Yard, Gardens, Birds and Critters

 Sometimes you get busy and you know there is something you are supposed to do but you put it off. Last night was one of those nights! I bring in the sunflower seed and the nut mixture feeder and put the water wiggler on the deck floor stuck in a corner where, hopefully, the raccoons will leave it alone.  I really did "think" about moving all the feeders around 7:40 p.m., but then, my second thought was, the birds still are feeding, well some were, so I left them out.  I was doing a project of typing up all my mom's recipe stash into my cookbook on the computer.  Of course, the time flies by! After finally finishing that, I decided to play a game and check some of my friends pages and a multitude of other tasks I enjoy doing on the computer.  It got way late. It was almost 11 p.m. when it dawned on me that I didn't bring in my two feeders.  Would you believe I took my camera with me. No, I didn't do that. Went to the door, turned on the light and there she ...

 I have a fairly large deck. In fact it's a brand new one as the other was getting old and ready to fall down.  We have one of those Ranch styled homes where the back of it is the basement due to the hill it was built on. Front is not quite level with the street but we have a flat front yard after three steps. Maybe I should plop in a picture here, so you know what it really looks like.   Okay, here is where the deck is being built   My steps are basically where that opening is where you see the fence and the neighbors.  Okay, now you know what it sort of looks like.   My back door from the kitchen is up on the left. You can barely see my kitchen window.  At night I don't see too much out that window. I have this green light blub for the deck. I think we put that in one year for Christmas decorations and never changed it up and it doesn't die!  So not lots of light. Why am I yammering about all this? Because I want you to "see" as w...

I Forgot By Mary J Williams © Because the raccoon has been a roughneck I bring in the one feeder And hide the wiggler on the deck A busy day yesterday I worked and some play Forgot to do the feeder No hiding the wiggler today This morning let the dog out I opened up the door There lay the wiggler In pieces, on the deck floor Dropped from the birdbath Little more the three feet It was in five pieces That was quite a feat The lid was away from the rest The four together they lay I only saw one battery Did he eat the other? I say I looked all around Even went down below Never found the other battery Where is it? I will never know Grabbed a new battery Up the stairs I went Turned over the top Battery two was present I really did feel silly Not turning it over to see If the other battery was there Bet you all agree The battery is in The top is screwed on The leg is replaced The wiggler goes around Now if this critter Would leave it alone Or me not forget To hide it, I say with a moan! total...

Critter Strikes Again By Mary J Williams © I got up this morning Headed for the door Opened it up And said “Forever more” There laid the wiggler Over on its side Wiggle part missing I heaved a big sigh Walked to the bird bath The twirler part there Little rubber discs gone Thank goodness I have a spare I looked for the rest of the pieces They were nowhere to be found They might have fallen off the deck And are laying on the ground Nope, not going to look I’ll just get my spare in the house I am so aggravated That critter is a louse! I think it’s a raccoon I need to make him scram Gotta make sure Need to set up the trail cam Not only about the wiggler But birdfeeder too Moved the whole thing What to do, what to do? the bar that usually has the rubber discs  on a little plastic piece that holds them The big feeder with sunflower seeds lots of the seed gone and feeder way over the deck banister Where the feeders are supposed to be  

 I have a morning routine!  I get up and turn on the warmer burner on the stove and pour water in my Bunn Coffee Maker for Hubby's coffee. Then it's out on the deck to check the bird feeders and the water. This morning I looked out and noticed the grape jelly was gone, so I grabbed it from the refrigerator and a spoon, then out on the deck.  I filled the little dishes with some jelly. I noticed the sunflower seed level was pretty low and thought I had better bring some up to the feeder.  I don't fill it to the top anymore as it's the heaviest bird feeder ever. It is cool looking but the weight, with it completely full, bends the hook it's on and the squirrel already has added extra weight to it!  The Water Wiggler has been on the deck in my heated birdbath for many years.  The raccoon, evidently, doesn't like it at all. Not only has the wiggler been pushed out of the birdbath and broken, but this morning, I found the wiggler pushed to the side of the birdba...

 This is the story and it really did happen!  My husband and I go out to eat on Friday nights. On this night we went to one of my favorite places, Longhorn Steakhouse for dinner. Hubby had chopped steak and baked potato. He didn't finish either item and we brought home a "to go" box.  Because the steak had mushrooms and onions, he didn't eat them, so I added all that to the box.  A few days later I had the leftover chopped steak with the mushrooms and onions and I took the potato that was left and took it outside and set it in one of the planters and completely forgot about it, until this morning. I was doing my regular morning tasks, bringing out all the suet and seed I store in my house at night. I have to, or the raccoons will eat everything in sight.  I also clean the birdbath and put in fresh water. I looked at the birdbath and "what the heck is that?"  I went over and looked closely and couldn't believe my eyes. There were pieces of potato in the b...

 I am up at 5:05 a.m. My mind is working overtime and I figured I might as well get up, let Lacy out, put the birdseed out and make the coffee. I walk into the kitchen and start Jim's coffee, grab a couple of the bird feeders, open the door and head out on the deck with Lacy and pretty much stop in my tracks. There on a 2 x 4 post of the deck was a Raccoon. Not a real large one, I am guessing just a youngster, maybe, as stubborn as it was a teenager.  I tried to get Lacy back in the house, but she totally ignored me, never saw the Raccoon, and even with her sharp nose, didn't catch the scent either. I was amazed! Down the steps she went to the back yard, more likely the concrete pad, to do her business. The Raccoon and I were pretty much just looking at each other. I decided to go in the house and go get my camera! I really didn't think the Raccoon would still be there but, it was. I took a couple of pictures, with my flash up, and the flash didn't go off! I finally mov...

 It started a while ago when the raccoon tore down a feeder!  I didn't replace it for a very long time.  I eventually purchased the tubular kind. Bronze or Copper with a wire that circles so the birds can get but maybe a tad harder for the squirrels.  I filled it up with sunflower seed.  The first time I filled it, it lasted for about a week.  Birds aren't the best about going to new feeders.  I didn't see the squirrel on it, but it's farther down in the yard, so, don't see it as well. This morning I decided to fill up the platform feeder with the Wild Bird Seed Mix!  When I proceeded to the feeder, I notice the new one was missing!  Did I tell you about the other new one that went missing? I don't think I did! I looked and looked for it and couldn't find it. I weeded along the fence line even and not to be found.  I even asked my neighbor to be on the look out for it if he went down to the back of our properties.  The next Saturday...

 I was blaming the squirrels and I stand corrected on this one. I am 99.9% sure it was a raccoon and I will tell you why. Yesterday, I was checking a feeder I had put out for the squirrels. It's a Sweet Corn Log!  I put one log in the feeder and noticed in the morning the log was gone and so was the feeder. I went to check and the lid was still on the shepherds hook.  I had a basket of sunflower seed, a large cage that held the double suet holder to keep out squirrels and large birds, a small suet holder and the new feeder with the corn log. I believe I put all the feed out on Thursday.  Didn't think to look until Saturday to see if anything had been eating on the log. Much to my surprise, the corn log feeder was missing. Only the top remained hanging. I went down and found the feeder laying in the grass! I decided to go out to Tractor Supply and see if they had any of the corn logs.  They did so bought 2 packages, which equaled 4 logs.  I purchased a new f...

  The Other Thing the Raccoon Did Last Night By Mary J Williams © I was helping neighbor Chloe Put her plants into the ground She had tomatoes and peppers A couple of sunflowers too, I found We worked away Digging the holes I was instructing She was learning new goals I told her we needed stakes Plants needed the support I knew I had some around But some were mighty short I went to look over by the shed I opened the gate in front of me You will never guess What was laying there to see The lid from the thirty gallon can I use for the sunflower seed I looked inside the can Chewed up seed, something had a good feed Now, the lid I had on the can Was really weighted down A two-gallon pot, filled to the brim With Rocks! You should see my frown! The pot had been knocked off The lid had been pulled up Dropped upon the ground Seeds been eaten? Yup! When I took the nuts in last night The raccoon was probably ticked He wasn’t about to do without The rocks and lid did not restrict! I think the...

  Talking to the Raccoon By Mary J Williams I was busy crocheting Trying to mend a friend’s thing When all of a sudden The light in my brain went bling! I forgot to take in the seed And the mixed nuts too If the racoon shows up The nuts are the ones he will chew I didn’t bring the camera And when I opened the door A big raccoon was looking at me S/he thought he was going to score The thunder was booming Lightening in the sky The raccoon just stared at me “Get out of here”, I cry! I had to say it again “Go on, you need to leave The rain is coming down No more nuts will you thieve” As soon as the raccoon Finally waddled away, I put the water wiggler On the deck to stay Water Wigglers are knocked away By big racoons, you see They are in their way They already have broken three The raccoon has gone away Seed and nuts are inside now I left the empty jelly dish outside Hope s/he wouldn’t go for it anyhow

The Raccoon Story in Rhyme By Mary J Williams © I like to tell stories                                                  And do it in rhyme The words don’t come easy I can’t do it all the time. Here is the story I am about to tell About a certain critter that has made me want to yell I bought a squirrel buster It’s a type of bird feeder I put yummy nuts in But this critter is a mind reader It seems he always knows When the nuts are filled to the top He comes in at night And to that feeder he hops His weight should be the thing That shuts that feeder down So, the critter can’t get in But he does, and he goes to town I haven’t figured out How he gets the nuts He uses his little fingers I think that’s how, but…. The other morning The critter was still there I let our dog, Lacy, out She started to chase, I swear My only fear at that time Was if Lacy got really close Th...

 One of those kinds of mornings. Have to repot plants, pick up soil, make a plan, add soil to tomato and flower pot, wash the flower box, put the basket in it and hopefully the darn raccoon doesn't bother it again!  Starting The Morning With a Groan By Mary J Williams © How is your morning? I hope better than mine Opened up the door And what did I find My planter knocked off again It’s on the floor of the deck The soil is all over the place The plants are a wreck In my pj’s yet After all it’s not even six I think for a minute And hope I have the fix I replant the plants In the big flower pot below They are doing okay Growing is a little slow! I took the soil From the fallen planter Put in the pot And in with the tomater. The plants all repotted Tomato has more soil Put some water in Hopefully, any tries again I spoil Now I have to wash the deck To clean up all the mess Hope I fixed the situation But that is anybody’s guess! After all repotted and deck washed off Close up With ...

 Will it never end?  I don't think so! As long as I am feeding the birds this critter is going to come to the deck.  The jelly dish was empty so, shame on me, I left it and didn't bring it in the house.  Flower Box Clean-up By Mary J Williams © The jelly dish was empty Guess the smell was there Raccoon just had to check it out Grab on the planter, he didn’t care The planter fell to the deck floor All the plants and dirt came out That’s what greeted me this morning Not again, I shout! I put out all the suet And the bird seed too Got that chore done The other will take more time, I knew Grabbed my gloves and soil Left both in the back room I used the water for clean up And not a little broom I separated the plants From the soil that's laying there. Started picking soil back up Getting exercise, I swear Got the soil and plants back in Now to wash off all the deck When the planter fell, Had to wash the steps too, by heck Well, I got those morning chores done And it’s no...

 I am sitting at the table reading my book and eating some grapes for a snack. I just happened to look down and saw there was a bad spot on the grape I was about to put in my mouth! Eww! Nasty looking. I laid it on the table! I then had a couple of peanuts, gave one each to the dogs. Grabbed the bad grape and the grape bag, put the bag in the refrigerator and decided to take the grape and put it on the railing of the deck along with the apple pieces I put there earlier. I really wish I carried my camera with me all the time. I opened the door and the raccoon was there. He left the bird feeder, with the mixed nuts in it, in a big hurry! It was 8:15 p.m.  I watched as he went down the steps and onto the lower deck. He turned and looked up at me. I took the grape in my hand and threw it!  It landed not to far from him. He ran over, picked it up and ate it all the while looking at me.  I wondered if he would eat the apple but as I threw it, he turned and ran out of the a...

My Critters on the Deck By Mary J Williams © Critter, and I say Raccoon, comes to the deck, only the hot suet in the holders you see, but that raccoon is going to eat by heck. He grabs on to the holder that is hanging by a hook holds on to the board and eats, come and look! Great big chunk taken out of the thing but I don't think he liked the taste It's "hot" suet, it should kind of sting I think he got mad He didn't eat it all Jumped to the deck but he didn't fall Checking things out He thinks he smells more So, grabs on the flower box and it falls to the deck floor Dirt is all over everywhere That I have to put back Guess I have to take that suet in so, maybe he can't snack Hopefully the flower box won't be pulled down again I won't have morning clean up I can have my coffee then! I really think the raccoon did this Look at the imprints in the suet. Pretty sure made by a raccoon. the "Hot Pepper" suet didn't seem to deter it at all