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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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Last weekend I was reading on the barn porch, enjoying the view of the neighbor’s farm…
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And of our other neighbor walking by….
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When suddenly my view changed.
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Because the husband decided it was time ( after I bugged him for 7… Yes, 7 years. ) to put up a gutter.
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I’ll spare you the four hour nightmare of angles, cutting, bracketing, ladder placement and yes a good bit of cursing as well…
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And get right to the cute stuff.
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A baby woodchuck.
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Make that two baby woodchucks. It’s summer and the little scampers are peaking out from under the barn. Totally adorable. And much more fun to watch than this…
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Especially since the gutter leaked like Hell the first time it rained.
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Even with the drought we’re experiencing, the Rhodies were magnificent this year.
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And the Barn Mahal porch has color coordinated pots of pretties as well. I find orange and yellow really pop against the red.
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This little petunia almost looks painted.
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Whether it will survive the woodchuck onslaughter is another matter entirely.
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Do you have a bed where all the leftovers end up?
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This is mine. A mini bed by the bulkhead doors where my first ever gay feather is getting ready to bloom…. and the neighboring hostas have launched an invasion.
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Love this combination Lantana.
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When the woodchucks decimated my gardens 2 years ago I searched for flowers they hated and planted them. Foxglove? Check!
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Astilbe? Healthy and woodchuck nibble free.
Did you know astilbe is also called False Goat’s Beard? What’s up with that… are there goats who need to travel incognito?
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Apparently, yes. Yes there are.
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Salvia, geraniums and New Guinea impatiens are blooming in my little stone wall garden bed, but unfortunately now and then I find a hole.
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See the empty space on the left? Thank you Mr. Woodchuck, please tip your server. 😡
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Happily my strawberry shortcake foxglove is on the list of woodchuck avoided plants.
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It’s also rhododendron time.
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And this year, they’re glorious.
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Every season I tell myself to cut them back, then they give me a riotous bloom and I cave.
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This year I planted three tick weed (coreopsis) behind the marigolds. Sadly, they must have been on the ‘favorite woodchuck snack’ list because one morning I looked out and they were munched down to nubs. Solution?
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Giant headed yellow marigolds. They’re not my favorite flower, but they’re not a woodchuck’s either … so that’s a win.
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As is this pink cosmos. Such a happy flower. I smile just looking at them.
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Last year we had a mother woodchuck and five babies.
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So far this year I’ve only seen one. One with what appears to be ripped abs…
A woodchuck 6 pack. Who knew?
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He (she?) seemed to know exactly where the buffet was laid….
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So maybe this is last year’s baby all grown up.
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This time of year brings the return of warmer temperatures, green grass and two of my favorite things.
They’re baaaaack!
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Well, at least one of them is. Our first returning woodchuck has made an appearance in the back yard. Let the games begin.
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And speaking of games….
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Red Sox baseball is back and available for viewing in the newly used to be a barn filled with crap remodeled man cave.
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Yes, watching my favorite team at my beloved Fenway Park while perched at our private bar sipping a cocktail is the very definition of sweet.
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The first few games? Not so much. Pitching will be a problem this year and getting swept by the Orioles on our home turf was depressing to say the least. But we whooped Florida and swept Baltimore in their home park. Life is good.
😉
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Okay, we don’t live in the mountains.
But there was fog over the woodchucks this morning…
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So I’m rolling with it.
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My little fellows are quite used to being served breakfast now.
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Spoiled?
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Maybe just a bit.
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The brothers are still with us.
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Getting so fat I can hardly tell them from their mother these days.
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Although how you get fat from eating lettuce I’m sure I don’t know.
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I never tire of watching these little scutters eat.
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And the fact the two remaining siblings still stick close together makes me smile.
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They don’t always get along….
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And have been known to tussle over a prime carrot slice now and then…..
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But you rarely see one without the other.
Am I jealous the brothers are able to go out to eat and be served tasty meals?
Well, maybe a little.
And woodchucks eating watermelon is too damned cute not to share.
I never thought about giving watermelon to the chucks.
But a bowl of it got pushed to the back the fridge recently and I couldn’t see throwing it away.
Let me tell you….
There were some happy little chuckers that afternoon.
Until the last piece was in sight.
Then it was every chuck for themselves.
One minute you’re happily eating dinner side by side with your woodchuck brother.
Until he realizes his lettuce and carrot tops might not be as tasty as what you have….
And moves in on your watermelon.
If looks could kill.
That’s one dead chuck.
River's world..... 