Week's End

My children have gently suggested on more than one occasion that I really ought to get cable television.  Their reasoning is that if I had more than six channels to watch, I would spend less time in front of my laundry room window, watching the raccoons, cows, and rabbits in the evening. Actually I was thinking of adding a comfortable chair to the room! J

  

Thank goodness I have a husband and friends who understand, and even share, my penchant for wildlife. They don’t think it is odd that I enjoy the antics of the critters who parade past my window. They don’t think I’m strange for chasing down dragonflies and butterflies. And if they question the fact that I talk to rabbits, they are at least keeping it to themselves.

Last night was a priceless episode of Raccoon Rambles. Earlier in the day I had pulled up the okra and thrown it over the fence for the cows. Of course I put out food for the rabbits and the raccoons. So it didn’t surprise me to see all of them eating, although you have to remember that raccoons are very, very skittish. They don’t like eating with the cows, and even the rabbits, which are on the other side of the yard, will sometimes cause the raccoons to run for the woods. I missed several hilarious shots last night because they move so quickly. The big, lumbering cows don’t seem to bother them as much as the pesky calves. At one point the calf in the picture was hesitant to move closer to the raccoons and so it called to its mama. Well, the noise sent the young raccoons into panic mode and they all stood on their hind legs and scurried around for a few minutes while their mom kept eating. I guess her actions reassured them because they quickly calmed down and resumed their dinner.

After a few minutes though, the mama cow moved closer to the fence to lick her baby and the raccoons just freaked! Two of them went up the security pole, one went into the garden, and three others made a dash for the area directly under my window. This little niche holds the air conditioning unit and also has some cement blocks and one of Buddy’s water bowls. I was able to watch them up close for several minutes while they “hid” from the cows! One of them decided to get a drink and I was amazed by how much it resembles a cat when viewed from the back. (These photos aren’t real clear because the odd angle creates a glare in the glass.) After about five minutes the cows were finally around the corner and the young raccoons returned for a couple of quick bites of dog food before scurrying back home.

And yes, inquiring minds, the ugly opossum still arrives just after dark to check for leftovers.

My week’s end had some other little surprises. I got a nice email from a fan of my Caddo blog and a phone call from a reader who shared some great information with me. I was pleased to give photos to our latest “yard of the month” recipient. I discovered that my little white cypress vine is finally blooming. I’ve never grown the white one before! All three colors of my cleome are now blooming. Some of the gourds are ready to be picked. There are buds on some of my fall-blooming flowers.

  

Of course Friday brought a not-so-nice surprise. I had stopped by a colleague’s room to inquire about her weekend plans. She told me she thought they would go fishing, but she would have to caution her girls about snakes again because they had seen a rattlesnake during their last visit to their cabin. I bragged that “I haven’t seen a snake all summer!” Well, you know I had to be punished for that! LOL When I got home I started the water in one of my flowerbeds. As soon as the water sprayed the bed, a snake slithered out!!!!  And of course I didn’t have the camera with me.

Well, last week was wonderful in so many ways. I’m looking forward to a great start to this week. Gary is off today. The weather is supposed to be ever-so-slightly cooler. The critters will be out and about. We will see what unfolds……

 

Comments

[Megan]

I adore that picture of the raccoon from behind. What an amazing picture. I too, wouldn't have guessed it was a raccoon, but the rounded ears give me pause.

I promise not to kill the cleome if you resend me seeds. More accurately, I promise not to let a winter storm dump snow on them in May next year.

Keep taking your fantastic pictures. They draw me to your blog like a moth to a flame. TV doesn't "do" much for you if you ask me, but I'm quite sure you'll remember the rare opportunity to get so close to the wildlife.