Cider Press Hill

One happy chipmunk

This morning the air smells powerfully like a sack of wet clams with a side of seaweed. We’re socked in with fog right off the ocean and it also crept into the house through the open windows. I met the day with a natural foggy dew and a bit of a shiver. In other words—clammy. Everything is chill and damp. Understandable after three days of relentless rain and, now, mist and fog. There seems to be no consensus, yet, on whether it will burn off later this morning or continue through the day. I’ve had enough of this.

Yesterday, however, I found a way to have fun with rain. A soggy chipmunk arrived on the deck in the early afternoon. He looked as though he’d had just about enough rain, too. He tried several times to crawl under the new lawn mower and its handsome new overcoat, but it was too snug and secure. He couldn’t get in. He sat under the table for a while, but the wind carried the rain underneath and he got even wetter.

So I thought it might be fun to make him shelter. There was a large empty flower pot sitting down beside the deck. I hauled it up on the deck and tucked it in a corner, upside down. I stuck a block of wood under the rim so there was just enough space for a chipmunk to crawl inside. And then I thought...well, why not put something soft and dry inside. I stuck a few clean rags underneath with a small handful of sunflower seeds for temptation.

And then I hung around the door waiting to see if he’d come back.

Yes, indeed he did. The sunflower seeds were the draw, I’m sure, but it didn’t take long for him to pop under the flower pot, with a cheek full of seeds, where he spent considerable time rearranging the rags to his liking. Soon he was settled in and I didn’t see many signs of movement for the rest of the afternoon.

He was gone at sunset, but I was pleased that he took advantage of the hospitality for a few hours.

Posted on 06/26/06 at 06:14 AM
 




Dave

With all the animals surrounding you, I’m reminded of Disney’s treatment of Cinderella, with all the mice, birds, and other little friends.  Minus the wicked step-mother, mercifully. :-P

United States   Posted by Dave on 06/26/06  at  05:57 AM





Kate

Unfortunately, I can’t sing as well as she could nor entice little birds to eat out of my hand. But I like the image. smile

We do seem to have a lot of little critters here. I haven’t seen anything larger than a squirrel in the yard this year though, not counting seagulls, of course.

United States   Posted by Kate on 06/26/06  at  06:38 AM





justme

BC woke up this morning and asked, “Why does everything feel so sticky and wet?” LOL. We are all walking around with flip-flops on because the carpet feels just awful and sticky, yuck!

United States   Posted by justme on 06/26/06  at  07:18 AM





Kate

As do the walls and the woodwork and the furniture. Even my clothes are damp. It’s gross. Totally. I’m wearing my fuzzy slippers cuz I’m freezing.

United States   Posted by Kate on 06/26/06  at  07:42 AM





cyn

try vacuuming hardwood floors-- I did yesterday.  The only thing I can think of to compare it with is that it might have felt like pushing cement with a broom, assuming you would want to.  Disgusting and yes, wearing flip flops cause bare feet are leaving footprints all over the place. Eeeeuuuuwwww.
Cute story with the chipmunk, but I assume you do know how destructive they are??  One got shut in my garage a few weeks ago by accident and he chewed his way out.  Now, when it rains (and of course, when doesn’t it), my garage is flooding where he made the hole.  They are adorable, but incredibly destructive.  About on a par with red squirrels only not nasty as they are.

United States   Posted by cyn on 06/26/06  at  09:37 AM





Kate

Oh, this weather is ridiculous. Now it’s hot outside and oppressively humid. It makes you sweat to breathe. And I’m still sticking to everything I touch. But it’s not raining, for the moment.

My favorite weatherman says:

AS DEEP TROPICAL AIR TAKES HOLD...FLOODING RAINS SHIFT WEST FOR NOW AND EXCEPTIONALLY RARE BEAUTIFUL BLUE SKIES APPEAR BETWEEN CLOUDS.

He’s sure got the exceptionally rare part right. The rains moves back in on Wednesday. I don’t even wanna know for how long.

My grass, meanwhile, is definitely growing. And it’s way too wet to cut.

United States   Posted by Kate on 06/26/06  at  02:56 PM





Kate

Yeah, I know chipmunks are destructive, Cyn. (They are so adorable though.) But I thought if I gave him a nice dry place to hang out he wouldn’t chew his way into the new lawn mower cover. That worked. He didn’t.

Terry usually keeps the little critters away, but she doesn’t do rain. So they’ve been around a lot this summer.

United States   Posted by Kate on 06/26/06  at  03:00 PM





cassie-b

What a nice story about the little critter.  I don’t suppose you took any pictures.

Cas

United States   Posted by cassie-b on 06/27/06  at  09:50 AM





Lynn Rockwell

This would make a great kids story Kate, with illustrations ... smile

Canada   Posted by Lynn Rockwell on 06/27/06  at  11:31 AM





Kate

No Cassie, no pictures. I would have had to wash the dog nose slobber marks off the slider door before taking pictures. Daily chore that is generally completely undone by noon.

Lynn, I wish I could illustrate. I so wish that I could draw and paint. Not that that would get a book written or that children’s book publishers like their authors to illustrate their own work, but allowances could be made. smile

United States   Posted by Kate on 06/27/06  at  08:07 PM





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