Wild thing, part deux

He's ba - ack!

A couple days ago the woodchuck showed up in our yard again. And he was brazen!

He toddled right over to the flower bed, ripped apart a yellow coneflower plant and gobbled it down. Funny how all the wild animals we've had, bunnies, squirrels, chipmunks, like those yellow coneflowers. But that's a discussion for another day.

Anyway, then he waddled along the back of the house, rummaging around among the flowers and plants there. Okay, no problem. I watched from the sunroom, snapping pics as fast as I could.

But THEN he started digging a burrow along the foundation, right among the sprinkler heads and electric wires.

"Da-a-a-ve!" I yelled. "He's digging a hole!"

Dave went down to the back door, right next to where Woody was digging. Even after Dave opened the door and leaned out, about 10 ft from him, Woody kept digging. It wasn't until Dave walked out and yelled at him that he scurried to safety under the deck.

So Dave got out the very expensive "Repels All," purchased last year from the farm store when the skunk took up residence under our deck. He sprinkled some in the flower bed.

A couple hours later, Woody was back, digging in the same spot. Muttering and cursing under his breath, Dave went back out, filled in the hole, and sprinkled more Repels All, a stinky mixture of dried blood, putrescent whole egg solids and garlic oil. (Who thinks up this stuff, anyway?) Then he went out to the back gate, sprinkled more, and filled in the small gap there with wire fence. That oughta do the trick, he thought.

That was two days ago. Yesterday was quiet, but this morning, guess who was back again... that's right, our hole-digging, plant-gobbling, wood-chucking friend.

We don't own a gun, and I've never shot an animal in my life.

But there's always a first time. :)
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Where the wild things are

It's a little blurry, but I'm pretty sure it's a woodchuck, also known as a groundhog. He popped his head up at the edge of our deck today. Thanks to Molly and her quick camera, here's the proof.

Ever since our last dog went to Rainbow Bridge two years ago, the wild animals have been taking over our backyard.

Now this is not the wilderness, here. It's suburban Southern New Jersey. Our backyard is fenced in, surrounded by other houses and an industrial park.
Birds are one thing. We love our birds, except for the great blue heron who tries to eat the fish from our pond. We like our chipmunks, too. Even the squirrels and the bunnies are tolerable.

But last year it was a skunk, hanging out under the deck. And now, this...

I just have one pressing question...

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

:)

I did it again

Yup.

I did it again.

I invited a bunch of people I met on the Internet to stay at my house.

And you know what?

It was simply mahhhh-velous!

The way it worked out, the visits were staggered, with all five of my "Breakaway Babes" here only two nights. And I had guests, numbering one to five, for just over two weeks.

I wish they could have stayed longer! I've been so sad all week since the last one left.

We'll definitely have to do it again next year.

Love you, Babes!