Ham Is Not To Their Liking

   The conundrum of the starving, displaced critters is saddening but I can only do so much to help.  Thankfully, I have had to "clean out" one of the freezers as it is starting to go bad.  The freezer is old so this is just what I have been needing to get myself in gear and do a purge.  Instead of just tossing everything at one time, I have been doling the foodstuffs out over a series of days.  This is probably a bad idea as it draws critters like a magnet.  Still, since they are starving and the food is beyond its prime, it is helpful on both ends.  Last night saw me tossing some ham that had been in the freezer for some years.  It had gotten down under other things and was forgotten.  As I chopped the sliced ham in small portions, I figured that the coons would, at least, enjoy the meal.  I was wrong.

  Just before dark, I peeked out the door and found that four young raccoons (last year's litter) were nibbling birdseed.  Their round, little mama had obviously brought them to introduce them to a free meal.  She will soon abandon them while she has her next litter.  The youngsters will then be on their own...ready or not.  The coons, however, were not one bit interested in the ham.  It sat in the old pan untouched.  Wow!  That sure makes you wonder about the edibility of ham!  If coons won't eat it, something is amiss!  Coons eat just about anything!  (I am glad I do not eat meat.)  Nary a coon tasted the ham.  They kept  nibbling birdseed.

  A bit later, I peeked again and found that there was one critter that had no qualms about munching down the preservative laden ham.  A box turtle had made its way to the buffet and was right up in the pan enjoying the ham slices.  Go figure.  

  The coons are going to be in for a big surprise soon as the foodstuffs from the freezer are dwindling and soon the handouts will be scarce.  Hopefully, the youngsters will have enough sense to find their own meals from this point.  There are plenty of fiddler crabs and bull minnows just waiting to be caught so they had better learn to hunt real soon.  At least, my handouts will have given them something to munch in the meantime.  Sorry, my critter friends, the free ride is about to end.  Now go be a coon and not a wannabe pet.  The turtle, on the other hand, is welcome to stay in the gardens.