Bandits

I know that spring really is just around the corner when suddenly in the night the dogs bark and pound on the glass of my deck door.

"Something's out there," they tell me. "It's those bandits - those bad raccoons. We have to get rid of them! Hurry! Let us out!"

Poor creatures coming out of hibernation looking for a free meal.

These robbers search for people's homes - why not? A free meal is much more likely where people are.
This fellow found my friend Sue's deck where there is a lot of bird seed.

I've told you about the dog's adventures with two young raccoons one night, a baby the other, and for the past week one who has made it's bed in the rafters of my drive shed.

While I feel badly for these critters, not finding a lot of their natural food, frogs, insects, crayfish for example, around at this still frosty time of year, I resent their trying to take down my feeders.

The first indication I had that they were awake and wandering was finding my suet feeder high on the branch from which it hung... empty. Licked clean!

I wouldn't worry so much I suppose, except that wherever they spend a lot of time I'm going to find fleas, among other unpleasant things... part of spring clean-up I guess.

Tracks around my home, through the fields where I walk my dogs and stories from friends tell me that these early spring risers are truly out and about now. And spring (yippee) is closer than ever. Several degrees above freezing today. Now, that will be lovely.

A long way from warm temperatures and balmy breezes and I know there will be at least one more big storm to come... but wonderful nonetheless.

Enjoy your day today - hope the sun is out wherever you are! Or you're getting much needed rain if that's the case too.