Well, considering the meal they had the night you cleaned out the frid... i bet that would hold them a day or so.
Yesterday, i read the long posts about Dennis and Widget to my son Alex .... he always gets a kick out of looking at all the pics and reading the story line .... so then last evening, he filled in his g/f who also feeds 2 coons and 2 possums ... so Alex dug up the "A Face Only a Mother Would Love" and they just oggled over Snowball.
ALex is always asking questions... like this morning, "What happens if the Raccoon Lady wants to go on vacation?"
I said... "OH, she doesnt have time for that." LOL
Heidi Chronicles: Can't Be Long Now, Can It?
Can't be long now, Can it?
Mid-April, they've got to be about 6 weeks now, right? so in a few weeks they could be venturing out of the nest ....
Wouldn't it be nice, with all the free time you have.... to get a set up like Trois - with the motion detection ... so if Heidi brought the kits by, you'd get to see them.
I mean... only if you have a free minute. LOL.
I did see you mention a few posts up that you are still using your broken camera.... LOL like you have time to shop, if it's not critter food.
Yeah, who's gonna critter-sit if you ever go out of town? lol
You Folks will just have to come and help me. ; -)
Speaking of time, unfortunately, right now it's at an all time premium. I need to be in 2 or more places at once just to keep my head above water. Sheesh. Sorry no real time to write, but I did want to tell you how annoyed I am. Today was my appointment for rabies shots. Even though I had a visitor at work who had flown here from DC to work with me, I proclaimed to all that I had an errand to run at 1PM and it was not negotiable.
I had asked in advance if the so called Infectious disease specialist I was going to see did pre-exposure vaccines. Got there today, they said they had been trying to contact me - even though they had my work # and did not use it. arg! - because (1) the person who was supposed to meet w/me was unavailable today (even though we had an appointment) and (2) they don't do "pre-rabies" vaccine. I kept trying to tell the idiots that it's pre-exposure rabies vaccine, but they insisted on saying it their way. And then the girl looked at me and in a tone that implied I was the stupid one said "We don't even know what that IS. We've never heard of such a thing" It was all I could do to keep from telling her that if I were her, I wouldn't say that with such pride. I swear sometimes I think this must be the mentally challenged state.
They said the person with whom I had a meeting today will call me tomorrow. No, thanks. As soon as I get another break in the work load I'm going to call MUSC. If anyone in this place knows what pre-exposure rabies vaccine is, sure it will be them. When I returned to my desk, I called the Dr office back and asked if they had Internet access. They said, "yes" to which i directed them to Google the words "pre-exposure..". You get the drift.
From the moment I got the appointment I had been both excited and afraid to get too excited for fear this would happen. Argggggg! Do I have to move to a more enlightened state to get health care?
You need to go see this
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=4810221
=^..^=
and this one
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=4810225
=^..^=
Great links, kittymom; thanks! I remember the babies at that age: so helpless, so tiny, and so terminally cute.
Cheryl, how incredibly annoying about the vaccine appointment. What kind of vaccine did they think they'd be giving you? Surely they didn't give you an appointment weeks in advance for post-exposure vaccines, the kind that need to start within 24 hours of exposure???? Hopefully MUSC will have some answers for you; it just should not be this difficult. Could the lady at Keeper of the Wild point you in the right direction?
I can completely understand you aggravation with the Dr.'s ofice. I LOVE that you called back to direct them to Google!!! Priceless!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
For real. Google.. hehehehehhe
I probably would have had a few more choice words too LOL
Unbelievable....sheesh! That really bites (no pun intended). Glad you showed them how to look up the proper terminology, LOL, way to go, girl!
I have been on vacation for the past week and it looks like I have missed a lot! Those baby raccoon pics are just priceless.
Went to see grandchildren in GA. The girls are very in to gymnastics and had the first meet at their home gym. They each brought home several medals and the older granddaughter got her first score over a 9 this year. YAAY!
Is anyone familiar with webkins? They are stuffed animals that come with a code that you have to enter on the internet and their is an entire virtual world with all of these critters. Heidi is now a webkin. I was showing one of the granddaughters some of the Heidi threads and she wanted to name her new racoon webkin Heidi. So not only is Heidi spoiled here she is also spoiled on the internet. So far I think she has her own bedroom complete with tv, "girly" bed, potted plants, fish tank and who knows what else by now.
That's pretty funny, tetleytuna. The webkins are cute; remind of the Beanie Babies from years back.
My gd's are really into the webkins bigtime! They were here for a week during spring break and we had to go webkins shopping!
Terese -- The web cam setup sounds great. On the issue of time, however, yesterday morning I was 1hr late for work because I had to do my taxes - and I was getting money back.
Susan -- Thanks for the links. The kits are adorable!
tetleytuna -- Congrats to the grands on their accomplishments. Love the story about the Heidi webkins!
Ruth -- Good ideas for my ongoing search for someone to administer the shots. Things are pretty crazy at work right now so will have to wait until next week probably. However, as things have been so awfully busy I haven't spent much time around the raccoons lately either.
nanny - Thanks. Another reason why I called and advised them to google it is because they said they had never heard of such a thing. I figured they needed the education, needed to see that just because they never heard of it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
KyWoods -- Are you available to 'coon sit? Since you already had the shots, you would be perfect. The job comes with all the sloppy, Dennis kisses you can handle. LOL
Last night I ran out but didn't stay. It's heck week again. Only one raccoon was there - either Heidi or Cissy. In the dim light and given where she chose to eat, I couldn't tell for sure. She ate a bunch of fig bars, but the other night Heidi ate fig bars. She's doesn't care for junk food, but I guess the fig bars are closer to fruit and bread. Dennis, BTW, won't touch them. Not enough sugar, I guess.
Sunday night around midnight, when I went out to walk Widget, we stayed up closer to the house but still he couldn't concentrate because of the sounds of twigs snapping and such coming from the forest. After a while (still trying to get Widget to concentrate - he was on a leash btw), HRH came down the fence, walked around the feeding area looking for a snack, and then seeing me up near the house, started toward me. I hadn't seen him in a week or so and I thought it was so cute how he recognized me and came toward me, but that totally freaked Widget out. Widget started going berserk. That frightened HRH who ran back over the fence. I went to the house to get some fig bars for him - one of his favorites but could not convince the big guy to come back over the fence - or even show himself. I left a few fig bars on the chair just in case.
Maybe Widget was remembering his dunk in the pool and since you was there with him he figured he would at least "talk" to the racoosn and let them know he stil the boss and that he still there keeping an eye on things. LOL
Coon sitting sounds like fun, but surely they would realize it wasn't you. They know who has them spoiled rotten! lol
Starlight -- I hadn't thought about the dunk in the pool, but Widget doesn't appreciate the raccoon (or opossums) trespassing in his yard period.
KyWood -- Well, now you do have a point. Sat night (I think it was) the neighbors 2 doors down were outside having a party of some sort and not one raccoon would even show his/her face along the fence.
nanny - earlier you had mentioned how comfortable Dennis seems. (trying to catch up on my correspondence) Yes, he certainly is. He will stand right up at my side or at my knee just like you would expect a pet to do. I can put my hand in his dish while he's eating (to get food to toss to Heidi if she is out or to put in the box for Dennis to play or whatever). He doesn't even lift his head, just goes on eating. When he's in the yard waiting for me, he just walks at my feet like a cat or dog. Just today I was thinking, if there is one that might consider sleeping in the crate it would be Dennis since he is so comfortable hanging out in the yard anyhow.
Susan - You're very welcome for the new thread. As always, sorry for the delay and glad that you are with us.
Starlight - LOL because just today I was thinking about your suggestion RE spiking the pool with tooth protector, and then I remembered - the pool is already spiked with fluoride since it's filled with city water. So there you go, cavity prevention right in the water! I have a bunch of toothbrushes since I bought a bunch over time using various 2 for 1 and free offers and then the dentist 'gives' me 1 every 6mo anyhow. Think I'll give Dennis and Cissy one. I'm pretty sure one or the other of them will end up playing with it in the pool which should make for the photo opp of the century - raccoon brushing teeth in child's backyard pool)
Ruth -- It's interesting that you noted how much Trouble now favors HRH. Early on he looked so much like Heidi, but now is looking more and more like HRH every day, so much so that it is sometimes difficult to tell them apart in dim light without seeing the faces - and lately even the faces are quite similar. If 'someone' hadn't marked them, HRH with the 'fat' lip and Trouble with the [now] patch of dark hair growing down the back of his neck, it would really be quite difficult at times. Seems Trouble is even somewhat lighter in color now.
goldfinch -- Thanks RE the pics. More to come.
Terese - That's so cute about Alex and his girlfriend. I'm flattered that they enjoy the threads. I [still] have a bunch of raccoon pics that i need to add to snowball's thread (if I ever get time.lol) You got that right (about not having time to go on vacation. with my recent illnesses I've used up all of my leave as well, so that's one thing the critters don't have to worry about as I'm stuck here for a while.)
What a priceless picture that would make--a raccoon "brushing his teeth"! Yes, do put out some toothbrushes for them to play with, LOL.
I'll have to try that this weekend when, hopefully, I have more time. Yesterday, in a meeting, the customer asked if we thought we might need to work overtime. Eeeek! There aren't many hours left in the day now!
Tonight it seemed like almost everyone (of those left, that is) was there except the moms and mom to be's. I have seen much of either of these 2 in the last few days. Am wondering if maybe Blondie might have given birth - since I haven't seen her around. The timing seems about right as that would put her kits arriving at the buffet in July.
I think Heidi may be preparing to bring the little tykes (if she hasn't already. in fact, that may be why I haven't seen her, if she's coming at an earlier or later time w/ the kits. maybe tomorrow I'll try to go out at dusk). Before Heidi became scarce I noticed that she was acting 'strange', apparently making plans to bring the little ones. As you recall, a few weeks ago she ran the others off in anticipation for the event. Then the last few times I saw her she started 'picking' on the 07 kids. She seemed especially hard on Blondie, growling and snarling when Blondie would come to eat, chasing Blondie back, biting her, then letting her come to eat from the dish a few feet away as though nothing had happened. I figured Heidi was laying ground rules, letting the others, especially Blondie who will also be bringing kids to dinner, know who is in charge.
Heidi would also launch seemingly unprovoked attacks on Cissy. She fussed at Dennis but otherwise mostly let him be. She seemed harder on the girls. One night Cissy was eating from a dish fairly close to me when Heidi arrived and began eating from the dish a few feet over from Cissy. Earlier I had given Cissy an egg. Oddly, at the time, Cissy had walked around the dish, picked it up, and carried it back to stash it between her feet and her dish as though to protect it while she ate. Also earlier, Cissy had shown interest in a yogurt I'd opened but had been reluctant to come over to me to eat it. After Dennis ate about 1/2 of it, I gently tossed it, bottom down over near Cissy. When Cissy walked around her dish to go to the yogurt, Heidi jumped on her and whipped her pretty good, no blood and gore but more than a bluff. Then Heidi kept smacking Cissy around until she drove Cissy back away from Cissy's dish entirely and stole Cissy's egg. After all that display of 'wrath', Heidi went back to her own dish leaving yogurt and egg untouched and allowing Cissy to return to eat them. Again, it looked to me like Heidi was establishing dominance and laying down the law. She didn't want the egg, the yogurt, or Cissy's dish. She just wanted it known that she could take it.
Lately, for maybe a week now, Heidi has been like this, jumping on everybody, taking the kids' stuff and then giving it back. Also, while she normally ignores me, now she comes over to me looking to see what I have, and she appears to take offense to me throwing things to Cissy and the others. I believe I saw this same behavior last summer before the kits arrived and I think we decided she's aware that the goodies come from me, and she wants to secure those resources for her new kits when they arrive. It is interesting to observe these behaviors though.
On that note, I saw the most incredible thing from Heidi back when she was driving the others out but didn't have time to tell you then. The process took 2 days. I told you about Day 1 when Cissy and Dennis helped Heidi round the others up and bounce them from the yard. On Day 2, Heidi arrived and started eating from the dish closest to me. She was ruthless in chasing the others out, not like any of the bluffing I'd seen in the past. You could tell she meant business. I had some kind of candy at the time. When I tossed it to the others around the periphery where she had driven them, Heidi just glared at me with an unmistakable look of frustration. She didn't want them to eat farther out, she wanted them to leave altogether and I wasn't helping. So then, Heidi came over to me as if asking for treats. Now, I know from experience, that Heidi doesn't eat candy and such, but I gave her a piece and she nibbled at it (like we all did with those peas as a kid) and took it back to her dish. As i threw stuff she started running to and fro (again like a tennis player) grabbing all of the candy and chasing everybody away. It was almost hilarious to watch as Heidi did this "mine, mine" thing running about grabbing treats and stashing them around her dish. I even tossed a [Chinese takeout] box of rice and Heidi ran some 2.5ft to grab it and take it back to her area. I knew at the time she wouldn't eat it. She nibbled the top and then added it to the growing stash around her area. I wish you could have been there to see her, and I wish I could do a better job of describing it. Heidi didn't eat any of that stuff. In the end, after she and the kids had successfully driven the others away, she ate her cat food and left. It was quite clear that she had just gathered all that stuff up to keep the others from getting it. In the past I've unintentionally undermined her efforts by tossing food to the others on the side lines and over at the fence. This time she fixed that problem by collecting all that food. LOL at how ingenious they are!
I haven't seen any of the others since that 2nd Day when she collected all of the treats and drove them out, BTW.
Edited because oops, Heidi nibbled as apposed to 'nippled' (now how did that get past google anyhow?)
This message was edited Apr 17, 2008 8:10 AM
LOL, just came back from walking Widget. Puddle was out there eating left overs from the buffet. Seems like Widget is less offended by possums on his turf than he is raccoons. Widget ran up to Puddle who simply ignored him and continued eating while Widget stood beside him watching and apparently not knowing what to do next, since his bluff was obviously not working. (And maybe Widget remembered a little of the pool lesson as he wasn't so rambunctious as usual in his attempts to chase the critters from the yard.)
Even as I stood 20ft away fussing at Widget and trying to call him back, Puddle went on eating as though neither of us was there. I got Widget to come back over to me, and then stood there directing him to 'go', our word for, well, you know. After a while Puddle waddled over to the copper basins (Sunday I cleaned and filled them all) to drink. At that Widget again took offense and ran over to object. Again, Puddle stood his ground. As I walked over there I could hear Puddle drinking noisily as Widget stood only inches away looking befuddled.
One last time I called Widget back to me. This time I was able to convince him to finish his task. All the while, Puddle continued eating and drinking just a few yards away. I thought it was quite delightful that everyone was getting along so well and that Puddle had also become quite comfortable around us.
Almost forgot to mention. Didn't have a lot of time to 'play' tonight. Took out the last of the fig bars from the freezer. Gave some 1/2 to Cissy and 1/2 to HRH when he showed up. Also took out a small handful - a side stem of maybe 15 or so - of red, seedless grapes - very, very sweet, BTW, almost pure sugar.
The sweetness of the grapes and the competition from the others, esp Cissy, brought out Bad Dennis. He was all 'me, me' 'grabby', so I had to make him stay back and eat from the ground. When all of the grapes were gone and after he gave up on them, Dennis jumped up into the chair beside me to look for cat food in the box. It would have made a cute pic. To bad I didn't have the camera.
Oh, and although I had tossed maybe 4 fig bars over to where he was eating, when the fig bars stopped flowing, HRH walked slowly over to me and stood looking at me in his own, sweet manner to see if I might give him more. He never acts up or even begs - not right for the king I suppose. He just walks up and stands for a minute as if to see if his presence might prompt me to give him more, in case I'd forgotten about him.
Wow, I can picture Dennis climbing up into the chair next to you--priceless!
Certainly sounds like Heidi is establishing her dominance once again; the story of the food roundup is priceless, and I can just see it from your description. HRH's gentlemanly approach in hope of further treats is just adorable: such a gentleman, that fellow.
When the fur over Trouble's wound grows back to normal length, your ID difficulties for the two big boys will be even greater. Typically, the undercoat (solid gray) grows in first, then the top coat that has bands of color on each strand of fur. The scar on HRH's face, though, will no doubt remain - and that will help.
Yesterday around 6PM when I got home from work, I went out into the back yard with Widget. While he was doing his thing (which includes smelling every inch of land where the critters have been), I was checking out new developments in the garden and photographing blooms. It was still quite bright and sunny out. As I stood by the fence to photograph a rose there, I suddenly became aware of the brownish ball of fur sitting on the limb beside me. It was Heidi. I spoke to her and she thought that was her cue to come down the fence. After I put Widget away, I took the food out for her. Since I had my camera, I took video of her entire visit. Nothing too interesting happened but I figured you could see what I see. Haven't had time to post it yet though.
She looked quite scruffy, so much so that I didn't even recognize her. She looked like something the cat drug in. Then I remembered last year when I said similiar things and Ruth explained that this is normal during nursing. I do think she looks a bit old though, but then according to my calculations she is already older than the avg lifespan of a wild raccoon.
Once again - as happened the last time I put food out early - when Widget and I went out for the midnight walk, Dennis was waiting for us. More at 11.
Reading your latest post makes me wonder if the reason the coons accept widget is because he all over the yard and his scent is constantly there mixed with their's. So maybe they think he like a distant cuz or somethign since he small too.
starlight,
Maybe, although I tend to think it's a combination of the fact that they don't feel threatened by him - even though he tries - and, in a sense, he is part of the larger family, like me.
Last night once again I let Widget out without the leash (thinking since I'd already fed the raccoons they would be gone) and he immediately ran after Dennis. And once again, Dennis handled the situation quite admirably - and comically. Widget really gets right up in his face, nipping at him, trying to push him back. Dennis just bobs and weaves, hides his face, and ignores Widget.
At one point the 2 ran into a line of shrubs in a densely planted bed. Widget was chasing Dennis and was close on his tail. As soon as they disappeared into the shrubs, Widget let out a wail of pain and I, of course, just knew that Dennis had finally lost his cool and clobbered Widget. Widget came out all tangled up in a thin rose vine, looking like an escapee from max security prison tangled in razor wire. The funny thing was, and this goes to your comment, Starlight, Dennis came out right behind Widget and stood there looking at Widget almost as though concerned for the little guy. He was like, "Honest, Mom, I was only playing with him. I don't know what happened. I didn't hurt him. Honest."
The rose vine was one of those things I haven't gotten around to 'fixing' yet in the garden. It's a runaway groundcover rose that has managed to entangle itself in almost everything. Unlike regular roses, the vines are very fine and quite flexible yet covered with lots of small, sharp thorns.
Ouch! Poor baby! I know exactly how he feels, as I've been clearing those and invasive honeysuckle from our woods. Those thorns grab ahold of you and don't let go! I have scratches all over my arms, but it's too hot to wear long sleeves. It was 80 here yesterday, and it seems it will get that hot again today.
It's about the same here, KyWoods. Hard to believe it's only April and I have to do my work early AM and/or late afternoon. Whenever I work with or prune the roses I always look like I've tangled with a tiger. BTW, I recently read that you can get some pretty nasty (even deadly) micro-organisms from the soil and such when working around and being scratched by roses. I read about several people who died, one from botulism and another from that flesh eating bacteria. It (the incidence of contracting such things while working around roses) must be pretty rare, but thought you should know.
BTW, poor little Widget gets so tied up in the rose vines that he can't move in any direction. I have to go and cut him out of there. He has learned to stay away from them mostly, but went in while chasing Dennis. I guess he thought if Dennis could make it, he could too, but they have vastly different coats. Raccoon fur seems to shed everything while Maltese fur is like velcro.
I really thought Dennis was too cute when he came back out of the bushes to hang around Widget when Widget got hung up in the briers. I swear Dennis almost looked concerned.
Eeew, thanks for the warning about the briars! I guess long sleeves and sweating more is better than flesh-eating bacteria! I didn't encounter any today, though, thank goodness.
I do feel badly for Widget, but that must have been truly comical to see him wearing rose vines. No doubt a real mess with his long flowing coat.
Yes, Heidi is a very mature raccoon; but she must be in great overall health (thanks in large part to her nutritious diet at the diner), or she wouldn't still be able to reproduce. And you're right, looking rough is perfectly normal for lactating females, even young ones. It takes a whole lot out of them to raise a litter.
Mornign all! I went to bed with this thought on my mind. I think it great that Widget is accpeted and more or less either ignored or treated as one of th egang, but what had me wonderign adn worrying when I went to sleep last night, is what happens if they become to comfortable around Widget. Will they possible encounter another dog the same size or even bigge and think that because of the good encounters they have had with Widget that they would not need to worry about being approached or possibly attacked by other dogs.
I worried that maybe the missign fur was from such attack and that maybe they think since Widget tame (just a barker) that maybe they didn't run from another dog and that how they got the battle scars.
Not tryign to be scarey, but worryign about the coons especially if they get even more positive interaction from Widget.
On a happier not, poor Widget, he does seem to be gettign the worst end of the deal. LOL Poor puppy : ) Hoep he got a couple extra hugs.
Poor Widget, first the pool now the roses! It is starting to look like one of those cartoons like roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote. I give you three guesses who the coyote is ------
I do not think that the racoons will lose their fear of other animals though, we thought the same thing when they got comfortable around Cheryl but are wise enough to know to still be cautious around humans. I would bet the same thing is true regarding dogs as well.
Whew! Things have been relentless here. Last night I was hoping to do a little writing but then 'we' decided to Go Green, do the Lights Out thing, and live by candlelight - mostly because a storm took the power out for the evening.
A few quick highlights from recent days:
Heidi has been coming in daylight now. After work I try to get out there as early as I can to feed her. None of the others have shown an inclination to come out of the forest in daylight, so Heidi gets to eat a nice peaceful meal alone - well, except for me, of course.
Ever since I started feeding Heidi early and put all of the food out at that time, I have had late night stragglers in the yard scrounging for food nightly. So far I've seen Dennis, HRH, and now Cissy after hours when I try to take Widget out. (Is it possible to have 2 back yards?. I need one for raccoons, and one for Widget since now it seems no matter when we go out from the time I get home until well after midnight, some raccoon is sure to be waiting for us.)
The other night when Widget got all tangled up in the roses, I pulled the rose vines off of him and took him back inside. In the minute or so that it took me to walk through the door, set Widget down and turn around to close the door, I found Dennis standing across the threshold with his front 1/2 inside and his hind end outside. This time I caught him just in time to send him back out, but fear that one day he will end up inside.
Frankly, based on Dennis' reaction to most things, I doubt he will be at all upset inside - although I am not looking forward to that day. I suspect he will be like a kid in a candy store looking around at all of the new stuff to explore, climb on, try to take apart, etc. Now, Widget, will be another matter altogether. Widget will have a fit and will start cause problems by chasing Dennis. Ouch. not a pretty sight.
Anyhow, as I was trying to get through the door without letting Dennis in, Widget slipped out again and ran after Dennis - again. This time, Dennis ran around a line of shrubs near the patio and then sat down to hide behind them in a spot that just happened to be clearly visible from the house. Widget went barrelling around the shrubs after him. As he rounded the end of the line of shrubs, Widget appeared to loose the trail - clearly Maltese aren't Blood hounds. While Dennis was sitting all ninja like up against the shrubs just to the left as you enter the clearing (clearing you come to after you go around the row of shrubs), Widget was looking to the right. So there just around the row of shrubs was Widget nose to the ground sniffing away, searching for Dennis, and Dennis sitting quietly behind him watching him - it was like the animal version of Hide and Seek. After a minute or so, I guess Dennis got tired of waiting, so he stepped up to sniff Widget's backside while Widget was still searching diligently for him! That was hilarious to watch. Wish you could have been there or at least that I might have had the camera out.
Finally got everybody where they belonged that night without incident, got Dennis fed and Widget 'watered' and Cheryl to bed.
The next night when I took Widget out around midnight I had him on the leash as I was expecting Dennis to show up. That night it was Cissy who stepped out of the darkness. Cissy behaves more like HRH. She steps out rather demurely and looks at me as if to say, "Oh, sorry, I can see that you are busy. Don't let me interrupt. I'll just be over here in the feeding area - in case you find some of that yummy cat food lying around the house when you are done with whatever you are doing. No rush." So, of course, I fed her.
Last night we had a pretty hefty storm, thunder, lightening, wind, tons of rain - although nothing like what some of you have been seeing per the news. Sometime late (no power, no clock) when there was a brief break in the rain, I took Widget out (on leash). I had Widget in one hand and a candle in the other (couldn't find any of the flashlights). Couldn't see very well with the candle shining in my face. While Widget was busy, I kept hearing noises from the forest. The lightening was pretty bad and the darkness was a little creepy (snakes), so I rushed back inside. Once inside I felt bad about whoever was out there in that storm waiting/looking for me. I looked out the French door and in the faint moonlight saw the hazy shadow of a raccoon walking around. Figured that must be Dennis. Grabbed the box of food and headed back out into the darkness, candle in hand, hoping I wouldn't step on Mr Copperhead or get struck by any of the lightening that kept illuminating me as I made my way out to the feeding area to fill one bowl for whoever was there. A raccoon, not sure if it was Dennis or Cissy stepped out of the bushes to eat. I think the candle may have been a little unnerving for them. Headed back to the house and to bed.
Oh, forgot to mention the funny part. This laugh is on me. Ever do something SO stupid, you just couldn't believe it? Well, as you know, sometimes I take eggs out for the raccoons and I often put them in my pocket to conserve hands. Yesterday afternoon when I was feeding Heidi in the bright sunshine before the storm, I took 2 eggs along. I put one beside her dish when I filled it and kept the other planning to offer it to her only if she ate the 1st one. She had a tremendous appetite. Her dish holds about 4cups of food. I had probably put some 3 cups in it as it was not quite full. She ate (rapidly, like a 'woman' on a mission) right down to the last few bits of kibble. It was about that time that I reached down and to my right to grab a handful of kibble from the dish beside me and heard a disconcerting 'crunch' as I leaned against the side of the bench. No! It couldn't be, I thought as I patted the outside of my now flaccid and soggy pocket hoping to reassure myself that I hadn't 'injured' the remaining egg, but clearly I had. This was one of those novel moments I hadn't trained for. Not knowing quite what to do, I reached in quickly to try to salvage as much egg, pants, and dignity as I could, but again it was too late. I brought out a mass of broken shell dripping a scrambled mass of yolk and egg white - and quickly tossed that beside Heidi. Then as she sat licking it up off the ground, not wanting to disturb her meal, I sat quietly trying not to focus on the rest of the egg now dripping down my pants leg...
Addendum:
Yesterday afternoon I was frantically clearing the garden path to make room for the lawn beast - that thing is really making my life much easier but I need a way to circle through he garden as I cannot back up with cart attached. I was running the noisy hedger and string trimmer at the back of the yard near the feeding area. I knew it was nearing time for Heidi to come out to eat but was trying to get as much done as possible before the coming storm. I half figured the noise would send her running but then remembered that day when last summer when I was trying to maneuver the Beast around back there to cut the grass and then looked up to see Heidi sitting on the limb waiting for me to feed her. I had been astonished to see her sitting calmly - although impatiently - so close to where I was running the riding lawn mower. This time, after a few hours of weed whacking and running the hedger - and sailing limbs and branches across the yard to the brush pile back near the fence, I put away my power tools and went inside to get the food. Back at the feeding area, I sat down, called Heidi's name a time or two, and then got lost in a daydream for a minute or so as I looked at the tiny, inconspicuous flowers on the black cherry tree across the fence and though how those would grow to make food for the birds and maybe even the raccoons. Then I turned to look back at the Heidi tree - awakened from my daydream by that feeling that someone was watching me, maybe? And my eyes caught the sight of 2 eyes and a spot of fur looking out at me from the branches. "Heidi!" I said, and just like that she came down to the yard. Either her nest is close enough for her to hear me call or she had been there all the time and through all the noise.
BTW, as I was back there working, from time to time I thought I heard faint baby animal cries. I figured I was hearing things, figured surely raccoon babies would know to be quiet. But now am wondering because one time while Heidi was eating I heard that faint cry again, and Heidi heard it too. She stopped eating, turned toward the forest and listened intently for a few minutes during which nothing could convince her to continue eating until she had satisfied herself that all was ok in the forest.
BTW, today as I was taking photos, I saw this and took a pic for you, Terese. I had just cleaned and refill this container last weekend. Yesterday, I found the blue dog taking a soak or a bubble bath or something. Figured I'd get that pic for you. As disgusting as the blue dog is now in human terms, the raccoons still seem to like to play with him.
Cheryl -- Poor Widget.... Dennis is playing with him and i dont think he realizes it, or wants nothing to do with it.
that must have been a real sight... Dennis playing hide and seek with poor Widg.
Dennis probably beside himself laughing that the dog couldnt find him, that he had to go give him a sniff.
what a hoot!!
OH and to think he was this close to entering that magical kingdom where all the goodies come from!!
LOL --- and yes, i did let out a laugh when i saw it.... that lil blue dog just gets dragged everywhere!!
Hi Terese,
Yes, it was too funny to see. I was having trouble figuring how to describe it. Imagine them both running through a doorway. Dennis goes through 1st and sits down up against the wall just to the left of the doorway. Widget rushed through right behind him, doesn't see Dennis sitting to his left, turns right as he enters the doorway and then stands there just inside the doorway, facing to the right, sniffing so hard you could hear him trying desperately to find Dennis - who is still sitting to the left of the entrance, directly behind him! They looked like something out of one of those old cartoons. Wasn't there one, Deputy Dog, maybe, where some animal was always getting over on the dog? (Of course, some of you may not be old enough to remember these cartoons, except from reruns.)