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A few weeks ago I bought a lovely dragon wing begonia for the Barn Mahal/man cave porch.
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Thankfully the woodchucks don’t care for begonias and have left it unscathed.
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Until yesterday when I sat down to read and noticed the evidence.
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Muddy footprints.
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All over the table.
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They don’t like begonias and didn’t nibble, but clearly it wasn’t for lack of trying….
🥴
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The baby woodchucks are growing and seem to be everywhere at once.
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One little guy likes to grab a carrot slice and eat it in privacy on the stone wall.
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Which I must admit makes for some cute pictures.
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Our momma fox is coming earlier than usual now and usually shows up by 4:00pm.
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Chances are her babies are running her ragged and she appreciates the easy source of food.
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Poor momma.
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She’s so tired she eats lying down.
❤️
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A storm was rolling in and made for nice background skies so I snapped a few iris shots.
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I really should plant more of these.
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They’re such a lovely pop of purple.
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On the other side of the property ….
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Momma chuck was hanging out on the barn porch.
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Probably looking for some more marigolds too munch.
😖
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Why is it every time I clean the windows?
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A drive by birding. It’s like they wait for the Windex…
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Yes. That is actually the McDonalds in Freeport, Maine.
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Another reason I love my state.
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Do not try to remove His Lordship’s catnip. There will be consequences… and most likely, blood.
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Rain. The husband’s car. And a woodchuck staying dry.
Enough said.
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Rain means rainbows.
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And we’ve certainly had our share lately.
❤️
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I’m still not sure if there are five or six baby woodchucks but the little scampers are definitely on the move.
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It seems that every window you look out, there’s a chuck.
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The little guys are little. Here’s a grey squirrel for comparison.
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Some of them wander at will, some stay near momma.
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And try to steal her apple chunks.
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Momma is not always pleased.
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As evidenced by that look.
🤣
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Junior chuck is still here and momma still tolerates his presence even though she has a new batch of children.
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This is surprising and has never happened before.
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She usually kicks the kids to the curb as soon as they can fend for themselves.
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But Junior persists. Though like every adult child who lives in the basement, I’m sure he gets on her nerves now and then.
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It’s Japanese Iris season at Casa River and I couldn’t be happier.
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While I’ve never been a fan of the fleshy full size irises that always hump their monstrous rhizome roots out of the ground… I adore their smaller less arrogant cousins.
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Daintier, more delicate and frankly less look at me darling, aren’t I gawgous!… they’re a lovely pop of perennial purple.
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Number two rhododendron is now in full bloom though not nearly as full as it’s neighbor. Why this should be is a question that stumps gardeners everywhere. Same soil, same sun exposure yet one is always bigger and better. Personally I think Mother Nature just likes to keep us guessing.
And if you’re wondering what the woodchucks have been chewing this week ?
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The toothy little buggers are eating marigolds!.
Marigolds!
The plant so disgusting no one will eat them. I don’t even like the silly things but have been putting them in my pots on the barn porch simply for the woodchuck gag factor. I thought they’d be safe.
I was wrong.
Very wrong.
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My husband has a bad habit of leaving the little barn/shed doors open in the summer. He thinks he’s airing it out and cooling it off but in actuality all he’s doing is this:
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Giving momma and baby chucks another area to explore.
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And chew.
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They seem to enjoy it.
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Though if they start chewing tractor wires my husband may have to rethink this habit.
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The baby nibblers are on the move and my flower beds are quaking in fear.
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For that matter so is my wallet.
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I thought the head count was four, then five..
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But yesterday I think I spotted six.
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It might be a very colorless summer at Casa River.
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Whoever said if you don’t like the weather in Maine, wait a minute wasn’t kidding.
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This is what early June looks like. It’s enough to give you whiplash.
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Another one bites the woodchuck dust. It was a fully bloomed stock. Graceful stalks filled with fragrant pink blossoms. May she rest in peace.
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Route 1 in Wiscasset was closed last week due to an accident. Apparently the Wicked Witch was in town.
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This hall closet contains coats, (spell check changed that to goats which would have been much more blog worthy, sorry) assorted LL Bean bags, a pair of snow boots, extension cords, a pillow, two blankets, a step stool, 4 umbrellas, a lobster pot and the air conditioner we just put in the window.
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Since it’s always full of the aforementioned clutter, Lord Dudley Mountcatten only gets to explore it twice a year and made me wait half an hour to put all the stuff back in there.
Cats.
They’re easily amused.
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River's world..... 