Calgon, Take Me Awaaaay...

Brynwood Needleworks - The Habitat at the Farmhouse

 

I think the easiest way to tell you about my day yesterday is to share the Facebook post I put up late morning...

"Let’s see. How to describe my morning so far?

I woke up to rain and a husband who’s under the weather. I let each of the dogs out, in turn, and then put them back in their kennels to get dry.

While waiting for Tag to finish his business in the yard, the two barn cats came on the porch from The Habitat (an area in the woods where I leave birdseed for the opossums, chipmunks and birds all winter). Claudette had a live chipmunk in her mouth, which I promptly scooped up. It ran up onto my shoulder where I grabbed it and put in my sweatshirt pocket to protect it from the girls.

Two mad wet cats, wanting what I’d taken away from them, so I came in the house, found a box in the basement where I secured the chippy until I could take it back to The Habitat to set it free. ..but not before it showed its displeasure by nipping my thumb and drawing first blood.

I went out to the barn, followed by two mewing felines, and put out food for them and

Claudette’s prodigal son. Hopefully, that would keep them occupied until after the chipmunk was released.

I moved the yard tractor out of the garage so the driver could pick it up this morning for service. I turned around to see that two wet cats had followed me in and gone into hunt mode. When I started the tractor, Crystal hi-tailed it back to the safety of the Compass Barn. Claudette jumped into the boat that’s in storage in the garage, where she had a bird’s eye view of all activity. She remains there for a little “alone time”, away from her kids.

I filled a bucket with water and cleaner, grabbed a brush, paper towel, and garbage bag, and proceeded back to the porch to clean up the remains of last night’s carnage... “gifts” from the girls. I’m glad I didn’t have to add a chipmunk to the bag.

Once I came back into the house, I put on my slippers, thoroughly scrubbed my hands, disinfected my thumb with LOTS alcohol, and put on a clean bandage.

While I was feeding the dogs, I put the kettle on to boil a cuppa tea. Carly delivered each dish as they were emptied, I made my hot tea, took my morning meds (Quercitin, zinc, NAC, Vit D3, and Vit C, to keep C-19 and any other nasty bug at bay), and now that the tractor has been picked up, I’m sitting down to catch my breath.

(By the way- I also looked up chipmunks and rabies. It looks like they’re not carriers, but I’ll keep the wound clean. If I start growing hair on my palms, or foaming at the mouth, I’ll head to the ER.)

How’s your morning going?"

I ended up calling the doctor's office right before lunch, just to make sure I was up-to-date with my tetanus shot (I am), and see if I missed anything. I'm just supposed to keep track of the bite location, and if it starts to look infected, I should go to the doctor asap. In the meantime, I was told that washing it out with soap and alcohol as I did was good enough. I might want to also cover it with a little antibiotic ointment (which I also did), so I'm good. 

The nurse admitted to me that she was having a hard time not laughing out loud at my tale. She said she would have freaked out if the cat had brought the live chipmunk to her. No way she would have tried to pick it up. I told her to feel free to giggle. I could actually see the humor in the entire event, as long as I wouldn't die from the rodent bite.

Most of the rest of the day was uneventful, except that late day, Claudette showed up again with a larger chipmunk in her mouth. This time she made sure it was dead so I couldn't save the poor thing. I took it from her anyway and disposed of it before she could disembowel it. Ugh. Well played, cat. Well, played.

Claudette - 1

Me - 0

Tag and Carly On One End Of Our Sectional

By the end of the day, everyone was settled in. Tag and Carly commandeered one end of the sectional, while...

Bella Butt

Miss Bella prefers to snuggle her butt right up against me on the other end of the sectional. Seriously, I sit on this too small sliver of the new sofa, as the canines have invoked squatter's rights on the rest. I'm pitiful. 

The Barn Girls were actually snuggled up on a chaise lounge on the porch, while Leo slept wherever he wanted in the barn. As an aside: I actually got close enough to reach over the top of him to turn out the barn light last night. It won't be long before he'll be visiting the vet. (Yay!)

Let's hope today goes better. I'm nursing Handsome as we try to avoid another trip to the hospital, and today, I'm going to try to get all the tax information pulled together to send to our accountant. Yes. I'm one of those people who runs right up against deadlines. I'll be back tomorrow to let you know how it goes.

An Interesting Visitor...

Brynwood Needleworks - The Habitat

 

This is what "The Habitat" looks like on our property this year. This is where we take all our yard waste - grass clippings, fallen branches, and leaves - when we're working outdoors. After the new porch was built, I had to rethink the feeding station, as we didn't want the critters coming up onto the concrete. This seemed like a good alternative...away from the house, and of course, the dogs. 

 

Adding more clippings this year helped cover up the little tunnels and cubbies that the opossums and chipmunks seem to favor. I imagine them sleeping warm and dry when winter finally takes hold.

I added the covered feeder that the largest opossum, "Biggie" marked as his own last winter. I decided to raise it up on a small barrel planter to further keep the contents dry when the snows arrive.

I've been taking down birdseed that the bluejays and cardinals (and chipmunks) can enjoy now. I've also taken down a few treats to see whether or not the opossums were still coming around. (They are!)

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Late Night Visitor

Since turning the trail cam on again (and finding that I'm still having issues with the camera! grrrr), I've managed to capture three opossums (Biggie, Ralph and Squirt); two raccoons (although there may be more, only two come in at a time); and...this elusive visitor!

I have the date and time set on my camera. This young coyote was photographed once, and by the time a minute had passed for the next photo, it had left. Minutes later, the opossums were back in frame.

Last summer I was thrilled to catch a deer on the camera, and this year, a coyote. We heard them all summer, sometimes quite close, but in spite of the fact that I had the camera out, I never saw one on the camera...until now. Interesting was the fact that we never heard the pack that night. Just this curious loner stopping by.

I'm going to have to find out what's wrong with my camera, but I've still got it out because even a bad picture is better than nothing. I may need a new camera, and if that's the case, it sure won't be a Browning model again. (Remember all the grief this one gave me within the first month I had it? It was a gift from Handsome for Christmas, and was nothing but trouble. He was so upset! I finally got a new replacement from the company. Here we go again.)

For now, I'm going to download my images every day to see what other wondrous critters stop over for a visit. I'm like a kid, nearly giddy when I see each and every one of them. I'll be sure to share more as I capture new - or returning - faces.

Photographing "The Habitat"...

Brynwood Needleworks - "The Habitat"

 

One of my commitments in 2020 is to spend time outdoors - no matter the season or weather. I'm out nearly every day to take birdseed and cut-up fruit to this spot on our property. This is also where I have set up my trail cam. (The trail cam is back at Browning for repair or replacement, by the way. The night vision wasn't functioning properly.) I've already seen some interesting shots before the infrared feature gave out. 

The area I refer to as The Habitat is on the left side of this image. Last summer and fall, when we lost some large branches and parts of the old lilac bush, we hauled the brush out to this spot. Later in the fall, we let our grass grow longer, rather than mow the late season clover, Queen Ann's Lace, and other wildflowers that were providing a nectar source for the bees and butterflies. That grass got really long, so when we mowed it, I took about ten trailer loads of grass to this same area and tossed all of it over the brush. A few rainfalls, and the grass clippings were well incorporated into the habitat I was trying to create.

Brynwood Needleworks - Opossum Footprints

I must have done a pretty good job, because the critters really like this area. These are opossum prints. Aren't they cute? The remind me of little starbursts. They were actually all around the entire area as our snow is melting yet again.

Brynwood Needleworks - Critter Shelter

This is one of the shelter areas that was created by my late fall efforts. As you can see, there's even a back entry/exit. It's high and dry, so it's perfect for keeping a variety of critters warm and out of the elements, should they want to take advantage of it. Of course, more snow equals more insulation. 

I like taking a peek into how the wildlife lives around the farm. Sadly, the solitary squirrel that's been living in our large maple tree was killed by a local hawk. We saw the hawk in the snow out in the neighbor's field to the east of us, so I used my new binoculars (a Christmas gift from Handsome), and identified his prey. I was sad, but hawks need to eat, too.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Artwork by Jenny Kun

One more thing before I go today. I was snooping around on Etsy yesterday and found THIS wonderful site. Jenny Kun's artwork is so sweet! She creates art for her shop, TheCrownPrints, and all of her designs are downloadable! 

Of course, I purchased her opossum print, and plan to download and frame the print for the farmhouse. Like the bluebirds who return every spring, I hope the opossums will also choose to hang around here. I think they're both beneficial and adorable. Her print captures their charming personalities perfectly.

Have a great weekend! I'll be busy doing laundry, and other mundane household chores, but I'll also be sure to get the dogs outside to enjoy all our little farm has to offer. I'll even work a little bit in the studio. (I'm setting up new projects to work on, too.) I'll be back with a Sunday Scripture tomorrow, and will see you again on Monday.