Nowadays, it is hard to tell just who you can trust. People are often all sweet to your face but will turn against you given a half of chance. (Notice, I said "people" and not folks. Folks are honest. People, on the other hand, tend to get on my nerves.) To me, those being sneaky and underhanded, while being sugar-coated in your presence are lower than low. I am a pretty easy-going person and like to give people the benefit of the doubt but, when that "doubt" is blatantly obvious, something has to be done. Life would be easier if the "cheats" all had to wear prison stripes so they can be easily identified.
In the critter world, there is a fish that is known to be a thief. In fact, it even wears those prison stripes to proclaim itself as a crook and bears a nickname of Convict Fish. The Sheepshead can steal a bait sooner than you can shake a stick making fishing problematic, at times. You are not going to catch supper with an empty hook. Occasionally, however, the fish is caught and the tables are turned. Its thieving ways are over and it must pay the price. Karma is served up on a big platter. It is amazing how fishing can be related to all things in life. Keeping that in mind, it is easier to sit on the pier and while away the hours than deal with people. Go fishing. It clears the mind.
Just when I think things are under control, a new wrinkle gets tossed in the laundry...or garden, in this case. This spring, the weather has been ideal for growing. Plants are flourishing and the garden is producing enough that I do not have to go grocery shopping. Actually, it is producing enough that I can preserve a good bit for this winter. I am pleased. With all the effort spent putting in and caring for the garden, it is nice to see some return. It is not nice, however, to see how the garden is being raided by those not willing to lend a hand.
About three days ago, I noticed a squirrel dart up the oak tree right next to the house. That critter had something rosy red in its clutches. My first thought was that the squirrel had raided the peach tree and made off with one of my lovely peaches. Not so. He had one of my lovely tomatoes instead! I figured that one tomato would not hurt that much so I did nothing to deter the critter. Now I find that perhaps I should have "had words" with this fine fellow. He has taken a notion that it is all fine and dandy to raid the garden on a daily basis. Still, this would not cause me worry except that the squirrel has decided that he should sample the goods before choosing his favorite. A nice, plump tomato was laid on the ground next to the bush. It was about one third eaten. Four other tomatoes were scattered about the garden. Obviously, the squirrel could not make up his mind which tasted the best. I was a tad miffed. to say the least.
I am quite sure that I have not seen the last of Mr. Squirrel so now the tomatoes are picked twice a day. None are left to tempt the squirrel. Maybe he will get the message that he is not welcome in the garden and he should stick with pillaging the bird feeders. I did notice that he is getting quite fat so perhaps karma will catch up with him. There is a huge hawk scanning the area so Mr. Squirrel might just become dinner for some little ones. Stay out of my garden!
While I love the critters that inhabit the Bayou, Creek and wooded area around here, I have to admit that occasionally I get a tad irritated at some of them. Just last week, I observed the squirrels munching the peaches. Three of them would slip into the garden, each grab a peach and scoot up the nearby Black Gum Tree. There, they would gnaw the peach and toss down the pit. Five nights ago, it was different critters in the same tree. The coons riddled the peach crop. It would not be so bad if they helped themselves to a few and then were so kind as to leave a few for us, but...NOOOO....they have to taste-test each and every peach on the tree. What they do not eat, they simply bit and dropped. One night and about half of the peaches were lost. Son and I went out the next day and picked the remaining fruit even though they were not quite ripe. Better to get what we could before those were ruined. Peach jam can be very forgiving when it come to ripeness.
Three nights later, the same thing happened to the plums. Two trees of fruit were eliminated by the same process. Bite and drop seems to be the norm for coons. We got six plums. Those were thrown in the pot with some of those green peaches. Jam is good.
Now I have had it with raccoons! I am so over their thieving ways. Between those and the birds stealing the Boysenberries, it is amazing that we have any fruit whatsoever. Then...yesterday morning....while I sat drinking my coffee. I noticed a wiggle outside the window in the tomato patch. A Redheaded Woodpecker was hammering away at my nice red tomato! Geez! I grabbed a bucket, picked every tomato that was remotely changing color and brought them inside. There, bird! Take that! I made gallons of tomato sauce today. Tomorrow will be the same as I shall pick more in the morning. It is hard to believe that this pretty bird would stoop so low as to be a tomato thief! Then again....he does have sneaky eyes....just look at him! Thief!!!
It seems as if the critters are thinking my gardens are there for their pleasure. I would not mind so much if they lent a helping hand...errr...paw, talon, claw or whatever...but for them just to take is totally uncalled for. Pops always used to say that we just had to plant more the next year to make up for what the critters (and unscrupulous people) stole from his fields. I never remember him becoming upset over the thefts. Maybe I just need a bigger garden.....or high fences.....or a pack of large watchdogs...or maybe I should just count my blessings and forget about it.
Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess Cat, had come inside to avoid the threat of rain. She snuggled up against my feet as I sorted through a stack of junk mail. I smiled because her presence always makes me feel warm and comfy. It was not long after she started snoozing that I heard a strange noise outside the east window. Hmmm, with both cats inside, this must be some wild critter. I eased my feet out from beneath the slumbering cat and slipped to the window. Yep, there was a critter out there alright. A raccoon had climbed the garden fence and was doing a bit of thieving!
The rascal was out there in broad daylight trying to steal a hose! Yep, I had forgotten to pick up a small tubing that went to a garden fountain and that critter was stealing it! Whatever could a raccoon want with a short piece of hose? I decided to get "proof" in the way of a photograph. I needed evidence of the burglar's actions! Although photographing the critter through the window resulted in a blurry picture, it is quite evident that the masked bandit was living up to his name.
After the picture-taking session, I decided to retrieve my hose and let the raccoon be on his merry way. I am still not sure why the coon wished to take possession of the small water hose but I do believe that I need it more than he does. Sorry, Little Thief! You go somewhere else and swipe things! Hmmmm? I wonder if that is what is happening to other things that I cannot seem to find? Perhaps this little guy is a kleptomaniac! Perhaps he is stealing lots of things and I am not to blame for misplacing them! Perhaps I better keep and eye on this fellow!
