Wildlife adventures - and the day I didn’t want dogs anymore

[Stacy]

Okay, not really. But, /insert-whine-mode. I think my dogs are my children. And then they do something like this. I have a love/hate relationship with spring. I’m finally not cold! Less clothes, boating, I don’t even mind mowing the grass. The rabbits seem to have gotten smart enough not to have babies in the yard this year.

The birds have not gotten smart enough not to dump their babies out of the nest and into my yard to learn to fly. Fledglings. Neither one of the girls are super hunters, but put little baby hoppy birds (I think they’re Starlings) in the yard and what do their mamas expect? The first one I took away from them and put it under the fence. The mom bird was *angry* and she tried to dive bomb me. Come on here bird! I’m the one trying to help you. It just sat there and Maggie stuck her head under the fence and pulled it back out. I put it under the fence again where she couldn’t get it. I like to think that it’s living a happy life next door.

The second one, well. I don’t think Katie meant to hurt it, but she picked it up by the eyeball and let’s just say it didn’t make it. I disposed of the poor baby birdy body and tried not to think about it.

And then today. I worked all day. I came home and Maggie had pulled a sun catcher out of the window and broken it all over the floor (why?) and did a little pee-pee on the carpet after a month of no accidents! I just had 2 weeks off and I was with them practically every minute. Do you think that she forgot that I sometimes have to work and that we had decided that pee was just for outside? I cleaned the carpet for the million-billionth time So frustrating. I really thought we were past this. That’s what I get for telling everyone that she was potty trained.

Then it happened. I climbed in bed with my string cheese and my drink. I look around for the remote. I lose that thing every time I’m not actively holding it. I didn’t find the remote, but (you all know where this is going, right?) There’s a dead baby bird under.my.pillow! People. My pillow!


I don’t know who did it. I have my suspicion, but no one is in trouble. But I would love it if someone could explain to me why I am so ridiculously in love with these dogs, and they repay me by bringing dead things into my bed. My happy place! The only thing that belongs in bed are me, snacks, dogs, and maybe the remote if I could ever find it again. And then they both have The audacity to look at me like they’re insulted that I didn’t appreciate their present. Or maybe they were just saving it for later. I love dogs. I love dogs. I love dogs.

Maybe I should just learn to love winter? These things don’t happen in the winter.

[BG and Gavin]

You better not come visit me at the cottage then Karen.  We have very large water snakes that reside in certain areas of our piece of paradise. Gavin gives them a huge amount of respect as do it.  Gavin has also jumped when he mistook a piece of rope on the road for a snake.  He also recently walked over one without noticing and then jumped a few steps later when it registered what he had just done.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Haley is better than Fudge :) She tries to get them. I do not like the look of that guy and I would never garden again. LOL

[Amy and Annabelle]

I saw Annie's special snake friend this morning. It was up by my safe space, the deck. Of course I did a primal scream and ran back into the house. It is normally way out back, by the compost bins. Annie thinks they are friends, I doubt the snake feels the same way. But then she thinks the mom and dad birds are playing with her when they dive bomb her for getting too close to the nest. She just keeps going back for more.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Oh yuck...LOL. Fudge definitely does not want to be friends with the snake :)

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Luna caught a fledgeling bird once mid-flight... it started flapping and she promptly let it go, unharmed :p  Gotta love that soft retriever mouth.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Vern has caught a bird before and then seems surprised that something is in his mouth! 

[DonMarie and Picco]

We went to snake awareness training Sunday.  Diamondback western rattler!  I think Picco knows to stay away now.  Problem is if you aren't down wind then they can't smell and may still stumble on it.  Luckily we haven't run into any hiking.  

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

OMD...if I ran into that on a hike, it would be the end of me. I would have a heart attack :) Good for you for doing the training.

[DonMarie and Picco]

The eattler is loud so I think I would hear it. My husband has hearing problems but goid eyes. So between the 3 of us we might be safe! :-)

[Amy and Annabelle]

I hate snakes and I saw Rattlers all the time living in Colorado. Even in my backyard. Very unnerving. My Golden Retriever was almost bit once.

[Stella]

I have two garter snakes that have taken up residence round the granite steps at the front of my house. I had a mouse problem in the same area, so I'm hoping the snakes have taken care of that for me. But, it's driving the dogs crazy!  They keep trying to go after the snakes. Garter snakes are not poisonous, but I'm pretty sure they will bite a doodle nose if they get irritated enough!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

We have at least one living right outside our fence and it drives Fudge bonkers. She will pace for hours if I would let her.