We became official ‘country dwellers’ in the summer of 1980. From that time on we have had opportunities to interact with our ‘neighbors’.
The first thing I learned about our ‘neighbors’ was that they were in charge! That means they do whatever they want to do.
I first discovered their tenacity to do whatever they wanted to do when I attempted to grow pumpkins in our garden. I planted the seed and waited and waited for the pumpkin cotyledons to pop out of the soil. I finally lost patience and did a search for the seeds in the soil where they were planted. There were no seeds to be found!
I never actually caught the little fellows digging up the pumpkin seeds so I would have no success in winning a case in a court of law. But I suspect the culprits were either the thirteen-lined ground squirrels (striped gophers), the Richardson ground squirrels or both.
Some years the seeds survived but as soon as the little plant popped through the soil the ‘neighbors’ had a feast.
Now you understand who the ‘neighbors’ are that I will be referring to as this blog continues.
One early morning our dog, Sam, began barking frantically.
We are about to meet a new ‘neighbor’.
When we went in search of what was causing all of the racket, we discovered Sam had a very upset woodchuck cornered at our front door.
The woodchuck responded to Sam’s barking by clicking his large front teeth together and the clickety, clackety sound prevented Sam from getting too close to the noisy woodchuck.
Finally, the woodchuck made a break for it and ran underneath the car and climbed up on the motor.
Sam spent the afternoon barking and running circles around the car.
So, I got the brilliant idea that if I climbed into the car, started it up and drove it into the tree windbreak the woodchuck would escape in the tall grass and peace and quiet would once again reign.
I drove carefully hoping the woodchuck wouldn’t get tangled up with the fan belt.
I was disappointed, however, as Sam continued barking.
Finally, I raised the hood of the car and there I discovered Mr. Woodchuck pinned down by the steering wheel column.
A slight turn of the steering wheel released the trapped woodchuck, and it hopped off the motor, hit the ground and scurried into the shelter of a woodpile.
The most impolite ‘neighbor’ introduced himself to our family one night at 3:00 a.m.
I had forgotten to lower the garage door before going to bed.
I was awakened by loud banging coming from the garage.
Being that I was the guy who failed to close the garage door I felt it only fair that I head to the garage and discover what was causing all the racket.
As I look back at that adventure, I did make two blunders. I turned on the garage light and opened the door to the garage.
The light coming on frightened the mystery intruder and since the intruder was a skunk you know what happened next! 🙁
Phe-e-w!!
When I opened the garage door the skunk smell was drawn into the house.
I went to school that morning assuming the smell would dissipate and as I was taking roll for my first hour class, I heard a student complain, “I smell a skunk!”
Our daughter was going to attend her Junior/Senior prom that weekend. I rushed the prom dress to the dry cleaners and when it was returned, I removed the plastic bag and smelled.
It smelled like skunk!!
Our daughter celebrated her prom with a very unusual perfume that spring. 🙁
Speaking of spring reminds me of a couple ‘neighbors’ that I do not look forward to encountering, the mosquito and the wood tick. Especially since I have diagnosed myself as someone who suffers as a hypochondriac.
Our 7.9 acres contains a grassland, a tree grove, and a flowing creek. If we tried to determine the ‘neighbors’ in all of those habitats, we would have a blog that would be much too long.
So, we better stop with the thirteen- lined ground squirrel, Richardson ground squirrel, woodchuck, skunk, mosquito, and wood tick.
Your assignment for the next week is to notice all the ‘neighbors’ that you observe.
Happy spring!
Until next time. 🙂
