babies

Some critter surprises

/ Re-Farmer / 6 Comments

I got to see the kittens again this evening, but this morning, I had quite the critter surprise!

To top up our potato grow bags, I headed to the outer hard with the wheelbarrow, with the tools needed to rake up some grass clippings for much, and get a load of garden soil from the pile.

As I headed passed the big branch pile, I saw movement at the garden soil. Two furry creatures, right where I needed to go to shovel soil!

When they saw me, one of them dashed under the branches, but the other froze in place.

Watching me.

Even as I came closer, it didn’t move.

Which means I finally got a good picture of our mystery critter!

It didn’t move away until I picked up the shovel and started walking right up to it! Then it dashed under the branch pile, too.

I have no idea what they were doing on the dirt pile. They weren’t digging or anything. They seemed to be just looking around. Maybe playing?

As I came back several times to get more soil or rake up more clippings, I had to pass the branch pile each time. A couple of times, the branch pile screamed at me! Of all the names these guys have – woodchuck, groundhog, marmot, etc. – whistle pig seems the most appropriate to the noise they make!

Gosh, it’s so cuty.

Speaking of cute…

As I finished the evening watering and came around to the front of the house to put things away, I saw a skunk running out of the kibbled house and towards the storage house. As I went to the sun room, I saw the mama skunk peek out at me, her babies tucked close against her. When she saw me staying by the house, she decided it was safe to head towards the kibble house.

With her THREE babies!

Three! I hadn’t seen the third one before!

Though they went for the kibble house, when I came around the other side to look at them, they all ran off again, this time leaving the yard completely.

While going back and forth to put things away, I paused for a while to say hello to the kittens, who were with Butterscotch at their food and water bowls.

I was never able to get a picture with the calico, though.

I left a camp chair near the food bowl, so we can sit comfortably while letting the kittens get used to us. This kitten was very fascinated by the wiggling toe of my shoe!

I just managed to get a picture of her when she decided to stand up on her hind legs and bat at her mother. 😀

Gosh, they are cute.

We got cute critters all over the place, today!

The Re-Farmer

I can’t do it anymore

/ Re-Farmer / 8 Comments

Nope. I can’t.

Because I’m a suck.

When we find the skunks in the kibble house, we have been chasing them away with the hose. Today, I went out to do the watering and saw a couple of skunks. One immediately ran off and I saw it head under the storage house. The bigger one kept on eating. When I sprayed it with the hose, it disappeared behind the cat shelter, so I went around the kibble house to spray it away.

Instead, I saw her run off, but something looked very different. She had something in her mouth, and… a second tail?

It was her babies. She ran off, carrying one in her mouth, while a second one stayed close beside her.

I just can’t do it anymore. I can’t chase off hungry babies!

They’re not hurting the cats, nor being aggressive. They’re digging up the yard for grubs, but that doesn’t bother me. The only real issue is that kibble is bad for them, but not nutritionally. It’s about how their jaws are hinged. But we have hungry mamas that feel safe enough to bring their hungry babies to the kibble house! How can I possible keep chasing them away?

I am such a suck.

The Re-Farmer