Heidi Chronicles: Question to All Readers

Love hearing about your burgeoning relationship with Puddles!

Last night, I dreamt that it started raining, so I called the cats to come inside & Puddles came in with them! Then, I had to get him to leave the house! LOL!

Thanks, Liz!

It's coming along slowly for sure, but we are making progress.

Edited to add: Oops! I posted this before reading your 2nd post. That is SO adorable that Puddle was in your dream. :-)

This message was edited Mar 24, 2013 6:43 PM

I need to get out back and mow the grass, well actually, the weeds. The grass is greening up nicely but is not growing fast enough to need a cut yet. The weeds, on the other hand, have taken off with a vengeance. The back lawn has always been 'spotty' with a few very weedy areas. With Mr Copperhead still on the loose, it's potentially quite dangerous to be walking out there in the dark through those weeds.

Unfortunately, since I was in so much pain the past few years, I had the gardener/landscaper doing the mowing. I could probably manage on my own now, but not sure if I can get the mower started. May have to get a new battery. Ugh.

I was hoping to work on that 'project' Saturday, but the latest storm traveling eastward across the country rendered that a 'no-go'. We had heavy Tstorms and torrential downpours all weekend. I didn't get to work on the lawn project nor did I manage to see Puddle again, although I did put some food out for her last night between showers. Every time I checked the food was still there. Until this morning that is, when I awoke to find every crumb gone.

An incredible thing happened this morning, and I just had to take a minute to tell you. Sorry, it is a bit OT, but it relates to something I told you a month or so back - and it's SO incredible.

About 2 days ago, a bit of tweeting and motion caught my attention and I looked out the great room window to see 2 tiny birds flitting about on the Nyjer feeders. I was surprised because, as you know, the goldfinches left in early February, and as I told you then, once they leave they never, ever return again until the following Jan/Feb. I even cautioned some of you not to run out and hang thistle socks for them unless you know that they are year round residents in your area - because they were gone for the year. As I've also mentioned, there are no birds in my area that eat Nyjer, just the goldfinches that make an all to brief visit here each Jan/Feb.

So who, I wondered, were these tiny birds that had suddenly shown up at the Nyjer feeder in late, late March, almost April? They sure looked like the same little birds which I had previously identified as goldfinches (in winter garb). But that didn't make sense. I looked again, scrutinized them even. Yep, looked just like those goldfinches. Is it possible? Could they have returned - something they have never done in the 12yrs I've been feeding them? No, that didn't make sense either. Many years when they are leaving in early/mid Feb they are already beginning to shed those drab feathers and put on some of the brighter ones for which they are known, leaving here in rather spotty, mottled coats, a mixture of winter and summer colors. If they came back this late, it sure seemed they should be wearing bright yellow coats, but these 2 birds were that same drab, olive green color they always wear here in Jan/Feb. So what gives? Who were these little Nyjer eaters?

The next morning, yesterday, the tiny birds were back at the Nyjer feeders, this time accompanied by several of their friends, but still all drab in color. This time I noticed that the larger feeder was 1/2 empty, whereas it had been just below full in Feb when the goldfinches left. Whoever these little guys were, they were surely hungry and eating like crazy.

I still could not explain the apparent color mystery - why they were not wearing summer garb now, but I had come to the conclusion that these really were goldfinches, whether some of the usual gang having returned again or a different group altogether. I decided this strange weather we've been having with all the storms and some areas of the north and mid Atlantic having snow still so late in the season, was the reason the goldfinches were here so late in the season. My guess is they left in Feb as they usually do, perhaps because at that time it was so warm here. With days in the 70s and daffodils and azaleas blooming, they probably figured the weather in their home area would be nice, too. Then the endless storms dumped snow across their area, blocking them from their food once more, so they finally decided to come back here where they knew there had been plenty of good food available.

Fast forward to this morning. I've been SUPER busy and rushed every day this week and very much preoccupied, having little time to watch or even think about those little birds at the feeder, except for noticing them out there each morning as I make my way past the window on my way to the kitchen to start my day. On this morning the crowd at the Nyjer feeders had grown considerably. Now it was an actual flock of goldfinches, all milling about the feeders, taking turns gobbling up seeds.

Then a bright, lemon yellow spot caught my eye, and I realized there on the far side of the little feeder was a male goldfinch in full summer clothing, looking just like all of the pictures I had seen of goldfinches throughout my life. It was like a little spring miracle, like someone up there had heard me lamenting that I feed the little guys every year and yet have never once had the opportunity to see one in its gorgeous, summer coloring. It was as though circumstances had sent them back again this one time to give me that chance to view them in summer colors, the males a brilliant yellow trimmed in high-contrast black.

For a few minutes despite all that I have to do today, I stopped to enjoy the view just outside my window. Now there were 3 males, all brilliant yellow, looking almost like so many fluorescent highlighters flitting about outside my window, showing off their lovely summer outfits as they ate. Today, for the first time in my entire life, I had seen goldfinches in their 'usual' color. Today, in a manner they could never understand, the little guys had thanked me for all those years of feeding them in winter. How beautiful they were (and are)! Have to get to work now, but I hope they will still be out there later today when I have a few minutes to watch them and maybe even grab a picture or two (through the window). Maybe if I'm really lucky they will stay here with me a few more days, although I realize they will need to get back home as soon as possible to start their 2013 families.

:-D

Hurray!!! :)

What a thrilling moment for you that must have been Cheryl. I'm so pleased for you. I remember my first sighting too. My first year with a tiny garden and I was growing Rudbeckia triloba. One day when I looked out the french doors it looked like the flowers were flying away. I had never seen such a thing, and it WAS marvelous.

I hope you get to enjoy more time with them. Perhaps one of the blessings we will find inadvertently thru Heidi's absence will be an abundance of other forms of wildlife.

xox
A.

Hi Amanda,

In truth, no number of wildlife types could ever stand in for the close relationship I enjoyed with Heidi - but I do understand your sentiment and know that you meant it well, just trying to look for the some kind of silver lining amongst the clouds, and I would do the same. Actually, over the early years of my garden, back when I was still able to get around well enough to keep a thriving and overflowing bounty of plants, including many with fruits, berries, and seeds and when I offered an abundance of bird seed and hummer nectar, I had quite an awesome array of animal visitors around here - and still do to some extent. The presence of the raccoons here at night didn't seem to effect that.

The poor little goldfinches have stayed around and are still here today, but I'm afraid the cats have dogged them something awful, keeping watch over their feeder and making it difficult for them to eat in peace. Thankfully, I've not seen any sign of a 'catch' so far, most likely because the little birds are very much aware of the cats' presence and so far have chosen to forgo eating when the cats are on guard. Now that the cats are watching them, the goldfinches spend much of their day in the top canopy of a taller tree looking down on the cats (and the nyjer), swooping down to the feeders for a quick bite or two whenever the cats get bored and take a break.

Below is one of the two pics I got of a colorful male. I don't know if I mentioned, but the nyjer feeders are only inches outside the great room window (a 5-6ft wide window that extends from some 21" off the floor all the way up to about a foot from 'the ceiling' and which makes for excellent up-close viewing). This pic was taken through the window, from inside the great room. It's not a great pic but it serves to record that they were here - in case this awesome event, the goldfinches staying this long after getting their summer colors, never happens again. (I looked everywhere for my pics of them in winter color for comparison but couldn't find them, probably in storage.)

As I tried to take pics from across the room, it was clear to me that they were very much aware of my presence and were on edge at the realization that I was watching them, this no doubt a side effect of knowing they are being stalked by predators (the cats). The brightly colored males in particular went out of their way to hide from me, making it all but impossible for me to get a good picture including faces. They stayed mostly on the far side of the feeder where I could not see or photograph them and even moved around the feeder as I moved around the room to try and gain access to them. On the rare occasion that one came into view, I settled for any quick pic I could get. Then when the auto flash went off on the 2nd pic, they fled to the cover of the taller tree nearby where they remained until I left the room. Realizing that I was interfering with their efforts to eat, I decided not to try for better pics.

I've enjoyed having them here and am overjoyed to have had this opportunity to finally see them in their full summer colors, but now I hope they will leave soon, both to insure they do not become cat food and to make sure they don't loose anymore value time from what I'm sure is already all too short a breeding season in their home area. It would probably not be good for the females to be traveling while gestating. I would hate to see this delayed departure adversely effect the next generations. And as much as I love my cats and understand the cycle of life thing, I fear I would be hard-pressed to view them the same should I find a sad pile of bright yellow feathers on my patio.

We are having nice weather now, most of the time, although nights have often been quite cold. One of my coworkers from Ohio pointed out that the biggest difference he saw in our weather was the unusually steep rise in temps between night and day. Even when nights drop down near freezing, daytime temps often rise all the way back to or near the 70s, as has been the case the past week or so, nights near freezing, wonderful, warm springlike days.

I realize you guys are all anxiously awaiting word of opossums or raccoons. So far I've not seen a single raccoon, although it's not time yet for them to be nursing (which means peak hunger). Puddle hasn't been very cooperative lately either, despite my numerous efforts to see her out there somewhere in the darkness waiting and despite all the cajoling I do each time I put the food out and call her name.

After thinking about the few times she did show herself and about the dynamics that drove the raccoons, I've come to the conclusion that she isn't making herself visible to me mostly because she doesn't have to. One thing that helped with the raccoons was their numbers. A raccoon who wanted to eat could not afford to wait too long, hoping for me to leave. They always had to weigh their fear of me against the very real fear of loosing out should another raccoon show up and eat the food 1st. With so many hungry raccoons in the forest, each one knew that she had to act quickly if she wanted to eat. Currently, Puddle has no such issues to consider. She seems to be the only one coming to the buffet at present and as such has all the time in the world to wait me out.

The few times Puddle let me see her were when I either failed to feed her for a few days or only gave her a very small amount. That seemed to encourage her to come forward. Unfortunately, I tried to repeat those patterns and still had no luck. However, this past week was a tremendously busy one for me, so much so that most days I worked, ate, bathed, and slept ONLY, often taking only 10min or so to wolf down meals. In fact, when I finish this I have to get to work again. There is a LOT riding on my getting certain things done before morning. Anyhow, being so busy probably also played a part in the lack of Puddle sitings, as I really couldn't spare the time to just sit out there waiting.

So that's where things stand right now. I will continue to keep a look out and let you know if/when I see anyone at the buffet.

Tonight I managed to see Puddle again. I keep a bucket of 'fast food' and treats near the patio door (for the raccoons). I grabbed a handful of individually wrapped (restaurant) crackers from the bucket and put them out on the patio for Puddle (sans wrappers, of course). I called her gently as I've been doing each evening now, just trying to get her used to her name and the sound of my voice, but she didn't show herself.

From time to time I checked the patio to see if the food was gone. Finally, I threw on the light to find Puddle there eating. I watched her for a while as she ate the crackers, actually picking some of them up with her front feet to put them in her mouth. I had no idea opossums used their 'hands' that way, but Puddle did.

After she had finished, I grabbed some more items from the goodie bucket and slowly opened the door. Puddle looked up at me for a moment and then turned to waddle slowly away. I called out to her gently. She stopped for a moment and looked over at me. She did not appear to be 'frozen' or anything of the sort. She actually appeared for a moment to recognize my voice and to look at me as though she might consider staying, but then she continued on just the same. The looks said, "Oh, I know you, " but then she decided to leave anyhow, erring on the side of caution I suppose. I tossed a few more crackers onto the patio, hoping she would return to realize I had not been there to harm her but rather to offer her more goodies. I didn't see her again.

Last night, btw, I dreamed that she showed up with a bunch of adorable little ones that played with me much as the raccoon kits used to do. Maybe one day...

Just checked. Puddle never returned to eat the extra goodies I tossed her. Not a good sign. Means she didn't trust me enough to come back and she didn't get to see that I was there to give her more food. One step forward, two back. (Gotta get to bed. Up goofing off. Trying to extend the weekend. Doesn't work though.)

Now Cheryl, it could mean she didn't like the crackers without a drink on the side! Not you. lol

ROTFL, Debbie!

You may be closer to right than you realize. I slept an hour or two and then had to get up super early to get some work done before work (if that makes any sense). When I got up at 4:30AM, I couldn't resist the urge to check the patio again. It was only then that I realized she had apparently returned to eat every crumb of the original crackers but hadn't eaten any of the crackers I had tossed her for a bonus. Turned out those 2nd crackers were a different type altogether and ones she apparently didn't like. When I opened the door last night and she left, there were still some small bits of the 'good' crackers left on the patio. When I checked to see if she had returned, I saw the new crackers and decided she had not, but I was wrong. Since those last bits of the 'good' crackers were gone, she had apparently come back to eat them but had turned down the new ones.

Turns out the 'new' (actually 2nd not new at all) ones were really, really old, such that the 'natural' fruit had become moldy. The raccoons wouldn't eat those either - and that was 2 yrs ago. I need to put those in the compost bin once and for all. (I had forgotten about this when I reached blindly into the bucket and grabbed those cookies/treats.

Yes, Possums not only have opposable thumbs....they have fingerprints!

I've had a LOT on my mind lately - and I do mean a lot. As a result, I totally blew right past April Fool's Day w/o evening realizing what day it was. I probably wouldn't have done a joke this year anyhow - not after last year's debacle - but would have enjoyed checking out the online jokes starting with Google. I always get a kick out of theirs. I used to enjoy Dave's AF jokes, too. It was this morning before I realized I had missed the big day and also learned that Melody had done one - to see it, check out her article for that day if you haven't already. (Mel, if you are there, I loved it. Just wish I had seen in on the 2nd and before reading that it was an AF joke [spoiler]. I would really have loved to test one of those. I dream of growing giant, double, pink peonies and lilac and having a golden rain tree dripping down upon my garden.)

As I said, I probably wouldn't have done another AF joke, even if I had remembered in time. Much to my chagrin, last year my joke upset some of my DG friends. The thing is, I had no idea it might upset anyone. I thought of that idea almost a year before Apr 2nd and then waited on pins and needles for the opportunity to do it. I had envisioned lots of laughter, so clearly I have no clue. As I've told you before, I'm an engineer. We aren't known for our social skills (think Dilbert with the cone shaped head). While we were still in college, my x-fiance once made a statement that has stuck to me all this time. He said engineers are insensitive - not intentionally so, just a a factor of how our brain's work. When he made that comment, I firmly believed that was only for male engineers. I thought female engineers were exempt from such things. Hmm, maybe not so much.

So on this day after the anniversary of that fateful AF joke, I humbly apologize once more for my insensitivity and ask that anyone who was offended by that AF joke please consider giving me another chance - and maybe cutting me some slack on account of that engineering brain dysfunction.

Earlier tonight (Wed night), I had an opportunity to see and interact with Puddle. I had left her a few extras, including a few handfuls of leftover popcorn (old school, not microwave) and a really tough dog bone/chew (that Widget won't eat).

A little while later when I turned on the patio light to see if she had eaten any of my offerings, I found Puddle crouching maybe 8in from the patio door while holding the dog bone in her hand munching on it as though it were a slim jim or carrot stick. It was a very cute picture. Like the other night when she was holding the crackers in her hand, I had never seen this rather adorably human-like behavior in an opossum. Also, I was quite impressed as I stood there watching her bite off a chunk of that incredibly tough 'bone' and chew it with the ease of a carrot. That bone was manufactured to be so tough as to force a dog to sit and gnaw on it for a while, and yet Puddle bit right through it with amazing ease, as though it were quite tender. I wasn't even able to cut through one of those 'bones' with my garden loppers! Bottom line, if you ever get to see that mouth full of very impressive teeth opossums sport, know that those things are not just for show. They work really, really well (although, thankfully, I'm told opossums are not inclined to use them for attack/defense purposes).

Puddle was crouching just maybe 8in from the door - but the other end of the door, the end with the hinges not where it opens. She had her back to the door/house. Given that she had been on the far side of the patio (maybe 10ft away from the door) the other night when she waddled away when I opened the door, I didn't hold out much hope for what would happen this time when she was so close, but I just had to do it anyhow. I opened the door about 6in or so and spoke her name softly. Kitty, who had been sitting on the door facing, rushed in through the opening. Incredibly, Puddle turned her head around to look up at me but made no attempt to leave.

After looking at me for a minute or two, she turned back to her 'bone' and continued noshing as though I weren't even there. By this time she was almost through with the 'bone', so I gently tossed her another one designed to land about a foot away so as not to hit her or unduly frighten her. I didn't want her to think I was throwing things at her, after all. When she finished the 1st 'bone', instead of grabbing the 2nd one, she walked over to the dish where she had found (and eaten) the popcorn earlier (before I got there). After looking in the now empty bowl for a minute or so, she came back to the door to eat the 2nd bone. During all of this I still had the door open some 8 to 10in and the door on. Still she showed no sign of fear and did not run away.

With things going so well, I was tempted to grab the camera and try to get a picture of her but decided to hold off on that for now. I like to end a session on a positive note if I can. I think that helps to improve their comfort level around me for future events. She came here; she got food; and when I saw her, I made no attempt to harm her. I figure that should help to establish good memories the next time she is hungry. If I can help her learn to be comfortable around me, I'll get lots of photo ops later. Conversely, if I had thrown the camera up in her face setting off a slew of flashes (for just one pic), she would almost certainly have left thinking she just barely escaped some horrible fate, and that would have set us back considerably.

I closed the door, turned off the light, and left her to eat in peace. I wondered though about the part where she had gone over to the empty popcorn dish in response to my tossing her a 2nd 'bone'. Odd thing to do, don't you think? I mean, surely she knew that dish was empty. She had eaten the popcorn earlier. This sounds crazy when I hear myself 'saying' it, but could she possibly have gone over there to let me know that she wanted more popcorn? After all, she went over there immediately after I opened the door and tossed her more food. Quite the coincidence at the very least. She went over there as though to check for more popcorn and then returned to eat what I had tossed her. Hmmm. Interesting.

No, I didn't give her more popcorn. I didn't have anymore popped - but I will definitely have some ready tomorrow night!

Thanks for the update on Puddles. I do love how they use their paws/little hands to eat. They are so endearing. Can't say why return to the bowl when you threw the bone, but they do have very clear food preferences. I remember chasing bugs/beetles around the yard in the dark that summer we had the possum baby. Court was feeding him by hand (bugs, and worms, mealworms) and became so enamored that we thought seriously (but not so much so) about keeping him.

About last year's AF. I don't think any one of us would call you insensitive, so engineer or not you're okay by me. ;)

A.

Ps. Are you getting this rain today? Just makes me sleepy.

Thank you, Amanda!

Yes to the rain. Very dreary looking day. We've been having semi-dreary/semi-rainy days off and on all week though. By yesterday the dreary, cloudy, rainy thing seemed to have settled in full time. Oh, I do love to sleep when rain is falling on the roof - but work beckons today. Just remembered we had a REALLY noisy (lots of electricity) storm early this morning while I was asleep. It was among the scariest sounding storms I think I've heard (excepting hurricanes, of course), but I was too sleepy to get up and check on things. Yesterday's storm had minimal lightning but lots of constant, roaring wind.

The image of you chasing bugs around the yard for the baby opossum and Court hand feeding him brought a warm smile to my heart. (Glad you weren't upset by my AF thing.)

one of those yummie Widget bits would really make a hit + be most beneficial as she probably has nursers in her pouch. If you used that as the "toss out treat" she would definitely associate wonderful things to you. Also it would prevent waiste of any of those superb yummies.

I loved your 4/1/12 notice last year. It was just 'too' over the top to possibly be true.
'Insensitive?, you? no way!! Engineer types just are not as 'showy' with their emotions.
U R tops in my book!!

BB

Thanks, Sheri,

Love that I can always count on you to make me feel better about things. :-)

Hmm. Interesting idea. I think I will offer Puddle a few of the treats I made for Widget. I'll put a few on the shelf by the door for the next time I see her.

We never waste any of the treats though. Widget makes sure of that. He will eat as many as he can get. To make sure they last as long as needed, I have a system whereby I keep the large bag(s) of treats in the freezer to refill the small bag I keep out for daily use. I don't really fill the small bag, just put 3 or 4 scant handfuls in it at a time, enough to last a couple weeks. The treats are hard and dry like commercial dog biscuits, so they come out of the freezer unchanged. That way no matter how many I make and how long it takes to use them, they are always as fresh as the day I baked them. Sometimes I even give Widget one straight from the freezer for a change of pace. I figure it's somewhat analogous to us eating a frozen treat (except his doesn't drip as it thaws). He seems to like them that way, too.

Hmmm. We will have to have the recipe for these secret biscuits!

Folks, I think Puddle really is getting comfortable with me - or perhaps she is telling the kids that I seem to be getting comfortable with her. It's like this, either she is becoming 'tame' or she would otherwise have to be a total, bumbling idiot, and the latter seems most unlikely, since (1) opossums haven't been behaving this way before in all the years I've been here and most importantly (2) her species would never have survived this long if they commonly behaved this way just by mistake. At least, that's my take on things.

Earlier tonight I had put another one of those really hard, 'rubbery' dog bones (commercial variety, one of the many I have around here that Widget just won't touch) on the patio. At that time, I heard some kind of animal noise. I stood listening. I heard it again. It was very brief and simple and definitely not loud. It was neither loud enough nor distinct enough for me to describe it with any certainty, but from what I thought I heard I'd say it was like a 'mew', definitely not a meow but similar enough that I at 1st wondered if Cocoa might be out there hiding and calling out to me - even though it really did not sound like him at all. Just in case, I called out to him a time or two, "Cocoa, Cocoa," but he neither called out to me nor stepped forward out of the darkness. Still, every few minutes or so, I would hear it again, a single 'mew', definitely the sound of an animal in the back-most part of the yard somewhere, and it seemed to be speaking to me (although I could be wrong about that last part). Just in case, I tossed out a few handfuls of cat food and left.

A few minutes ago (around 2AM), I opened the patio door and called out into the darkness, "Cocoa, Cocoa." My cat Cocoa had still not come in for his dinner, so I was checking for him before going back to bed. I went to the front door to check for him, and then, just in case, went back to double check the patio door again. Once more I turned on the outside light, threw open the patio door, and called out into the darkness. This time, much to my total surprise, Puddle stepped out from behind a wheelbarrow where she had been completely hidden and into the light, standing there on the patio just a few, short feet in front of me. She turned her head toward me and stood there just looking at me as if to say, "Hi, there.Glad you returned."

We both stood looking eye to eye for what seemed an eternity. Then, finally, I spoke to her softly calling her name, "Puddle, Puddle." She continued to stand there looking at me, before finally walking away, crossing the patio in front of me and at close proximity to the door before disappearing behind the camellia shrubs. If she had truly been afraid of me, it would have made more sense to spin around and rush back behind the wheelbarrow and into the shadows from which she had emerged as that would have risked far less exposure.

Intrigued by her behavior, perhaps the bravest to date, I tossed yet another of those dog bones out onto the patio (trying to use those up), and then as an afterthought tossed a vanilla sandwich cookie out onto the patio, too, before turning off the light and leaving for the night.

Incidentally, I'm really starting to wonder about those goldfinches. As of yesterday, they were STILL here. There is quite a sizable gang of them out there now, and they are really putting away the nyjer big time now. If they stay until the end of the week, I will have to go out in search of more nyjer to keep them fed. They have never stayed anywhere near this far into the season. I'm wondering if they are actually going to stay all summer - or try. Since they went home earlier and had to return again for food, perhaps they are reluctant to try that again. I wonder though if they will remember they have somewhere else to be when it really starts to heat up around here - or will that be too late for them to fly home? Perhaps by then they will have built nests and laid eggs here. I guess time will tell.

I was in the kitchen a little while ago for one of those late night snacks. While there I thought I should check the backyard for Cocoa. As I cast a glance across the room toward the patio door something incredible and just so totally unexpected caught my eye and stopped me dead in my tracks. There at the patio door a raccoon face looked in at me. For a moment, she was Heidi standing there up against the glass looking back at me, just like in the cover photo for this thread. It was only a moment but a long moment, during which different parts of my brain argued with each other over what I was seeing and what was reality, and for an all too brief an interval she was Heidi and she was back and standing there at the patio door looking in at me.

My rational brain won out, of course, and I quickly realized the adorable face staring in at me was not that of Heidi, but I was thrilled nonetheless to finally have a raccoon visitor again. I was all the more excited to see that my new visitor remembered me at least well enough to come to the door to look for me. She was right up close to the door, maybe 8-10in away, standing there on her hind legs, looking inside, and waiting impatiently for me to see her. As I walked over toward the door, she continued to stand there looking back at me. I spoke to her, "Hi there" my happiness at seeing her spilling out effortlessly, "Hi, Sweetie."

I opened the patio door wide and stood there talking to her for a few moments. She took a few steps back from the door but otherwise stayed there on the patio before me, looking up at me as though largely unafraid. I grabbed the cat food bag and headed out onto the patio to feed her. Much as I had feared, seeing me step out onto the patio sent her running for cover, back down the arbor path in the direction of the forest. Not willing to have this moment end this way, I remained there on the patio calling her and speaking to her even though I could not see her anywhere in the darkness.

After a moment or two, she emerged from the rose bushes at the arbor just beyond the patio. That she had shown herself to me again this way spoke volumes. This was a raccoon who was fairly comfortable with me and one who would probably come back to me if cajoled a bit. As I continued talking to her, she came toward me, walking right up onto the patio in front of me. She seemed amazingly comfortable around me, all things considered. In fact, she seemed almost as comfortable as Heidi would have been, and yet it was clear she was not Heidi.

Up close she really did not look anything at all like Heidi. There was something very unique about the area around and above her eyes, and she looked to be a yearling. It was hard to imagine who among the remaining raccoons, kits included, would be this comfortable around me, especially upon just returning from such a lengthy absence. After all, at the time Heidi left us, I really didn't have much of a relationship with any of the others - except Desi, that is. Could it be? Was it really possible? Desi?

She was about a foot from me and still walking forward when I reached into the bag to get her some food. The movement caught her by surprise, and she turned and ran, hiding once more. If this was Desi, she was all grown up now and probably carrying babies of her own. She had been gone all fall and winter and even most of the summer. In that time she would have learned fear in a way that a tiny kit would not have understood. She would have learned the importance of avoiding predators and humans in order to stay alive. It made sense that she might not be that same fre-spirited kit, especially not at 1st, and that she might have some misgivings.

Again I stood on the patio alone and calling out to her in the darkness. Again I could see no trace of her anywhere. Then as my eyes scanned the yard, her imagine came into focus standing in front of the foundation shrubs just outside the MBR. As I continued to speak to her, she came toward me. In her absence I had placed some food on the patio for her. I could see her nostril flare now and she smelled the air, perhaps smelling the food, perhaps double-checking her ID of me.

After a brief hesitation she walked right up to me on the patio and began to eat even as I stood towering over her only inches away. Yes, this was a raccoon who knew me well and who was exceedingly comfortable around me. Of the adults I had known all these years only Heidi, Dennis, and post-recovery Bast would have walked up to my feet this way to eat, especially upon returning from hiatus and especially w/o other raccoons around to sound the alarm should something go wrong - and most of all w/o Heidi, their once trusted leader around to say it was safe.

Being alone with me takes considerably more courage and/or comfort than being part of a group, and having me standing upright and towering over her is much more potentially threatening than approaching me while I'm seated. If you recall, it took me years to reach the point where I could walk around Heidi w/o her running away. For a very long time I had to remain seated and motionless to avoid scaring her/them. Later I could move and speak as long as I remained seated, but they would head for the hills if I even tried to stand up. Eventually, I could stand very slowly but only if I warned them 1st and only to turn in place and go back to the house, returning with treats - and even then sometimes they would bolt. And so it was, this long, slow process of the raccoons and me getting comfortable with each other, and much of that was about Heidi's comfort, because it was she who signaled the others when things were ok and when to head for the forest.

Not withstanding her tendency to spook on this our 1st meeting after so long an absence, this raccoon whoever she was had exhibited immense courage and trust just to come back and stand at my door looking in and now to be willing to walk right up to my feet to eat this way. Last summer, except for Heidi, the other adults would mill about on the patio some three feet or so away from me but would often wait for me to leave before lowering their heads to eat. Others would stand around on the grass just beyond the patio until I went back inside.

At the moment, I really cannot think of anyone else this could be except Desi. The color and features and especially the unusual markings around her eyes ruled out Dennis, Bast, Fraidy, and any of the others who had been close to me in the past. Even some of the others like Sissy would not have been inclined to just waltz right up to my feet this way to eat. This raccoon was amazingly unafraid, all things considered. And she had obviously come here alone. That, too, was a biggie. In time, others would follow her lead, but it would always be she who remembered where to come and was brave enough to do so.

I stayed there with her on the patio for a short while and then slowly bent down to pick up my bag and leave. As I did so, I spoke to her, telling her, "It's ok. It's O-k. Don't worry. I'm just going back inside now. You'll be ok..." This time she continued to eat and did not run away as I gathered my things there beside her, turned and went back inside, excited not just to have raccoons again but to have this raccoon who clearly knew me and trusted me a great deal.

YAY! They're BACK!

I hope they are willing to live and eat in peace with Puddle though and don't chase her away. Even tonight as I was standing in the doorway, patio light on, looking out onto the partially lit space, I took a really good, close look at that wheel barrow, the one Puddle had emerged from behind the other night when I opened the door to call the cats. As I looked I saw that the spot where Puddle had been hiding out behind the wheel barrow was well hidden, and suddenly it became all the more apparent to me that Puddle had stepped out from her cover and into the light quite intentionally, doing so the very instant I called the cat and doing so with the intention of being seen. I would hate to see her chased away now and our developing relationship brought to an end. Here's hoping the raccoons and opossums will be able to coexist at the buffet again as they did that one special year so long ago.

hahah ahhahhahhahhahahhaHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

All smiles here. Thanks for this news.

xox

Hi Amanda,

Isn't this very unexpected news awesome? It would really be great if this one raccoon could continue to be the only one as was the case last night, but I suspect others will be showing up very soon now, following her trail in search of food. But it's still awesome. I had already accepted that I might really not get any raccoons this year. And it would also be nice if I could verify, maybe by photo comparison with her unique markings, that this really is Desi. Seeing her again, heck, seeing any raccoon, really was so very, very nice.

She has to be Desi! If any other raccoon came up like that the would have to be sick and you do not describe any strange behavior.
it at all possible that Desi is a lone surviver of Heid
YYYYYYYYYYYEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!! Desi's back. I wonder if she remembers windsailing on your shoe. This is so wonderful

Is it at all possible that Desi is Heidies lone survivor of last years kits?? I hope the older ones don't overwhelm her when they come. There's always the possibility that there may not be many of the adults who would have traveled more & possibly into infected areas.

I am so excited!! doing the Happy Dance with 12 eyes looking at me like I've lost my mind! Hooray, Hip Hip Hooray!!

YAYYY! This is Great!!

Sheri,

I know, I know. I'm so happy, too! It was like seeing a mirage, the face of an angel framed in the patio door. I could not even believe it at 1st. That's so funny, because I did the happy dance, too, last night. Seriously though, I really doubt that she alone survived. Raccoons are incredibly tough and resourceful. My guess is there will be others coming soon. But then again, I didn't really think we were ever likely to see Desi again, so what do I know. As for the others, if/when they come, if Desi will trust me enough to hold her ground and let me help her, I can use my bottle of vinegar water to keep them away from her and her food. Last spring when the others came, Desi's mother ran, taking Desi with her. Thus I could not do anything to help them. It's all up to them. I can help if they give me the chance as Bast did when she was sick.

June,

Isn't it wonderful?! I really can't tell you how happy I was to see her standing there outside the door looking in at me that way, like old times. I had pretty much resigned myself to not having any raccoon visitors this year, and even if some did show up, I figured they would be afraid to come to the house. I thought I would probably have to start all over from scratch putting the food back there by the fence and sitting some distance away, then very slowly moving closer over time as I gained their trust. I had no idea she would just waltz right up to the door like Heidi used to do - and practically knock to see if I was home. But then again, who would ever have thought she would do any of the things she did as a kit - windsurfing the pants leg (shaking head in disbelief but smiling, too)

I could appreciate what you said about your brain up in your first post - taking a minute to figure out what the hell you were seeing in the doorway.

Once upon a time, a brother and I were going to miss eachother at Christmas. He was going to NH to be with his girlfriend's family. I was going back home to PA and then returning to Boston afterwards. We joked about trying to set up a rendezvous somewhere halfway while we were driving back, but we never did.

Imagine will you, when I was at a gas station on the Massachusetts turnpike when I turned to look at a car beeping its horn. There was my brother looking at me, and my brain was like, "that guy looks familiar," "who is that guy?" "Hey! It's Steve!!!" "What the hell is HE doing here . . .?!" That was a crazy, one in a billion moment, so I understand when you said your brain was having a hard time resolving exactly what you were seeing. :)

suddenthought...You could just feed Desi in the kitchen. I seem to remember her being all for that last fall. LOL

I wonder why she is the only one coming. I can't (but will) wait to read all of the Desi stories to come. Yippee, Whoopee. This is such a wonderful and exciting happening. All I can think of is that you are really blessed and deffinately 'a whisperer'

Oh, you've made my day! Makes sense that Desi would be the one to come; she was the most fearless. Yippeee!

Hi Liz,

You are right. As a kit, Desi was absolutely fearless. Not only did she windsurf on my leg and try to come into the kitchen, but when I bent down to pet her (while standing over her, btw), she didn't flinch or tighten her muscles when my hand touched her. One time I even placed my entire hand over her back/body and wrapped my fingers around her sides as if to pick her up. I didn't attempt to actually lift her, but I recall be amazed that even this did not evoke even the slightest reaction from her. Her little body was as soft and supple in my hand as that of a kitten raised with constant human contact.

She is also the only one from last year (other than Heidi) who has had enough contact with me to feel comfortable coming right up to me, the only one who wouldn't fear being hurt.

Sheri,

I knew I was forgetting something in my response. (Thanks, June). Your idea about feeding her in the kitchen is adorable. I laughed at 1st. Then I stopped and thought for a minute or two, "Maybe..." I probably won't try it, though. As a kit, Desi probably would have been fine in the kitchen. As an adult, however, she might get upset - not to mention Widget and the cats - but I did give it a few seconds of serious thought.

no, that was deffinately said tongue in cheek. Of course I was joshing. Adult raccoons can really make a fast mess inside a house, especially if suddenly spooked. But it is a nice picture to remember the fearless, trusting little kit just walking on in as you were trying to go out. Isn't that how the shoe windsail ride was initiated?

Sheri,

Oh, yes, I did realize you were joking, but after I laughed at bit, I actually gave it a few seconds of serious consideration. Me, not you. I would never have considered it for any of the others. It was only because of how totally calm, fearless, and carefree little Desi was as a kit that I even gave it serious thought for her. I was thinking, well, maybe after spend some time together now that she's grown, if she resumes being anywhere near as fearless as she was back then, maybe.

Even the other night, despite the fact that she did run off a few times, her mannerisms showed enormous courage and trust. Each time she walked up to me, she didn't do so with slow, hesitant, start-stop type steps but strolled right up to me. She didn't stop 5ft or so away as most would have done but walked right up to my feet as one might expect from a pet dog. Having not seen me in a while, she vacillated between moments of caution (running away) and fearlessness (walking right up to my feet and putting her head down to eat with me standing over her).

I knew you were being facetious, and it was a very cute joke, but for a few seconds there it struck a cord with me. It would definitely solve the problem of interference from the others. If she got sufficiently tame, I might consider it, IF I had a 'normal' house with 'normal' walls. If the kitchen were closed off from the rest of the house by a door (or even two or three doors) that I could close, I might actually consider it - if she got sufficiently tame over time. Unfortunately, my house has one of those open floor plans with numerous missing walls, such that most of the rooms downstairs cannot be closed off from the rest of the house.

The wall between the kitchen and great room is missing as is the walls between the great room, dining room, main hall, foyer, living room, and the hall leading to the MBR, so all of those spaces are permanently open to each other like one huge room. I love it for all of the open space and how the sunlight permeates the entire downstairs; however, it has it's disadvantages like whenever I want to confine Widget to a particular room or area. I basically can't do it w/o putting him in a pen of some kind. The only rooms I can close off are baths, bedrooms, and the mud room (now the cat room). The fact that once a raccoon gets into the kitchen it would be free to escape into the great room and then run rampant throughout the entire 2k sqft of downstairs put a stop to my brief fantasy about letting Desi eat in the kitchen.

Sitting here reading and catching up with happy tears in my eyes.

Big sigh, one of the kids is back....its a start for sure. And I think it is Desi also. She will give you signs
soon enough.

Feeding in the kitchen. hehehe Love it!

Debbie