Heidi Chronicles: Spring Fling 11

Sheri,

I was so excited to think that I had come up with a solution and so eager to tell you about it, I neglected to notice that really your typing has been much better lately - most of the time, except for that one paragraph. If you aren't even looking for a solution, please overlook my post. Most of the time I'm able to read your posts fine lately - except that one paragraph. I know at one time you indicated that the keyboard was driving you mad and keeping you from posting as often as you would like. If you are looking for a solution, I think the USB keyboard would be it. If not, just ignore my suggestion.

Hi June,

That's what we use them for at work - and why I can't believe I didn't think of this idea sooner. We use mostly laptops these days, but most people prefer a regular keyboard and mouse to the laptop keyboard and the trackpad. For the most part laptop keyboards and trackpads are not ergonomic. Designed to fit a lot of stuff in a small space, ergonomics get compromised. I prefer to use the laptop input mechanisms only because I am habituated to them, but management and colleagues often hound me about it trying to get me to use the separate keyboard and mouse. I'm too lazy, plus I'm used to using my laptop at home in ways and places where a separate keyboard and mouse would get in the way. I do use my optical mouse sometimes at work. I've been using the trackpad so much over the past 5yrs or so that I have a sort of carpal tunnel thing going on in my thumb and index finger from trackpad motion.

Sheri has, or at least at one time had, a problem with her laptop keyboard. As a result of a liquid spill in the keyboard, many of the keys were sticking and producing unexpected characters and actions when she tried to type. Thus I thought a separate keyboard would be a perfect fix. Previously, when discussing the problem we had all been focused on the need to fix the laptop keyboard and the difficulties thus involved. The typing does look much better lately though.

The one way that I will reliably use external devices (keyboard and such) at work is when I have a docking station, the kind where you just sit the closed laptop on the dock, click it in place, and then use the keyboard, mouse, and monitor(s) that remain constantly attached to the dock. That way there is no need to plug things in and unplug them again to carry the laptop home. You just pick it up from the dock and walk off with it - and instantly it becomes a 'laptop' again. The next day you sit it on the dock again and it becomes a desktop. I had that setup before and loved it. Unfortunately, Apple doesn't make a doc like that for the Mac. It's the one thing that I find missing with the Mac. They do have a system where if you buy the Apple monitors (flat), you can plug the keyboard and other things into the monitor. Then all you have to do is plug/unplug one cable into the laptop to come and go. You don't need an A/C adapter, nor do you have to plug the laptop into the wall socket for power. The one cable from the monitor does it all.

I guess because of the way I use mine, I like to keep it portable. That plus laziness makes me reluctant to plug/unplug keyboards constantly. But if you leave the laptop on your desk most of the time, using it like a desktop, then the external keyboard is not a problem. That is how most of the people at work use them.

i LOVE my laptop keyboard... its back lit so i can see without any additional lighting. getting old sucks. LOL.

Hi Terese,

I so agree on that last statement. It is definitely not for the faint of heart by any means. MacBook Pro keyboards are also backlit. You can customize many aspects of that behavior like the lighting level and whether it stays lit even when closed. You can also turn it off/on entirely. My guess is you can probably also get external keyboards with that feature albeit at a higher price.

I did google them once [full key boards, back lit ] bout a hundred bucks.

my kid, you know Alex -- he's been goign to school at an art school... they are very heavy into Macs...
he's been asking about them.... *sigh* I'm not ready to drop that kind of cash on a computer for him.
If he gets a J O B -- then maybe.

I'm behind you all the way on that JOB thing, Terese,

I see so many retired and retiring parents out there struggling to provide everything their kids want, no matter what. They seem to forget that those kids, especially the one's who have graduated high school can work, too. Kids have a lot more stamina, too, at their age. It won't hurt them to work a few extra hours here and there to get things. It will probably even make them feel better about themselves and make them appreciate things more.

As you know, I'm BIG on the Mac, but while I like the look and feel of Macs and the way they work, when you get right down to it, there is nothing you can do with a Mac that you can't do with any other computer. Macs just do it better and easier, in my opinion. But you are NOT holding him back in art class by failing to by him a Mac.

On the other hand, most working artists also seem to be Mac fans. I read this in art magazines, not computer magazines. I'll be reading an article about this or that artist and it's amazing how often they mention taking photos on sight (along with sketches) and then working from the photos displayed on a Mac they keep near their easel. Some use just the MacBook Pro but many use a separate, large iMac monitor. The resolution on those large iMac screens is unbelievable. I had one of those giant iMac billboard monitors at work a while back and the difference between a high res photo displayed on the iMac vs a windows laptop (a multimedia laptop at that) was amazing.

All that said, as a student, he is probably adequately served with a regular laptop. When he is graduates and is older, more mature, and more skilled in his field, then he will have more need of the Mac setup. You know what I mean? We always want the best of everything, if we can get it, but students don't really need the most professional grade products and equipment while they are learning and practicing. Atleast, that's how I see it.

When I was 17 I convinced my Mom to buy me a small box of 24 Grumbacher pastels, a decent brand but far from the top of the line. She also bought me a basic set of Grumbacher paints and brushes. I took one semester of lessons (in high school, not private) from a guy who normally taught private lessons but who was for some reason 'slumming' at the school that one year. He taught us how to use the products, very basic skills. He liked my work and brought other teachers and friends around to see it. He showed me how to sell my work. Over the next 2 years, armed with only that little box of pastels and a few basic tubes of paint, I went out on my own and created and sold some 30 something paintings plus a number of pastels.

Today, I have a $1000 box of very high end pastels imported from Germany, one of the top brands used by professional artists. It contains hundreds of colors/shades. I also have boxes of a number of other brands, each considerably larger than that little box of 24 and each a much better and more professional brand. I have all manner of paints, oils, acrylics, watercolor (100's of tubes of watercolor). I have more supplies than anyone needs, and all excellent quality products, the ones used by the top artists. Funny thing though. Despite all the paintings I produced and sold with that tiny, almost inadequate box of pastels and a handful of tubes of paint, I've not produced (much less sold) a single painting since I aquired all these fabulous supplies.

I also have a Mac, a high res camera, 100's of photos, and almost every art book in print in the past several decades, I had none of these things going for me when I was producing and selling paintings. Oh, and now I have just about every kind of support there is, all manner of watercolor and pastel paper, all kinds of canvases. Back when I was so productive, I could only afford cheap pastel panels. I did my pastels on typing paper. But I did them just the same, and I sold them as fast as I finished them. Sold the last one online to a gallery. Sold several to a Dr, one to a nurse, a few to the mayor.

The point I'm trying to make here is that while it's nice to have quality products, they are not the deciding factor. I was far more prolific when limited to the most meager supplies plus a whole lot of energy, determination, and heart. Now I have the money to buy what I want, but have produced NOTHING. Giant goose egg. And limited supplies didn't stop me from selling my work, either. Bottom line, productivity and creativity are in the heart and in the head, not in the purse. If he has it in him to be a good artist, lack of a Mac will not hold him back, and he will have plenty of time to get that Mac when he is on his own and supporting himself with his work.

Well, you didn't ask, but that's my 2 cents - and you know how I feel about the Mac.

>>Well, you didn't ask, but that's my 2 cents

yes i know.. and I sort of knew i'd get a long response when i mentioned the MAC.
When Alex asked about them a week or so ago, i mentioned yours.

he's got the talent, the school [Institute of Art] will help him sharpen his skills and hopefully help him get a J. O. B.
have to admit, though i don't like to.. he taught himself to do tattoos... and he's quite good at it.

Just never really wanted to say, My kid is a tattoo artist.... something about the stigma of that.

Wonderful suggestion Cheryl. I do still spend much less time typing responses or comments. It is really challenging at times to go back and figure out what the gobbledygook that I typed was intended to be. I quite often just erase it and do not comment. I'm gonna give your idea a good try.

Thanks ^_^

Sheri

Terese,

The comment RE "a long response...Mac" caused me to do a half snort in lieu of laughter. If anyone heard me they are probably wondering if I'm laughing or choking.

RE tatoos, they don't carry quite the stigma they once did. I was shocked 2yrs ago to find that one of the government engineers in SC (that's triple conservative, btw - in behavior and ideals not politics - gov, eng, sc, all very conservative) had, no kidding, a very intricate, near full body tatoo, flowers and stuff, starting just under his chin and terminating at both wrists. I couldn't see where else it may have terminated due to socks, shoes, etc. But for the tattoo he was a very attractive guy - I'm not pro-tattoos. He was also one of the more important and well liked people in the group. I was shocked that the gov had hired him for such a concervative/professional position, since the tattoo spilled out beyond his shirt sleeves and collar, such that it was basically impossible to conceal it. And in SC, no less. I might have found it more believable if he had been hired to work in CA, but Charleston, SC? It was clear, however, that he was well liked and command much authority. The tattoes did not appear to have hurt him professionally.

I thought about it, the whole tattoo thing, and concluded that subsequent generations will probably be very accepting of tattoes having all grown up with them. I think by the time this next generation reaches the job age tattoes will be so common place and so normal that no one will even give them a 2nd look. When that happens, the negativity currently attached to them will also be gone. They along with nose (and other) rings will just be as natural as clothing and jewelry. Think about it. By that time the people making the decisions will be the same people who grew up amidst a plethora of nose rings and tatooes.

I rethought the Mac thing. The price has come down a good bit, you know. The last time I checked, the 12" was around $1k. The 15" around $2K, maybe less, and the 17", I think, about $2.5k. When I purchased, the 15" was $3k. I'm glad to see the price drop. I just hope they didn't sacrifice quality to get it there. Anyhow, the 12" would be very doable, but he probably wants the 17" to display photo references - or maybe the 12" with the giant billboard iMac flat screen. That used to be several thousand, too, but I don't know what the price is now. That iMac is awesome for a painting reference.

I use one of these to make hooking up my laptop a little easier. I need one that is a lot bigger though...some day I will have to remember to shop for that...

isn't that some sort of "docking station" ?

i've seen them advertised with laptops

Yes, they make them with more plugs than the 4 on that one and I need to buy one that raises the laptop up to a comfortable viewing height as the monitor that I have plugged in to it has a cracked base that is starting to fall apart.
Lemme' look around and get you some pics...
This is why I want a different style - I broke my neck years ago and am paying for it now... http://www.google.com/imgres?q=laptop+docking+station&um=1&hl=en&newwindow=1&sa=N&nord=1&biw=1199&bih=614&tbm=isch&tbnid=UypqvgaNDx8xBM:&imgrefurl=http://www.gizmag.com/go/3068/picture/5747/&docid=4l9K0-4kwkyF5M&imgurl=http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_lrg/3068_05.jpg&w=381&h=236&ei=NJKoTsSZGsuXiQeh8MmZDg&zoom=1
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=laptop+docking+station&um=1&hl=en&newwindow=1&sa=N&nord=1&biw=1199&bih=614&tbm=isch&tbnid=jPWkBKi_ueM4rM:&imgrefurl=http://www.gizmag.com/go/3068/picture/5743/&docid=qIah7iR5KH4EbM&imgurl=http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_lrg/3068_01.jpg&w=400&h=444&ei=NJKoTsSZGsuXiQeh8MmZDg&zoom=1

These look good for cramming into the bag and being handy for for when I am away from my desk: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=laptop+docking+station&um=1&hl=en&newwindow=1&sa=N&nord=1&biw=1199&bih=614&tbm=isch&tbnid=mTcalKfpkCK1aM:&imgrefurl=http://kitchendinner.com/Electronics/kenwood-6-34-2-way-component-car-sp.htm&docid=LvTF_JmUoJbTCM&imgurl=http://kitchendinner.com/img/Electronics/tritton-xd250-universal-usb-laptopn.jpg&w=650&h=650&ei=NJKoTsSZGsuXiQeh8MmZDg&zoom=1
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=laptop+docking+station&um=1&hl=en&newwindow=1&sa=N&nord=1&biw=1199&bih=614&tbm=isch&tbnid=qpLlsoe-pbFsLM:&imgrefurl=http://chicago.olx.com/acp50us-targus-universal-laptop-docking-station-with-video-iid-12337145&docid=nCTBlhE48am8IM&imgurl=http://images03.olx.com/ui/1/76/45/12337145_1.jpg&w=267&h=225&ei=NJKoTsSZGsuXiQeh8MmZDg&zoom=1
edited because I had them out of order..it is too early in the AM, still...

This message was edited Oct 27, 2011 8:16 AM

Sheri,

Super. I'm glad you like the idea. I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner. I think you will be happy with it once you try it out. Incidentally, the one at the link has very close to a perfect 5star rating based on several hundred opinions. Looks like a very good choice. I saw another one for only $8 and was considering suggesting that one until I noticed that it had a very low rating; people were having problems with it, but this one looks good.

The great thing about USB is that you can plug it in and unplug it w/o having to reboot the computer. Also, you won't need to worry about installing software or anything like that. Just plug and type. I figured you would like that - I know I would.

The only thing is you should check to make sure you have a USB connector on your computer. I can't imagine a scenario in which a newish laptop would fail to have at least 1. Most have several these days. Do you know what a USB connector looks like or where yours are? They are sort of flat or thin and retangular. They are usually marked with a 3 pronged symbol (above or beside them) that looks a bit like a pitch fork or bird's foot. The center prong is longer than the 2 outer ones.

Good luck. Hope that works for you and gets you typing and talking again like old times. ; )

***Note to self...lighten all Cherlys photos of patio to "remove" all bbq sauce possibly left behind.

Missed you!!!

She's baa-aack! Hooray!

There should be a lol for "lots and lots of laughs"! I have chuckled every time that photo editing has been mentioned. One helpful act has turned into years of giggles!

Juney, I felt so bad after that incident....and am glad Cheryl can laugh.

I have now learned to ask EVERYONE if they want their photos "touched up" before doing it now.

Hi, Debbie!!!

It is SO good to see you again! I missed you, too. Oh...and I just love the line "***Note to self...lighten all Cherlys photos of patio to "remove" all bbq sauce possibly left behind." That is just adorable. It brightened my day with a big, big smile.

Actually, the raccoons are amazingly careful dinner guests who rarely ever leave even so much as a drip or a stain out there on the patio. I tell you, they may be better in that respect that many human diners. I have trouble eating ribs w/o getting sauce on something, so I find it quite incredible that they managed to pull ribs out of a dish an inch deep in BBQ sauce and eat everything ribs and sauce included without spilling the 1st drop, but they did. (But YOU can lighten the photos if you like. I'm just that happy to see you back.)

Now about that incident that started it all - with the photo lightening thing - I sure hope you didn't really feel bad about that. I didn't. I found it quite hilarious. It was just too ironic that moments after I decided to post the photo w/o lightening it, this to conceal all the mess on the patio, and moments after I had reassured myself that it would be ok to do so because in the darkened photo no one would notice the unkempt patio replete with trash bag and other signs of disorder, I looked again with disbelief to find that the same photo had been reincarnated in a much lighter version, every leaf, twig, and trash bag now fully exposed for all the world to see - AND that the culprit had done so under the guise of 'helping' me. Oh, Debbie, that was just too, too hilarious for words and too adorable. But I was never really upset, just rolling on the floor laughing hysterically. So, again, I sure hope you didn't really beat yourself up about it. Having all of my messiness laid bare for all the universe to see was no big thing really. ROTFLMAO!

Yep, that one will live forever - and you will never be permitted to live it down. It was just too perfect. In a world replete with strife that moment was, in its innocence, just way too downright hilarious to ever be forgotten.

Good to see you!

Cheryl, no, I didn't take it badly....I was chuckling, but I did feel "OHHH should have asked first". That is something someone would do to me with my pictures.

I have had a health issue going on for about seven weeks now, and although reading, not able to post much. A brief synopsis: Went in for surgery to have an ovary removed...came out unable to move my legs or walk. Was in the hospital for a week and transferred to a rehab facilty. Came home in a wheelchair and using a walker. Making improvements daily...but sure is a long process. I had severe nerve damage done. THere is a forum on Prayers I think it is two threads now....about the ordeal. BUT...I am improving, can wiggle toes now and getting improvements on moving around.

Sure am glad you are back to posting.....and YOU take care of yourself also!

Hugs
Debbie

Oh my goodness, Debbie - we don't know each other, but I sure hope you are coming along after your surgery. My BF just commented on Andy Rooney's death how more gets wrong with people after going to the hospital. :/

Thanks also Cheryl for explaining the photo lightening comments as I have read it so many times I have just taken it for granted. ;)

A.

Debbie,

Oh, I am SO sorry to hear about all of this - the surgery and everything. How terrifying that must have been for you. My greatest fear - down right obsession really - when given a spinal block for surgery was that I might end up paralyzed, that the feeling might not come back to my legs. Getting my legs working again was all I could even think about from the time I got that spinal block until I could stand up again. How horrible it must have been to actually come out of surgery and find that you could not walk.

I had no idea about any of this. Since I went back to work I've been too caught up in my own difficulties - nothing nearly as bad as your own, mind you, just having difficulty getting back into the swing of things and having the energy to get through the day and still get things done at home -- but I've just not been able to find the time to keep up with my own threads, so I've not been getting out and about on DG.

I am so sorry to hear about the difficulties you are going through that, well, honestly, I feel like I must be in denial right now. I just can't accept this news. It's just so wrong, so unfair. You've had so much bad stuff on you these last few years, and now this? I feel like I want to get down on the floor like a little kid and kick and scream and throw a tantrum. Forgive me for being so dramatic, but that's how I feel. It's just not right.

I'm also sorry it has taken me so long to respond. Honestly, the news really hit me hard. I had to take some time to wrestle with it, to try to wrap my head around it and accept it. I just couldn't respond right away. I'm still stomping my feet, refusing to accept it.

I'm glad that you seem to be handling it well though. Above all, I'm especially happy to hear that you've seen improvement. I'm keeping you in my thoughts & prayers, hoping for a complete recovery. Like they told my sister, it may take a while, and you may have to be patient, but, hopefully, it will all work out well eventually. I sure hope so.

In case I didn't mention this before - and this is something, a family trait of some kind, my sister and I discovered while reminiscing after Mom got sick - but I/we handle bad stuff by going into a period of suspended animation of sorts, the duration and depth of which is related to the severity of the problem. We discovered that this is something we both do. It was somehow comforting to realize that, maybe because it meant we were not alone in this seemingly peculiar behavior. Neither of us could understand the origin of the behavior either, as we never saw either of our parents or even a distant relative do this, and yet both she and I use this same coping mechanism. Strange.

Basically, when faced with something bad, something upsetting, we retreat for a while to process it. If it's bad enough to be upsetting but not overwhelming, we may continue to function more or less normally while processing the information in the background. If it's so bad as to be momentarily overwhelming, like learning that Mom had Alzheimers or like loosing my job during the recession while I was also having disability issues along with the big 'M', I/we take to the bed and sleep for a while, maybe a day, maybe even 2 or 3 days depending on the size of the problem. It's like the overwhelming problems require such intense processing effort as to require 100% of our faculties thus requiring that we temporarily shut down non-vital processes while wrestling with the problem (i.e. sleeping all afternoon or day). It's a coping mechanism. It's how we process bad news. We retreat. We process the information. Then we return/resume.

We don't go into a deep depression and stay in bed. When the problem is bad enough to require it, we sleep a day or a weekend, however much is needed to process it, and then we actually get up and become very actively engaged in doing what needs to be done to handle things. Totally the antithesis of depression. It's just very odd that we both do this. I never, ever, ever saw my Mom in bed except at night, never even saw the woman take an afternoon nap, much less take to the bed for a day over bad news. Same with Dad. If this is a learned behavior, it's a mystery where we learned it. If it's genetic, it's equally mysterious that others in the family did not manifest the same behavior. Strange.

At any rate, if you hit me with bad news, and I disappear for a day or 2 or 3, this may be why. It may not be bad enough to cause me to take to my bed to process it, but I may need to retreat into my world for a while to process it while otherwise going about my life as usual. Sometimes I need to do some 'processing' for a while before I can respond. It's weird. I know. Like I said, it's some kind of weird family trait.

((((Cheryl))))) Thank you for your kind words and responding.
I think right now, I am so confused as I did NOT have a spinal block or block of anykind. BUT....I am doing better. Every day seems a bit better, and I am so much like you. I crawled into a shell at first. Put the "gag order" on DH and kids...do NOT tell anyone!!!!
Didn't even tell my kids the first 24 hours...as I was sure it would be better. I think we have a "processing" gene...that makes us crawl in the shell...process all this mentally, and then build some coping stragety.

You know, I can't explain this...but I have been so "calm" since this happend. As I told a dear friend, it is me...not my kids...so I will deal with it as I can, one day at a time.

AND....lets enjoy your Heidi thread, hear about the kitties and YOU. Sure hope work is going better for you, and you are able to get more rest once getting home.

Give Widget and the kitties some smooches for me!

Hugs,
Debbie

Cheryl:

You're not alone. :)

A.

Thank you, Debbie,

Hope things are looking up for you or will be soon. You sure deserve a break from all the stress.

Thank you, Amanda,

It is so comforting to hear from like-minded souls, to be reminded that we are not so alone after all.

Last season I lamented the fact that I really didn't find the time and energy to spend with the raccoons. I hated letting so many of you down. I also felt a sadness at the realization that this year for the very 1st time since I 1st met Heidi, the newest members of the group did not have the opportunity to get to know me and feel comfortable around me, a fact which may effect my future relationship with the entire group for years to come. But, alas, it just wasn't to be.

I haven't seen a raccoon out there for months, not since the last time I posted about it. Several times I put food out, especially when I had left-overs or bones which I thought they might like. I also put out entire packages of bread and/or rolls a time or two after finding the 1st tiny spot of mold. I know from prior experience that a little mold does not stop raccoons. Still, any time I looked out there hoping to see an old friend or friendly face, it never happened. A few times I did see an opossum out there chowing down but no raccoons.

Tonight I rushed home, tossed something in the microwave to heat up, and set about undressing and winding down. Some 10min later I was on my way back to the kitchen to eat. Just as I was noticing the intense and yummy aroma permeating the room from my dinner, I heard a very distinct noise at the patio door, a sort of clanging sound. Something was clearly clanging something around the back door. At 1st I thought it might be Cocoa although he has never done anything of the sort before.

I arrived at the door and threw on the light to see one of the [now older] kits. Older now, but still noticeably smaller than an adult and still very adorable, she appeared to be alone out there in the darkness. She was standing on the raised door facing (some 5in above the patio), her body pressed lengthwise up against the bottom of the door. I opened the door expecting to see her flee in terror, but she stood right there on the door facing even as I looked down upon her back through the open door. At 1st she didn't even seem to realize that I was there (or that I had opened the door and was now only inches from her). Then, spying the gap in the door but still seemingly unaware of me standing there just over her body, she moved as if to come inside. There was a brief interval in which I really thought she was coming in.

It was at that moment that she appeared to realize for the 1st time that I was standing there. She turned the other way, got down from the door facing and made her way back across the patio. She wasn't moving particularly fast. A little less than 1/2 way across the patio, she stopped to look back at me. Instead of running away afraid, she stood up on her hind legs and clasp her little hands together at about chest height, a bit below her face. She stood in that position looking up at me for a few minutes, looking so demur with her hands clasp in front of her that way, She was about 5ft away. Given that I had not taken the time to get to know the kids this year, I was surprised that she did not seem especially afraid as she stood there looking at me.

She seemed to know me as the provider of goodies and to be waiting and hoping that I might give her something. So taken aback was I that I didn't even utter a sound, not even my characteristic, "It's ok." I just stood there looking back at her, stricken momentarily with how incredibly cute she was.

After a few minutes, she turned away from me and walked the rest of the way across the patio disappearing behind the large plant pots there leaving only her large fluffy tail exposed. It was at this moment that I spoke to her for the 1st time, although I don't recall what exactly I said. Although I was certain she would not reemerge, I, nonetheless, called out to her in hopes of cajoling her out of her hiding place.

Much to my extreme surprise, her furry little face reappeared sticking out from behind the pots. She was looking directly up at me and listening intently as I talked. I could not believe it. Here despite my failure to spend time with them last year was this lone youngster very clearly interacting with me. She understood my purpose as the supplier of food and was waiting, hoping that I might offer her something now.

The only sense I could make of any of this was that she must surely be that one tiny kit with whom I had actually had some interaction last summer. She was not Heidi's but was the daughter of one of the yearlings who had been out there with Heidi last summer. She was one of only 2 kits I had seen that summer and was the one very brave kit who had been on the patio a time or two when I was out there putting out food. I had even giver her cookies and marshmallows a few times back then. I recall at the time how, after seeing that her mother, Heidi, and the other adults were not afraid of me, she had come out from hiding last summer to take her cookie. Now here she was, hungry, and hoping for a treat. What amazing memories they have as she had been a tiny thing back then, and I had only seen her a mere handful of times.

I closed the door and went back inside for some kibble which I placed on the patio. I could no longer see her. I put the food down and left. About 30 min later when I came back to the door expecting to get a look at her out there eating, I found that both she and the food were gone.

I have no idea what she had been doing out there to make that clanging sound. A quick check after she was gone did not reveal any sign of problems, although I do find it a bit daunting to think she may have been messing with the house or door or otherwise trying to get inside. I'm hoping I'm wrong about that. She may have been messing with some of the junk out there, I guess, although it's really quite unusual for a raccoon to make noise that way. They are usually very stealthy creatures, little ninjas really, knowing that sound will reveal them to predators. Strangely, it was almost as if she had been knocking on the door, rapping on of those door clanger things (which I don't have, btw) to summon me to the door to feed her - but that couldn't be, could it? No, surely, she could not be that smart, could she?

Regardless, no harm was done. She was an absolute darling, and I enjoyed the opportunity to see her again.

I'm glad you got to see one of the little darlings again. Had to be so cute!!

Awww - thanks Cheryl for the post. What a precious moment for you and the kit. :)

The crow I rescued over the summer and released back into my backyard comes every morning now, CAW-ing for breakfast. He hangs out with his buddies, 3 of the crow babies that were raised this summer by a neighborhood murder (bunch of crows is called a murder!).

Anyway. They all must have ways of trying to get our attention. If they really want it. ;)

Hugs.
A.

Hi Amanda,

Oh, I know you must be very happy to see him (the crow). A few years back I helped to save a severely injured raccoon, and it was so nice to see her the following year when she came back and, on one occasion, even lay on the rug at my backdoor nursing her tiny babies. I thought, "wow, now that is trust."

I used to have a 'pet' bird or two myself back in the day. I finally had to give up on feeding the birds - for now - but back when I was doing so my tiny backyard was overflowing with all manner of lovely birds. They brought such joy into my life. Even had a bluebird family (rare in this area now) and an indigo bunting (who also visited frequently and brought his lady friend).

By chance have you read my Mr T thread? It's an older thread. I think it's only maybe 2 threads long. Mr T was a tufted titmouse who for some odd reason decided to destroy my house starting with the window screens which he sat and patiently 'unzipped' as though his beak were a can opener. I started the thread to ask for advice on how to deter him from his obsession. People offered all manner of ideas and tried many of them. Soon I had windows adorned with frieghtful owl eyes, trees festooned with dangling CDs, and even a motion activated hose testing the water tightness of my siding each time T flew by, and yet there amidst all that stuff sat T noisily pecking at those window screens. It became quite a riot.

Most incredibly the following summer, after Mr T finally got over his fascination with my window screens (after destroying a few), he still came to see me. He began to swoop down from the trees and dive straight for my head every time I went out back to work in my floor garden. He would flit about in the air inches above my head, fly away, return. Then one day he landed on my head. He did that several times. For a while there I could not go outside w/o Mr T finding me and landing on my head. I even got a picture of him up there. Crazy bird. I have cats now (indoor/outdoor types), so I don't get to see T anymore. I miss that crazy bird. Glad you still get to see 'yours'.

Cheryl, so happy that you had a little visitor! Hope next spring/summer finds you well enough to spend more time outside.

Amanda, how wonderful that your crow maintains contact with you!

ha ha - love the Mr T escapades, no - I have not read the thread. I think I was just browsing the Wildlife forum when I found this thread it took me so long to read I couldn't browse any further. :D

I read the story about your nursing the racoon back to health - was it Bear? Can't remember it's been so long since I read, but it's clear that wild creatures are so misunderstood. In fact, they were here first, and it's a wonder they let us stay.

I have made a number of pals in a variety of the forums and threads here on DG. Funny, a woman who shall remain nameless has been going on about how dangerous the racoons are at the back of her yard and feels they have appeared because her dog died recently. I sent her a link to this thread and of course said you were crazy. I said to her, "I think YOU are crazy" in the kindest way, of course.

If you're crazy Cheryl, I'd rather be crazy than sane. Tried living the sane way and it did not agree with me. I quit my real job (corner office lawyer - HA!) and stopped full time in 2007. I've had a number of odd but fulfilling jobs since then, in school now for a master's degree in environmental assessment at NC State. Long story there, but they all are, aren't they? If we can't find joy in our own backyards - as we are all here apparently for our love of the outdoors/garden - where ever can we find it?! I for one would love to have a yard full of racoons or possums for that matter, but it's location, location, location.

I am content with the crows. I stopped feeding the birds this summer completely which saddened me, but in feeding the crows we discouraged the hawks (that was a deliberate decision as they compete for territory). I didn't like them preying on the mourning doves that gather here in winter. I took a photo last year of over 40 doves right on the ground outside my backdoor.

Here's a link to one of the snaps:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=480659701433&set=a.413198046433.199237.716796433&type=3&theater

In any event, favoring the crows and ground feeding birds brought me a rodent problem. My yard was literally teeming (and I don't use that word lightly) with brown rats. Cute buggers, but when you talk about dangerous . . . oh I'm sure they're as harmless as they can be. But anyway . . ..

Even had the health department in my driveway one day over the summer because when I stopped feeding the birds naturally all the critters went somewhere else. Apparently I was to blame for "feeding the rats." Well surely that was an unintended consequence. When the health inspector dude came to my house (and only MY house) he said "this neighborhood has a rat problem." I said, "Yeah, I've noticed." He said, "people are going to have to put out poison." I said, "You are not going to put poison in MY yard." He looked at me like I had 6 heads. He repeated himself. And so did I. Then he said, "Well something has got to be done." And I said, "Good luck with that."

My BF said the health inspector was probably used to people freaking out because there are rats hanging around. Me - I was like, "the hawks seem to be taking care of the problem" and that's why he looked at me like I was full of shiza.

Heeeee.

Yeah, well. I thought I'd share that little vignette even tho' there's a scant precious amount of daylight left.

Enjoy - hugs and kisses to all of you who care for the critters.

A.

It seems that the racoon sagas have diminished greatly (due to many factors). I miss the stories, but understand lives change (especially with medical and employment issues).

In my own case the racoons have simply stopped coming over the last 3 months - before that I had at least one every night for about 2 years. Now - nothing. I don't know if neighbor dogs barking have caused this - the dogs bark but do not come onto my property because they wear electric collars (which distresses me, but is beyond my control). They stay on their property which is at least 100 ft from us (and wooded, although we can see them now because the leaves are down). They just bark - could this have alarmed the racoons so much that they don't come from the more densely wooded areas on all other sides? If so, I hope time will solve it as the racoons may realize the dogs are not real threats. I hope so - I miss the little furry guys (and gals) although "everyone" kept warning me "how dangerous they are".

Hi stillwood,

Sorry, yes, the story has been largely missing lately, but hang in there. Depending on how things go, I may be back in spring.

As for your bunch, a few things. 1st of all, in all likelihood, all of the adult raccoons that visit your yard are probably females. Males tend to remain deep in the forest, and are rarely seen in backyards. 2nd, those females are MUCH, much hungrier early spring through late summer, because during that time they are gestating, nursing, and later looking for enough food for them and their kits. Those nursing moms are eating machines. This time of year, their appetites are quite noticeably diminished, enough that sometimes they can even find enough food in the forest, and thus may not make it to your yard on their dinner trek.

Mine don't show up as reliably in winter, and some years they don't show up at all for 3-4 months in late fall/winter, but they always come back again as soon as breeding season begins. If they do show up here in fall, they hardly eat a handful before they are full and leave. The difference between summer and winter is quite noticeable.

Another thing to consider is that raccoons don't tend to come out in search of food when the mercury drops too low. Even when mine are coming daily in winter, they fail to show up on nights when the temp falls much below freezing. We don't have snow (maybe a dusting every 10yrs), but I've read they tend to hibernate when it's very cold out & when there is enough snow on the ground to make it hard to find food. Raccoons are distant relatives of bears, and while they can't actually hibernate all winter like their long lost cousins, in colder areas they do 'hibernate' for shorter periods of time (forgot the name for this right now) during which their heart rate drops to near 0 as does their need for calories. Depending on how cold it is there, this may also effect your bunch.

As for the dogs, it is possible that barking dogs might scare the raccoons for a while, and with good reason, since, sadly, dogs a primary source of injury and death for raccoons. If the dogs have been there for years, and/or if the raccoons were coming to eat previously while the dogs were around, then I doubt that is the reason. On the other hand, if the dogs are relatively new and if you haven't seen the raccoons since the arrival of the dogs, then the dogs may be a factor. That said, I strongly suspect that when spring comes around and their appetites shift into high gear, the raccoons will be back. At 1st they may hang back and watch the dogs, but raccoons are very smart, and I suspect, when they get hungry enough to take more risks, they will probably figure out that the dogs can't get to your yard. They may, especially in the beginning, only sneak over to your yard when the dogs are sleeping (i.e. late at night).

If they don't show up on their own in spring, you might try putting a small amount of food out close to the forest (depending on concerns about attracting large predators, not sure what you have there) and then slowly moving the location a few feet forward every week (only if they are eating it) to entice them into the yard by giving them incentive to take the risk a little at a time.

If all else fails, you might consider erecting a pseudo-fence. Even a short length of fence along that side of the backyard & attached to nothing at the ends would probably do the trick to help the raccoons feel safer despite the dogs. My backyard is fenced, and the raccoons still came here even when my neighbor had a barking pit bull actually tethered to the fence. If a length of fence is not an option, how about a row of dense shrubs, a living fence, something 5 or 6ft high?

Thanks for such a quick response - in spite of all your problems, you are apparently watching your threads. The dogs are new, but I think the racoon drop off began before the dogs started up. Maybe you are correct and part of this is just natural reduction for the colder weather. We will see as spring comes around. I know that I used to put out food every night and it disappeared. Then in November what I put out just stayed until I moved it myself - as though the previous eater had moved away. Maybe that will change in the spring, as you suggested.

As far as a physical barrier is concerned, there is actually a strip of woods between us and the dogs. In the summer it is quite dense and the dogs cannot be seen - only heard. Now that the leaves are down, I can spot them, but they are not really close. Although they could come to the property line, they appear to stay close to their house. They are not bad dogs and do not bark hysterically - just in response to interesting stuff they see and hear. Once they have alerted that something is moving around, they quiet down. So they are not a bother to us - but maybe are distressing to racoons.

Thanks for advising me. I will hope for the return of the critters in the next few months. What we seem to have most now is deer munching on the shrubs. I find their tracks every morning and occasionally see one standing the garden looking for goodies. Fortunately, I prefer the wildlife to perfect flowers (I say fortunately as it would be hard to actually prevent them). Give me the life here in the woods to being up in town any time - I consider myself very fortunate to live here and enjoy helping the wildlife as much as I can. Even the snakes are welcome (within prudent limits, of course). Thanks again.

You are most welcome, stillwood,

I have had that same experience with the raccoons here where sometimes in late fall I will put out food and, for the 1st time since the spring feast began, I will find the food still sitting there untouched the next morning. It doesn't happen every year. Seems to depend on the availability of food in the forest in fall/winter. Other years I may find the food partially eaten the next morning. That is my cue to decrease the amount of food I put out in fall/winter, because even if they are still coming by to look for supplemental food, they will only have a small fraction of their usual summer appetites.

I believe you will see them again in spring, just as soon as mating begins in your area. Here it starts in Jan/Feb. I will be very surprised if your bunch doesn't show up in spring as hungry as ever. The kits arrive 9wks after mating. That's when the mom's diets kick into overdrive such that they eat like a horse and are almost never full. Around here when I sit out with them, the nursing mom's will often eat all they can hold and then lie down in the grass nearby to let some of that food settle before getting up to eat some more, a behavior not unlike that of humans at a large family feast such as Thanksgiving. (My father, grandfather, uncles, etc used to eat until they had to loosen their belt buckles. Then they would retire each to a different room to sleep it off a bit before coming back later for another go at that turkey, ham, etc, etc. I find so many similarities like this between animal and human behavior.)

They'll be back. It's almost impossible these days for raccoon moms to find adequate food on their own in the forest while nursing. Also, when you provide food for them at that time, it makes it possible for the moms to eat quickly and get back to their helpless infants much sooner than would be possible if they had to trek miles across the forest in search of enough food. By helping them get back to their little ones faster, you help to minimize the risk that some predator will find the kits before the mom can get back to protect them.

Ha ha - Cheryl you likening the racoons to your male relatives at big holiday dinners makes me laugh at my own memories of Thanksgiving and Christmases past. Good to hear from you and learn more about the critters.

xox

A.

Hi A,

LOL. So that holiday ritual was also practiced by your family, huh? At least the raccoons, being nursing females who only get to eat 1x/day, have a good excuse for their gluttonous behavior.

Who knows. Maybe if I continue feeling this good (since I've been on new meds), I'll be able to get out there some this coming spring/summer - which isn't as far away as it may seem, since it begins in Jan/Feb.

Sure - almost EVERYONE (females included) would push back from the table. I remember one - my mom's sister always saying "OH MY GAWD I CAN'T BREATHE!"

Crazy. :D

One night last week I heard a ruckus out back. I hadn't seen any raccoons out there in quite some time, not since the last time I posted about it here. Now suddenly I could hear raccoon sounds, strange emanations I'd never heard from them before. Angry, fighting sounds like a cross between warring cats and that trilling sound kits make. This was the 1st time I had heard the trilling vocalization outside the context of kits calling Mom, but now it was mixed with shrill screeches, both in the same 'word', like "trill-screech, screech-trill-screech, screech."

Fearing one had caught up with my cat(s), I ran to the door and turned on the light only to find Heidi out there on the patio looking fairly calm - except that she turned and left. I went back to what I was doing, but the sounds continued. They were directly behind the house for a while.

Finally, checking my mind's calendar and recalling Ruth's description of the 'matrimonial event' in raccoons as sounding a lot like a cat fight, I realized what this was. After all, Heidi usually shows up heavy with kits some time in Feb, and here it was the end of Jan. They were 'cavorting' out back behind my house. I had never heard any of this before. Wondering why Heidi would have brought this 'stuff' to my house for a change, I thought perhaps she was hungry.

I put out a bowl of kibble. The next morning the kibble was gone, and so was the noise.

Heidi's back!