Heidi Chronicles - Make Room For Baby

Hi KyWoods,

I can totally empathize with your Mom.

I don't think we need to worry too much about the raccoons this noisy holiday weekend. The last few hours before dark I was out there working in the backyard with the weed wacker and power hedger. Just across the fence, the neighbor was mowing his lawn. It would be dark very soon but was still light out.

I sat down to rest for a moment and then became mesmerized by a group of some 15 to 20 huge dragon flies circling the pool (which I had just cleaned hours earlier) and me. Since childhood I have always been fascinated by these creatures. Now here they were circling close around me swooping in close and darting away in a manner not unlike a flock of tiny bats. I was amazed at how close they came to me, no doubt in pursuit of the mosquitoes who were also hovering near me each looking for a meal.

Suddenly, I became aware that I was not alone, I turned around to see a raccoon, the young female who has been coming to dinner early with Heidi the last few nights. No name. I think she is one of Cissy's. She had just walked out of the brush area when I turned around. Unsure about me now, she began to back up slowly. They really are such expressive creatures. Everything about her said, "Uh oh, I think I'll just try to slip back into the darkness here and hide."

I was just so surprised to see her walk out there into the yard with me considering that only moments earlier I had been running power tools, slashing hedges, etc and the neighbor was still running that lawn mower next year. I spoke to her and she stood still for a few minutes but then as I gathered my tools to leave, she disappeared only to circle around and reappear once more. I came inside, put away my tools and grabbed a drink. By that time she & Heidi were standing at the back door. I think this means that Ms Heidi was probably waiting at the forest edge the whole time - if not hiding in the yard behind the shrubs somewhere.

You know, I wonder how many 'strangers' are peering out from the woods at the dining crowd when you're out there handing out treats, wondering when would be a good time for them to mosey over to you?

Yep my grumpy little old lhasa apso is "our favorite p.i.t.a." lol

Just wanted to stop in and catch up with the readings....Hope you all had a safe and wonderful 4th of July

Jeani

KyWoods,

Good question. I suspect there are some.

Hmm. Pita. I like that for a raccoon name, next time one with the right attitude shows up, that is. I like it for its multiple meanings.

Hi, Jeani

We had some minor fireworks the past few nights, and neither the raccoons nor Widget were effected by them. Tonight, however, was the ultimate test. With rockets and cannons going off every second or so, Widget was resting quietly in his bed while Heidi was waiting at the back door for her dinner.

I went outside to find the 'whole' group, the small one that is now permitted to eat with Heidi, out there including even Bast (the injured raccoon formerly believed to be Fraidy). (Thankfully, Heidi recently trimmed her group to about 8. For the past 3 or 4 nights I haven't seen any of the 2nd shifters.

Anyhow, as I sat in the back yard with them, the neighbors on 2 sides regaled us with an endless cacophony of noise and lights. I jumped with surprise as my ears were assaulted by what sounded like the occasional unexpected gun shot blast, yet the raccoons, including Heidi who was eating watermelon in front of me, seemed totally oblivious to the sounds. Last year they had come out to eat on the 4th, but I had needed to say "It's ok" a lot that year. This year, not even once.

I watched in amazement. They really were completely ignoring the whole fireworks thing. They seemed to be able to completely screen it out as though it weren't even there. As I watched in disbelief as they didn't even 'start' at the percussion of cannon blasts in the yard next door, I began to realize that this really did make sense. In order to spend their nights raiding our yards for a living they really did need the ability to learn which sounds were and were not important and to screen out the noise just as they were doing tonight. Last year I had told them that fireworks aren't a threat, and after they spent that night eating amidst a fireworks show, they learned that it was true; so this year they just simply ignored the whole thing without needing to be told again. They are very smart animals after all.

I took a lot of pics tonight - to 'prove' they were out there. I had to move fast to grab this impromptu pic of Heidi right after she got that melon, so fast that I didn't have time to wipe away the 'humidity'. Nice teeth, huh? Man oh man, Heidi loves watermelon. She and I are a good match. And that was an excellent, crisp, sweet, cold melon, too; but I think you can see that from her face.

Heidi really "wigs out" when eating watermelon, esp good watermelon. I mean, to look at her it's like she looses her mind and goes into some kind of trance. I wish you could watch. Maybe one day soon I'll get the chance to take a watermelon out to her before dark so I can record her.

I swear when she eats watermelon, it's as though she becomes a little girl again (or kit). I've been trying to think of a way to portray this for you. I think the best analogy I can make is that of a small child, a toddler, eating something he or she really loves, perhaps something the child is tasting for the 1st time. A child that age hasn't yet been spoiled by the inhibitions of society. When they eat cake they get it all around their face. Their entire being gets involved in the sheer pleasure of the cake or candy or whatever and they tend to shovel it into their mouths by the fistful - surely you know the image of a toddler with a fistful of chocolate cake, cake all over their face, their mouth full of cake, the child completely absorbed in the moment of eating the cake. Well, that is Heidi eating watermelon.

There is this sheer joy on her face that also permeates her entire body and she is so engrossed in the moment that, as long as no one tries to take her melon, she is in her own place, somewhere the rest of us can't go. And with every few bites, she looks up at me with a face that I swear seems to say, "OMG! This is the best thing I have ever tasted. Thank you!"

Edited to add additional content

This message was edited Jul 5, 2009 2:59 AM

One more pic for tonight. Lots more later

Still chuckling over your "I have rabies" day...though I do understand. I'm sure we've all convinced ourselves that we have some disease or other, usually after reading about it or seeing a report on TV. And fear of rabies is no doubt instinctive, and a good thing from a survival standpoint. My work with animals often involved capturing and/or handling animals who might have, or did have, rabies, so I had to learn to control the fear; fear can make us do stupid or clumsy things, and that would have been deadly. Though I could "keep a lid" on the fear, it was always there as a quiet voice in my head telling me to think things through and be careful. And there was always a lot of adrenaline involved...

Most of our rabies cases involved raccoons and the occasional bat. But one day during a summer when the rabies incindence was especially high, I got a call in animal control from a citizen who said he had been washing his car, with his dog keeping him company, when a huge cat came along and aggressively chased them indoors. In animal control, you get a lot of strange and often purely silly phone calls; we all assumed this was one of the silly ones, and we all got a good laugh out of it as I headed out to my van. As I drove up to the residence, I saw a large black & white cat lying on the porch in the classic "meatloaf" position. I exited the van, and the resident called to me from a screened front window: "That's him. Be careful!" Okaaaay. His dog (beside him at the window), BTW, looked like a lab; I struggled with the image of this cat chasing them inside. Having learned that being careful is never to be neglected, I put on my heavy gloves and picked up a cage with a large, easy access opening. The cat didn't move as I approached; just watched me. Talking quietly to him, I put down the cage and opened the lid; no reaction or movement from the cat. I reached to pick up the cat; the second I touched him, he exploded into screaming, kicking, biting frenzy, putting every feral cat I'd ever encountered to shame. Need I mention that my heart rate went from normal to supersonic in a millisecond, and that my grip on the cat became a death grip? Being VERY careful to keep him far from my face and body, I got him in the cage, closed and locked the lid, and took a deep breath, thanking the gods for the ingrained lessons that made me prepare for the worst even when not expecting a problem. And yes, he tested positive for rabies, the first rabid cat we'd seen in my time at the shelter. So I do truly understand the fear of this disease, and would never try to talk anyone out of that fear. But the important thing is to remember not just the symptoms, but the progression of the disease; an animal ill with rabies never shows improvement from day to day. The symptoms may progress slowly or rapidly, but there is always a steady downhill progression; and once paralysis begins to appear, the behavior is becoming less and less rational and coordinated.

Yes, it would be a real horror if any of the visitors to the diner became infected. I have no doubt that most, if not all, of the coons would quickly recognize and shun the victim; animals can sense real illness or injury, and an animal with rabies is unmistakably seriously ill. It's possible that Heidi would feel it her duty to try to oust the sick animal, but I really really hope her instincts would warn her against doing so; the risk of injury and infection in such an encounter is all too real. Do remember that there is no real need to fear for the whole colony in such a case. Fortunately, it is not really easy to contract rabies; transmission requires that the sick animal's saliva come in contact with broken skin (as from a bite) or sometimes is transmitted through saliva contact with mucous membranes (eyes, inside the mouth, etc.). Just sharing the yard would not transmit the disease; I'm not even sure it can be transmitted by sharing a water source, since the concentration of saliva in the water would be minimal. The only real danger would be if a raccoon at the aggressive stage (and not all victims go through the aggression stage) came to dinner one night; and this is somewhat unlikely since appetite loss is one of the very first symptoms in most cases. So, I'm not at all belittling the concern, but think there's no need to dwell on it since it's not impossible but is somewhat unlikely. And you know, it's a bit like worrying about a major earthquake or other natural disaster. Yes, it's certainly possible; and if it happens, you have to deal with it as best you can. But there's no sense in messing up the present by worrying about everything that might just possibly happen in the future; live for and enjoy today and all that.

The injured raccoon is Bast?? I'm glad it's not Fraidy, but Bast was a fascinating girl with an appeal all her own, so I'm sorry to hear it's her. It does explain a lot, actually. I couldn't imagine timid and cautious Fraidy going into a big dog's yard in search of kibble; it just didn't fit her personality. But Bast was a curious and fairly confident girl; and when ousted from the diner, I could see her sneaking into a yard and hoping the dog was inside or wouldn't see her. There's no question her recovery will be very slow and arduous, and she may have some permanent disability; but I do hope she makes it. She is trying so hard to survive. And BTW, it wouldn't surprise me a bit if Heidi knows everyone's name, and thinks you're really dense to think Bast is Fraidy (lol).

I can't get a pic of her in the best trance looks or giving me the "OMG! Thanks" look. When the 1st of 3 flashes goes off she tends to look away before the shutter finally closes, probably to avoid the flash. We all know how pleasant that is.

Here she is in the process of looking away, but I caught her before she got her head all the way down. This isn't either of the looks I wanted to show, but perhaps you can see a bit of the 'smile' and the out of it look on her face. She doesn't even look like herself in some of these pics - but it is definitely Heidi. I think she looks different because she looses it and lets her usual facade down.

Way cool: you've convinced the diners that fireworks are just more meaningless "short bus" noise! Now if only we could all convince our dogs as easily....

You're absolutely right: she looks just like a totally enchanted little kid! Bet she really wants to know where you forage for those heavenly melons.

one more. doesn't look at all like Heidi. If you showed me this pic, I would never guess it as Heidi, but it is. She's in the "OMG! this is pure joy" trance.

ROTFLOL, Ruth! You have me rolling on the floor tonight!

I must take Heidi foraging at the Publix one day.

Since by now, you must be wondering if this is really, really Heidi. Here she is caught in a moment when she backed away from the melon and reverted back to acting her age. That is probably the only pic in dozens where she looks like herself, and it's the only one where she is away from the melon.

Ruth,

I enjoyed your story about your 1st encounter with a rabid animal. I can just imagine seeing the sweet kitty resting on the steps, and wondering how he managed to chase a grown man and a lab into the house. I'm glad you trusted your inner voice and instincts.

I truly laughed out loud when I read your comment about Heidi knowing everybody's name, and wondering for real why I think Bast is Fraidy. Sometimes I wonder. She is just so incredibly perceptive.

As for Bast, there really were many, subtle inconsistencies. For instance, I mentioned a time or two that she had been waiting on the patio with Heidi and Dennis and that she had walked with me to the buffet. In fact, that is how I ended up kicking her by mistake. Fraidy never came up to the house, waited on the patio, or walked with me to the buffet even without an injury, so it seems most unlikely that she would do so when injured and largely without defenses. When I can find the time I'm going to cut a face pic of Bast before, Bast now, and Fraidy and put them all together in one picture for comparison so everyone can see.

Here is Bast. She is sitting over by the tractor scoot where she feels comfortable and has water nearby to get a drink without walking so much.

Last year on the 4th Bast was 1st to show up. She came out in daylight with the fireworks already going off and showed the others that it was ok. This year due to her wounds, I didn't expect her to show up since she feels more vulnerable now, but there she was. The whole group was there. Even Bast ignored the 'short bus' noise. (LOL)

I thought about the apparent oddity of the raccoons being calm even with all manner of rockets, firecrackers, cannons, and who knows what else going off all around them when most pets find this day so terrifying; but then I decided this too probably makes sense. Wild animals face real threats not just daily but pretty much 24/7. They have to be able to learn what is and isn't a threat or else they would never leave their dens. Like the young Fraidy, they will be stuck on the fence forever. Our pets live sheltered lives in which they may never see a real threat in their entire lives. The part of their brain and nervous system that kept their ancestor safe is still there but gets little training, and thus is unable to discern the difference between noise and a real problem, so they overreact to everything thinking, "Ok, this must be it."

Well, that's my theory anyhow.

There is something incredible that I'm seeing because of Bast's illness. I've been 'dying' to tell you. Bast is largely defenseless. Any one of the raccoons could whip her right now especially since she would rather leave than risk further injury, yet none of the 6 or so that hang out with Heidi mess with her at all. Now I know you are saying, "but wait, you had to protect her with the water gun." Yes, but only from the 2nd string group and mostly just the males.

Heidi's group has its own set of rules for proper behavior. The are more civil that the outsiders.

They absolutely appear to be making allowances for Bast's injuries. They fight with each other constantly over food (hence my concern that if one contracts rabies they will pass it far and wide) and will even test Heidi over her amply supply of goodies if they get hungry enough, but they don't mess with Bast. Even when I give Bast the ultra high quality food and give them the Publix dog food which they don't really like, they will not go over there and try to take her food - which I find amazing. They will try to sneak Heidi's egg even when Bast has 2 eggs that she doesn't want, but no one will touch them until she leaves, same with uneaten cookies even when they are fighting with each other over cookies and searching every inch of ground for another crumb. They very really seem to be treating her 'special' due to her injuries.

Moreover, if you recall Heidi had run Bast off weeks before her injury. Yet when she was injured and needed help, Heidi let her return.

Another thing I've observed that I find quite exciting is that whenever the others get too close (or when the 2nd shifters come in and do the Steal to take her food), Bast doesn't growl or otherwise make a threatening sound, she whines. Because she's afraid of further injury or just plain pain if the others bump her around, Bast doesn't want them to get too close to her. The ones in Heidi's inside group will occasionally wonder too close but will immediately back away when Bast whines. Now, yes, it is difficult to see one so regal as Bast whining, but what this says about raccoons is, I think, exciting. An adult animal only cries or whines when around creatures that might be sympathetic to its needs. They don't whine or cry, for instance, when facing a predator. The fact that Bast whines (and they back off) would seem to indicate a sense of society as would the other things mentioned above. They seem to be taking care of Bast at least to the extent of not forcing her to compete for resources. They seem to be sympathetic to her needs.

From time to time scientists find evidence that a species takes care of its injured. This usually comes up when they find bones that show grave wounds that healed over long before the animal died. If the wound is sufficient to prevent the animal from tracking down food, it could only have survived with help from others. This is usually considered a BIG thing. While in the case of the raccoons there is no evidence that they are taking food to an injured animal, they very clearly seem to be sympathetic to her needs and show some signs of caring for her in that way.

Ruth,

Thanks for the info on rabies. I only had the one episode of 'rabies', and when I found that my symptoms could be relieved with a steak dinner and carrot cake, I knew my imagination had gotten the better of me. It was especially easy for me to manifest a case of 'rabies' considering that the early symptoms are listed as: pain, flu-like symptoms, irritability, stiffness, headache, and fever. Except for the fever, I routinely have some version of the other symptoms, and the literature does little to expound on the degree to which these symptoms will appear. I have arthritis and a back problem both of which make for plenty of bouts with pain and stiffness. I'm at the irritable age, and living here with year round pollen and mold induced by moisture, I can count on my allergies for flu like symptoms and headache. As soon as I read the early symptom list I thought, "well, I'll never know I have it until it's advanced since I already have all of these things".

I've stopped freaking out now. I'm still being careful but am not panicking now. Your opinion on Bath the other day helped a lot. Her behavior, BTW, is very rational. She sits over there and looks at me when she wants more food. The other day when I ran out and stopped tossing her more, she got up and came over to me to see if I had more. When I still didn't give her any - and she probably could smell that I didn't have any more, she left for the evening.

I onder if Bast is tryign to make upfor weight loss. She lost a lot of weight with being injured os bad and for who knwos how many days wasn't abel to forgage. Actually am surprised how she manage d otmake it back to the one safe plac e and food sourc e she knew would help her a s injure d a s she was. She got some determination that for sure.

Winte r is comign and she I imagine also knows the time is comign when heide wil clear folsk out for her kits. She may be tryign to get extra food to buoild up and hold he r for that time cuz once Heidi bring s the kits doubt she wil be around when they leave and that leave s bast open to the second shifter s that may not let her get food.

Cool pics. You and Heidi and yoru watermelons. LOL I had one the other day. took me four daystofinish it. put a half out back that stil had alot ofmelon it but noracoon came. now it sittign otu there rotting and drawign flies. when tuesday trash come s gonan sen dit off with the garbage men.

Now this was a most interesting catch. I had turned my camera over this way to get another pic of Fraidy over there in her corner, but I ended up with something even better with the raccoon in the foreground who is demonstrating something I've told you again and again that the raccoon really can and will do - but pictures speak louder than words. The raccoon in the foreground has grabbed a cookie (iced oatmeal) and is running with it, running in the 'chicken position', running on the back legs while holding the cookie with both hands.

starlight,

Heidi seems to understand that Bast needs our help. I say this because Heidi had already driven Bast out but then allowed her to return when she got injured. I'm hoping that Heidi will continue to allow Bast to sit over there until she is well enough to find food on her own. I doubt Heidi will be concerned about Bast when the kits arrive. Bast is quiet and non-threatening. She won't bother the kits. It looks like Heidi just culled the group in preparation for the kit's arrival. If you recall I had been mentioning that there was a large group out there. Three or four days ago the group dropped off to just 8 (there had been 2x that or more). Lately, even the 2nd shifters don't show up early or at the end of the meal. The ones that are left now are mostly Heidi's grown kids.

The 2nd shifters will not let Bast eat. They just run right over her and steal her food because they know they can. I'm glad they aren't around right now. I hope Heidi is able to continue to keep them out for both Bast and Heidi's kits' sake.

If neither watermelon nor opossums showed up to eat that melon, you must not have any in the area near you because they would surely have scarfed that down. Ick, I hate what happens to watermelon after a day or so. If you have a compost pile, you can put it in there upside down. It will break down quickly. Putting it upside down will help to prevent the flies and such. If you have some compost, leaves, or something to cover it with, all the better. Also, if you have a spot like in a flower bed or garden, you can dig a shallow hole, like 1 shovel full, and bury it. It will break down quickly and nourish the soil.

" even Bast (the injured raccoon formerly believed to be Fraidy). "

Reminds me of "The artist formerly known as Prince"

Enjoying the readings and observations. Great pictures! Heidi is defiantely in heaven! Has she ever tried blueberries or raspberries? I don't know if I would share mine...LOL

Debbie

Hi Debbie,

LOL, I thought the same thing! I started to say "the raccoon formerly known as Fraidy" but decided against it because I didn't want to confuse the idea that 'the injured one formerly thought to be Fraidy is Bast' with 'Bast and Friady are actually one raccoon'. For that reason I stopped short of ripping off the Prince name.

I have a couple of blueberry bushes. The raccoons, opossums, birds, etc eat every single berry. I tasted one berry this year. Heidi has access to blueberries that way if she wants them. The blueberries in the grocery store are usually pretty pathetic - here at least - and pricey, too. I rarely buy them even for myself as I find those large berries to be mushy and tasteless most of the time. I tossed Heidi a few blueberries and blackberries when I did buy them, just to see if she like them. She didn't show any interest in either, but then again she has access to much better quality blueberries and blackberries in my yard, so she might just have been turning her nose up at those lousy grocery store berries. I do think she likes watermelon better than ANY of the other fruits though, even grapes.

I doubt she has ever tasted raspberries. They don't grow here at all due to the heat, and I don't buy them because fresh raspberries are outrageously expensive here and probably as lousy as the other berries. You probably have better access to fresh raspberries and blueberries up there, probably tastier and less costly when in season. On the other hand, we may have access to better quality watermelons at a lower price down here. A 1/2 pint of blueberries is about $6 here on sale and a container approx 3.5" x 4.5" x 1" (or one layer of berries) of raspberries is about the same. The 15in seedless melon you see Heidi eating in the pics, a melon which was dark red and ultra sweet, was $6.99. Compared to the berries that's a lot more fruit for the money.

Just wanted to add that Heidi (and the others I imagine) knows the difference between quality food and so-so food. I took the camera out last night because I knew that was an esp good melon. Heidi will eat any watermelon I take out there, but she only does that "OMG! This is awesome" thing when I give her really, really good watermelon. Make no mistake, she knows the difference. I figure she would also know the difference between the blueberries growing in the garden, the ones with a richly complex taste of both sweet and slightly tart, vs those mushy, taste-free ones in the local stores. Same with blackberries. The ones growing wild in the backyard are far tastier than anything in the store at any price.

I just love the pictures. There is so much expression in them. Poor Fraidy/Blast! She really does look like she is in pain. Keeping my fingers crossed for her.

I've been putting the watermelon out(my hubby loves them also)and the raccoons will not eat them. I watched the light gal put her nose to it and then turned up her nose at it. Something is going at them though,could be the opossum or the turtles.. I have a picture of a turtle setting inside one eating away. I think I posted that picture here.

I don't think the ones I have been buying are much good. Maybe I just don't know the secret to choosing a sweet one but I don't think Allen has ever not liked any I have gotten.

Judy

Judy,

Wow! That is incredible news. I mean, that your raccoons don't care for watermelon - and yet mine cannot get enough of the stuff. I'm pretty sure I eat more watermelon than anyone else on the planet. I buy 2 every time I go to the store. I bought one the other day when I already had 2 - just to make sure I had enough. LOL. I was sure my raccoons would get sick of the stuff considering I put a 1/2 out there almost every day, every other day at least.

Heidi never tires of the stuff. Watermelon is the only thing she will eat before her 'meal'. She will eat it right down to the rind and drink all of the juice. The others try to sneak up and steal a bite when she stops to eat a little cat food. That one smallish yearling will even eat out of the far side of the melon while Heidi is eating, and since Heidi lets her do that I gather that must be Heidi's 4th kit from last year, the one I didn't name and can't ID. Occasionally, one of the others will try to grab the side of the melon hooking their claws in it and drag it away. You would be shocked to see how fast they can run backwards while dragging a watermelon. "Gone in 60 Seconds" is nothing for them. They can make it disappear in a second or so. I've even seen, a long time ago, one of the others trying to drag the melon away and Heidi holding on to the other side the two pulling in opposite directions having a watermelon tug of war. Wish I gotten that on video or at least a pic.

Wow, this must mean that favorites really aren't universal. Then again, Dennis won't have anything to do with watermelon either. Well, I guess that is good news for your turtles. I'm sure my turtles would also love some melon, but they aren't likely to get any here. I have sat and watched the raccoons eat a watermelon down well into the white part of the rind and have come back the next day to find that something ate the rest of the white part leaving only a thin, leaf like, green wafer where the watermelon had been.

I have never learned the art of slapping or thumping or otherwise choosing watermelon by sound; however, I do have a way of picking them that works for all melons. This method won't tell you if they are ripe, but if you assume that the farmer knows when they are ripe, this method is virtually foolproof for getting a good one. The secret is symmetry. We are all tempted by the largest one, the brightest and most colorful one, etc, but skip right past those clues and look for a symmetrical melon. That will be a good melon. Why, you ask. Because to have good symmetry a melon must have good genetics and received optimum water, sun, nutrition, etc. Some melons, often that big one you want to pick, are slightly longer on one side than the other with a slight curve in them. You will see it if you look. This is asymmetry and is a sign that the melon was subjected to some kind of distress while growing or was genetically substandard. Either way it is unlikely to be a good melon on the inside. Often such a melon will have that spongee texture with whitish areas that didn't ripen properly. Other melons will have a big bump on one side. Still not good. Find the melon that is straight and even in all directions, even if it is the smallest of the bunch. This is the good melon - assuming again that all of the melons are ripe and not overly so. One other thing to look for in a watermelon. It should never have a section of stem attached. That should fall off naturally when a melon is ripe. Otherwise, go with symmetry. This also works well for cantaloupes and other melons and can be combined with any other 'tricks' you already know and use.

Before I learned about the symmetry thing, I could not pick a good melon. Every single melon I took home was a lousy one. I was lucky to find one good one all season and was starting to think they just didn't make good ones anymore. Since I learned about symmetry, my luck with melons is just the opposite. I may get one or two lousy ones a season. I slice into most melons to find perfection. Try it.

I was taught that a good melon was one that sounded kinda hollow when you knocked on it. My son was a good melon thumper--always chose the best ones! Will have to try the symmetry test.
ROFL, I also thought of Prince when you clarified the Bast/Fraidy identity.
Wow, that is incredibly expensive for berries! I picked up a pint of blueberries on sale for only $1.49 the other day. Usually they're $3.99.

KyWoods,

I wish that I knew how to do the melon sound tests, whether thumping or slapping, but symmetry has worked really well for me for years now. I once went to the store for a watermelon and found that they had only a few melons left all of which were extremely lopsided one way or the other. I knew this was not a good sign, but I really wanted a watermelon, so I picked out the least misshapen one and took it home. The whole thing went straight to the raccoons as it was horrible.

Although there are a few types of blueberries that will grow here, this is not the best place for blueberries due to the extreme heat in summer and lack of cold in winter. I imagine that most of our berries are trucked here from somewhere up north and thus are very expensive. They are also completely taste free. I imagine they are probably picked green for trucking. I almost never buy them. Once every few years I will get sucked in one day when I go shopping hungry and get convinced that these berries will be good. Yeah, right. It hasn't happened yet.

When I lived in a cooler area somewhat inland of here we picked the most delicious wild blueberries. That's why I planted blueberries in my yard, but I will need to plant a whole lot more of them if I ever hope to eat any.

Tonight for some reason Bast (the injured raccoon formerly known as Fraidy), decided to eat near me, not up really close like Dennis and Heidi; but she sat down and made her space on the grass a few feet to my side. I ran out of that super good food I bought her. Think I may get her some more Iams when I go back to the grocery store. Tonight everybody had to make do with Publix dog food, not a favorite.

When I 1st sat down Dennis was climbing all over me wanting the cookies she smelled in my tote. I was busy trying to pass the dog food around. I needed her to wait, but Dennis doesn't understand 'wait'. Finally I took out my water bottle to which I had recently added a dash of vinegar (although I had to use balsamic as that was all I could find at the time). I gave her a spritz right between the eyes. That sent her scrambling for the pool, apparently to wash her face. When I was ready to give her cookies, I called her name, and she came rushing back.

I had to wonder if the scent of those cookies may have had anything to do with Bast's decision to sit near me. As soon as I gave Dennis the 1st cookie, Bast was looking at me like "I would like a cookie, please". I semi-crushed her cookies into about 4 pieces each and tossed them over to her. She ate a boat load of them. Tonight we had the vanilla s/w cookies. She loves those. She's not too fond of oatmeal cookies or spice cookies or any of that, but she ate vanilla s/w cookies until the bag ran dry.

Heidi spent the night fussing and arguing with that one little yearling, the one who eats watermelon with her. They are too hilarious. I wish you could watch them. Heidi grumbles and fusses. She is willing to let the youngster eat from one side, but the youngster keeps trying to take over the whole melon. Mishka. I think I'll name Heidi's watermelon eating yearling Mishka. Mishka gets in the way. Sometimes she manages to bump Heidi out of the way so that Heidi has to do the shove to get back 'in' to eat her melon. Sometimes Mishka gets mad and mouths off at Heidi and Heidi fusses back, but you can tell that it's not serious. It's just the usual family quarrels. Tonight Heidi ended up standing longways in the melon to hold it down and keep Mishka from taking it over. They are a riot to watch.

As soon as the cookies came out, Heidi was standing at my knee looking for hers. Vanilla s/w cookies are very popular, probably because they have contain the much coveted vanilla frosting. I handed Heidi a cookie. She ate 4 or 5 before returning to take her melon back from Mishka.

Soon after the cookies ran out, Bast ate a few chunks of dog food, got some water, and left. As she walked back across the lawn to leave, I noticed that she was now only walking on 3 legs holding the 4th hind leg well up above the ground. Without a doubt her illness/injury is not progressing in a straight line either down or up. Still, from my own experience, I couldn't help but think her interest in cookies a good sign. I can't recall a time when I wanted sweets when I was really, seriously ill. You know what I mean? You always start to want the cake or cookies or ice cream when you are starting to feel a little better.

I have a story in pictures from last night. This is Heidi and Mishka eating the watermelon.

The story begins with Mishka having grabbed a chunk of melon too quickly for me to catch her on photo. Here she is seen standing to one side eating her ill gotten gains.

Mishka looking busted.

Eating another chunk she grabbed before I could catch the shot. She is very fast that one.

Caught her!

Eating her take.

Going back for more. I think you can see from Heidi's body language that she is willing to share - if the kid will stay on her side.

Oh, heck, enough of this. I'll eat some dog food. I just can't deal with that kid another minute.

Here 2 things have happened. 1st while Heidi was eating a bit of dog food, Mishka did a sneaky thing. She turned the melon around so that her side is now the middle. In this photo Heidi is seen setting up for a hostile takeover of the melon. See how she is stepping sideways towards the melon?