These are random musings of my life journey, the people, animals, places, and events which have woven, and continue to weave, a tapestry that is me. We all know there is no real destination, only the ongoing experiences which blend together, creating the trail. Each step gives a glimpse of what is to come, without allowing me to see the end result. It is exciting. I have a home base that is mine, that gives me a place to rest. This is it. This is where my heart is, no matter where I journey...................

Monday, November 23, 2009

Oh, yeah ....

I forgot to tell you the end of one of my stories. Remember just before I left for the trip to Tucson, I told you about the marauding raccoons? I tried several remedies to their continual raiding of the birdseed barrel which held sunflower seeds for the last three years, including putting weighted items on top, bungee cords, etc. Nothing worked. They continued to get inside and steal the sunflower seeds. My last attempt was to duct tape the lid on! I put eight strips over the top, tucking them tightly inside the rim, then wrapping another several strips around the ends to make it hard to loosen them.

Here is a picture, but I've opened it since then. Imagine that the duct tape is still in place.

The next morning, some of the tape was torn through, but the lid was still on! I felt pretty proud of myself!

Until I noticed that there were sunflower seeds all over the deck around it!! How did they do it?? I approached the can cautiously, thinking they might have squeezed in where the tape was loosened, and god help me if I opened it with one stuck inside!!

But I needn't worry. There were no raccoons. However, I found out how they got to the seeds!! Little buggers!! Look at this:

Can you believe it! They simply tore open the side of the heavy Rubbermaid can!!

So having run out of time, I drug the thing to the well house and closed it up in there the night before I left for Tucson. I knew it would be safe there till I returned and figured out a way to store it.

Then I came home and found that in their search for food, they found the other storage, about which I'd forgotten!! It was stored under a bench and holds about 40 lbs of regular wild bird seed. They had puled it out from under the bench and pried the top off. If you look carefully, you can see the scratch marks where they worked to get the top off.
Apparently, they didn't care for the seed in here like they did the sunflower seeds, as most of it was still there. I've now combined the two, regular seed mix and sunflower seeds in this container, and it is inside the house!! Man, they are persistent little pests! Cute but pesky nuisances!!

The big can is in the bed of the truck and will be in the dumpster later today. Maybe we can sever our strange relationship now? Not holding my breath!!!

9 comments:

  1. Well...they showed you. I am totally laughing out loud here looking at that picture. How funny...even though I know it's not funny to you.

    Kind of reminds me of the movie "The Great Outdoors" where they have a bunch of scenes with the racoons getting in the trash with what they would be saying...very funny.

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  2. I'll tell you, they are smart, crafty little goobers!! No, it is very funny now, but when it was going on, I was frustrated, because I didn't need to be spending time on that! I had a trip to prepare for!! I can almost hear them talking and laughing about my futile attempts, too!

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  3. Queenie, so do I! I'm still wondering how they missed the buffet on my deck for 3 years!!

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  4. Holy moly they're persistent!

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  5. Maybe you could try a metal trash can with chains and padlock!! I have my seeds in the garage and so far they haven't figured out how to open the door but if they get hungry enough they just might! As for that sweet little deer camping in your yard, maybe the puppies will just have to stay in on those nights she visits. You have a real Wild Kingdom right there in your backyard. I can relate as I do too. Sometimes during the summer I am awakened by the racoons screaming at each other and fighting over whose turn it is at the birdfeeder. Scares the crap out of me!! I've also been visited by deer, possums, skunks, ground hogs, geese, ducks, foxes and hawks. And I live in a subdivision!!

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  6. Deb, you know, I think being in the suburbs is worse than out here. Our housing progress has taken over so much of their territory, and if they don't move away from the congestion, they really have to scrap for food. Where I am, the animals can, for the greater part, fend for themselves in the natural habitat.

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  7. My neighbors experienced the same thing.

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  8. Maybe it's the time of year?

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If you have something to say about it, just stick out your thumb, and I'll slow down so you can hop aboard! But hang on, 'cause I'm movin' on down the road!!! No time to waste!!!