Cute, fuzzy, stripey, little
We are overrun this summer. Five, six, a dozen, twenty, all boiling around the yard intent on mischief.
Planted squash in a big bin to get it off the ground away from squash mosaic virus, which seems endemic around here. They unplanted it and replaced it with sunflower seeds they stole from the birds...
Which sprouted with great vigor and are all toppling over one another in their race for the sky. I like sunflowers and all, but tiny summer squash sauteed in butter, with a dab of green onion, a touch of garlic and Italian seasoning, with baby green beans thrown in....well, that trumps vagrant sunflowers any dinner of the season.
Weeded the tiny patch of thyme that sows itself here and there every summer. I love to cook with thyme and so does Liz. Some of the tiny, eyelash-thin plants were uprooted in the effort so I potted them in a little strawberry planter we had.
Wouldn't it be cute if they sowed themselves and ran down the sides...and wouldn't it be nice to bring the planter indoors in winter and have fresh thyme all year round.
Evidently tamias striatus didn't think so. They have dug in the top and every hole on the planter every single day since I planted them there. Big steel staples don't deter them one bit. Today I wedged the seedlings down with a big rock. Not so very elegant, but maybe it will work.
I could go on and on. Since I can't figure out how to properly seat a cartridge in my little Crossman CO2 pistol (which doesn't do much more than tick them off, but at least they run away when I go outdoors), and it is currently dead, they thumb their furry noses at me and don't even move when I walk right up to them.
At least none have come in the house....so far.... Ack!
I poked one in the fanny with a cow pole the other day and he just turned around and glared at me and went back to prising sunflower seeds out of the wire feeder in an utter huff.
Somebody help me...
A cousin in Jersey Shore, PA reports he too is overrun with the little striped menaces. His outdoor cats ignore them. (Perhaps they are afraid of the gang waiting around the next rock pile.) He's had luck with his air rifle (hits with the velocity of a .22) but reports he's gonna have to get more ammo.
ReplyDeleteI have only one or two around my place. And, I've watched the three outdoor cats capture--and play with those. Haven't seen them kill any--yet. Perhaps the cats prefer them as toys.
Howdy!
ReplyDeleteWe too, here in Maine, are overrun.
.410 shotgun. Just saying.
Diane
They are quite cute and adorable...in your yard.
ReplyDeleteI had to LAUGH!!! Although I would not like them in my yard, you made the whole sorry mess sound funny
ReplyDeleteWhich sprouted with great vigor and are all toppling over one another in their race for the sky. I like sunflowers and all, but tiny summer squash sauteed in butter, with a dab of green onion, a touch of garlic and Italian seasoning, with baby green beans thrown in....well, that trumps vagrant sunflowers any dinner of the season.
Now this....YUM!
Joated, I have read that they don't taste terribly good. We used to have one barn cat that ate them, but since we sold the cows we keep no outdoor cats anymore.
ReplyDeleteHi Dianne, the .410 has been suggested but I am a bit nervous firing anything other than the pellet gun right next to the house, trucks, etc. I may reach that point though. LOL
Jan, yeah, I love to photograph them.....out in the woods! lol
Linda, it's all tongue in cheek. They are a pest and all, but not as bad as the woodchucks and cottontails. One little squash did sprout and hopefully it will give us a few dinners. If not I guess I'll have to buy some.
How about acquiring a Rat Terrier? But that dog would dig up your garden worse than the chipmunks do.
ReplyDeleteJacqueline, actually, Mack, a Jack Russell Terrier was acquired with that sort of thing in mind. Alas, as you suggested he tears the garden up worse than the pests and kills chickens to boot. lol
ReplyDelete