How much wood?

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? I don't know, but he sure does love to eat my corn.

Yesterday, the pups were going crazy at the window. I assumed they were fretting because of the deer. They come around in the early evening to munch on the goodies I have left them. Well, the pups didn't calm down after several minutes so I took a peek out the window. Hmmmm, it was no deer sitting there nibbling on the cracked corn I set out for the deer. At first, I thought maybe it was a rabbit since we have those, too. It's ears were way too small to be a rabbit. So, I went outside.

It turned and looked at me for a second then darted off for a wood pile. Definitely a woodchuck/ground hog. They are the same thing, aren't they? Anyway, I have seen some big ones munching in other people's yards around town. This one must be a baby guy. He was much smaller than the ones I have seen.

Personally, I think he is just as cute as a button and I'll continue to put out special treats for my backyard wildlife. Okay, except for the mole. Unfortunately, there were new tracks in the yard this morning, so I think the trap is not working. We set it again. Tomorrow is another day for trapping/spearing moles.

A few days ago, my neighbor commented that we have the assorted wildlife; deer, raccoon, birds, chipmunks, moles, rabbits, squirrels and then she mentioned the worst creature of all----OPOSSUM. I really, really, really don't like the possum. It's a long story. Okay, it goes like this...

When I was a child of 11 years of age, my family lived in Panama. As I was adventuresome and was not usually frightened by insects or other unusual creatures, I found that it was a fascinating place to live. Some animal of some sort or another crept into our lives and sometimes into our house nearly everyday. I remember one afternoon when my mother asked me to take the garbage outside. This was a typical request and I did as I was instructed. I tied up the ends of the Hefty bag and took it outside to the big metal tragicomic. I set the big green plastic trash bag on the ground next to the trash bins so I could use both hands to open the lid of one of the cans. As I did so, a hideous beast feasting inside the can protested my intrusion. It spun around and stared at me. Its glistening black eyes were wide open and it hissed at me showing its shiny white teeth. Its rat-tail curled around its black body. I screamed! I slammed the metal lid back down on the can and ran inside the house. I was still screaming. My mother rushed into the kitchen asking me what was wrong. I told her there was an animal in the trash. She laughed. I guess she thought I must have been hurt or something. Afterall, I was screaming as if my arm had been severed from my body. Clearly, my mother thought I had overreacted to a simple animal, probably a mouse, inside the trash can.

Imagine her surprise when she went to investigate my outlandish claim. I knew what was in the trash can and wanted nothing to do with it. I stayed in the doorway to the kitchen watching. When she lifted up the grey metal lid, that creature inside hissed at her. I could hear it from where I was.

My mother closed the lid, now a believer. She simply stated that it was a possum and that it was probably much more afraid of me than I was of it. Well, that meant it was scared out of its mind because I was terrified.

And you know what? That wasn't my ONLY run in with a possum. To this day, I get the heeby geebies whenever I think about those nasty creatures. So, heaven help the possum who decides to get a snack in MY yard. Oh no no. That would not be a good thing. No way. No how.