved back in under the man cave/barn… it’s a distinct possibility.
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I threw out some carrot shavings for her yesterday when low and behold…
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Junior showed up as well.
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Last year when Momma had her babies, there was a runt who was constantly by her side. We worried that he wouldn’t grow big enough to make it through the winter, but it looks like he did.
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Although having a pesky teenager following you around could get old quickly.
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It’s official… Momma Chuck is back, fresh out of hibernation and voraciously hungry.
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It seems she had no trouble remembering where the salad bar was located.
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And if you’re wondering how I know this is Momma Chuck and not one of the four babies she had under the barn last year…
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I’d say it’s the decided lack of that 18 hour bra I recommended last season.
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🤣
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River's world..... 