The Little Thief

I’ve mentioned before that we have raccoons that spend a great deal of time under our deck. They stick around because we do feed them although I always drop food down to them because I’m not crazy enough to get too close to them. After all, they are still wild animals.

They never get into our trash because the rolling bins are in the garage and only come out on pick up day. Plus, they get wheeled to the end of the driveway which is on the other side of the house from the woods and deck so it doesn’t seem to be worth the trip.

With the bird feeders and the woods, it was going to be hard to keep them away but the good news is that really dislike the hot pepper food we have to use. Unlike the squirrels and chipmunks who have apparently developed a taste for spicy things. So about the only things they get into are the pumpkins we put out in the fall. Those always end up with little holes chewed in them so they can reach in and scoop out the seeds.

We do have a birdbath on the upper deck and one of them has finally decided it is an easier source of water than going down the woods to the little creek that is sometimes dry. Her babies have followed her up and one has taken an interest in the little fountain we have in the bird bath. Tried to take it away a few nights but is always stopped by the electric cord.

My wife hung up some wind chimes that had been in the garage. I don’t remember where we got this one but the bottom part was a wooden fish (brightly painted). I guess it looked like a toy to this baby raccoon since we spotted him (or her) batting it around and chewing on it.

The other day I noticed it was gone. I don’t know if he chewed the thread or just pulled the fish off the thread but it was nowhere to be found. I’m not sure why this one decided he had to have this thing but it does appear it was stolen and is now property of a raccoon.

I still think they are cute though.