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The other night there were EIGHT raccoons in the yard at around midnight or so. They were all over my bird feeders, climbing on my pots and plants and generally making a nuisance of themselves. I chased them off several times, but the little critters would just go into the shadows and wait til I went into the house and then they'd come right back.
So now I'm not feeding the birds for a while. And I guess that might work because my daytime visiting raccoon just showed up, he checked out the entire yard and then left cause there's nothing there for him. Yippee! But my poor birdies are confused. They will be fine though - it won't hurt them in the least for my feeders to be empty for a little while. Especially at this time of year - there's plenty of natural food sources for them.
Last night my sweet hubby filled all my hummingbird feeders for me - he is so sweet. Then when I went to put the extra nectar away in the refrigerator, I spilled it and it went all over the entire insie of the refrigerator. So then we had to clean the entire 'fridge at 10:00 o'clock at night. And he helped me even though it was entirely my fault. I truly love that man,he is so good to me.
I'm trying not to notice that the garden is winding down. But yesterday at Walmart they had all the fall mums on display. They were pretty, but I'm just not ready for fall yet.
Last weekend, my friend, Sharon, who lives in Oklahoma City, came down for a visit with her husband. She brought me a gift: all the planters I gave her when we both lived in Washington State. So those planters traveled from me to her in Washington, then she took them with her when she moved to OKC and then she brought them back to me in Texas - those things have moved around. But I was really glad o get them. I want to plant some crape myrtles and I want really big pots for them as I don't want to plant them in the ground since this isn't my house.
Then my other friend, Ann, gave me some really nice gardening gloves. I told her I don't wear gloves when I garden, so I guess she thought I needed some. They are really pretty, but I just can't wear gloves to garden. I may start out wearing them, but pretty soon they come off and I'm digging in the dirt bare handed. There's just something about it. She told me I need to wear them to protect my nails and cuticles - it's a little late for that - I'm 59 years old and have never been able to wear gloves, so it's a little late to try to change now! I think the damage is already done!
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Aug 28, 2009 | 12:14 PM PST
Oh, my! I hope the raccoons find someone else to bother for a while. Traveling pots. How wonderful. I'll bet you'll have fun playing with them. I can only wear my gloves when I'm doing something "rough" that would cut my hands; otherwise, I go gloveless, too. I keep my nectar in a jar with a lid so that I won't be spilling it! You sure have had a heck of a time, but I can't help but smile. I'm sure we've all have had similar experiences at one time or another. |
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Aug 28, 2009 | 12:33 PM PST
Wow, that's a lot of coons! You're right, the birds do get confused when there is nothing where it used to be! I put my nectar in a jar, too. Used to keep it in a pitcher-until Clint drank some thinking it was Kool-aid! What a trip! |
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Aug 28, 2009 | 1:59 PM PST
I wish I could get used to wearing gloves for gardening. If I have to pull stinging nettle, I wear latex gloves, but I feel really clumsy in cotton ones. |
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Aug 28, 2009 | 3:50 PM PST
Sounds like you have a couple of family's of coons. Nighttime entertainment. The birds will come back and check in anyway. I am learning to make myself wear vinyl or latex gloves. My hands get so sore otherwise. Practice like everything. Thanks for the Friday night saga entertainment. Have a great week-end. |
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Aug 28, 2009 | 5:17 PM PST
Our coons have stopped visiting us at night now that the field corn is filling out. We are surrounded by fields of corn. As soon as that gets cut, the coons will return. |
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Aug 28, 2009 | 6:22 PM PST
my mother always kept her nectar in a jar also - guess I might need to do that also. |
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Aug 29, 2009 | 1:13 AM PST
Our raccoons have been pretty brazen lately too. I had a paddle pool out in the front yard for the grandkids and I'll be darned if the dang thing didn't try to climb in it while I was still in the front yard with the kids. I made a lot of noise and he skittered under the shed voicing his displeasure all the way. I'm a bare handed gardner too. I've been that way since I was a kid. There's just something therapeutic about feeling the soil. Especially when it's really soft, rich loam. It feels great between the toes too. :) |
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Aug 29, 2009 | 5:16 AM PST
I know what you mean about not wanting to wear the garden gloves. I feel that it's a barrier from the feeling of touching and handling the plants and earth. We have nightly raids of the raccoon bandits also ! Take care ! mitzi Last edited by mitzilou-2 on August 29th at 5:18 AM. |
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