Bloody Banditos!
I live in a forest and if you have ever seen the movie, “Over the Hedge” you will understand who our vandals are. Every season, I decorate the porch and this year I went with an orange and green theme. Topping my pine cone basket were some fake gourds that I have kept for 12 years…
After all these years, I know exactly who the perpetrators are – RACCOONS! There is plenty of food available, trees are hanging with fruits and berries so this was just playtime. Those little hands get into everything. I started laughing when I saw the devastation and when I was at the grocery store I bought a small real pumpkin, so their tummies won’t be full of polystyrene. The checkout girl gave it to me free, as it was out of a bag, and I told her my banditos will be grateful (or skunks or possums)
At home, I carefully cut a wedge and put it back together so it would be easier to eat. Yeah, I know I am loco…
Redecorated porch
Now the porch decor is intact again and I was feeling delighted with my art and largess towards the critters. Then I went into the back yard. As you know, two of our old pussycats died this year and we buried them in the garden. On a darkly funny note, something has been trying to dig into Zhenny’s grave, perhaps they are tomb robbers? She was an Egyptian princess, after all. My wonderful gardener came around, put down fresh mulch and dug in some plants. Since it looked so perfect, I added a couple of Dia de Los Muertes candles to their graves.
Zhenny’s shrine
Not only did they desecrate the graves by knocking over the candles but carried another fake gourd around to the back and destroyed it on the deck. We heard nothing. I guess we are so used to the nighttime chirrups and squeaks that we don’t hear it anymore. Ah, the joys of living with wildlife. 😀🌲
Postcards from Kerry 
They call them bandits for a reason!
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Indeed…🐾
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Raccoons seem to always want to destroy things – they have no reason to be nice to other’s property. What are you going to do, they do what they do best. Happy Sunday Kerry, hope everything is going well with you. 🙂
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Well, I guess we stole their property… I love them really. Hope your Sunday is going well.
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I think it was easier for them to get into something that was readily available, on the ground already, rather than climbing up in the trees. I believe there’s a term in psychology for that but my skills are a bit rusty…
Enjoy living in a forest, Kerry!
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Over the years we have had a few hilarious encounters. I found one clinging halfway up the corner wall in the middle of the night and another time they stole my Crocs and took them into the reserve.
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Haha. I was worrying about Houston crime when I read your header Kerry. Jersey’s cricket team is due to arrive there in the next few hours for a training camp before travelling on to LA for a tournament 🙂
Love the dark thoughts about tomb raiders.
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Glad you enjoyed it, Roy. I really love the naughtiness of raccoons. Your cricket team has come at exactly the right time. Fall arrived yesterday – lovely weather.
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My kind of troublemakers!
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I thought you would like this post!
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Since I have dealt with a groundhog bandito all summer long, and am only finding a bit of respite now that nothing is growing in Autumn, I can feel your pain and laughter both.
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All our activity is in the winter when they gather under the deck for heat or look for critter food. I would love to see groundhogs but we are too far south.
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I said you were an angel….and it is proven again. The raccoons are blessed to have you in their corner. They sound like real little characters 🙂
Living with wildlife must be amazing. I would love it !!!
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You are too kind, Lynne. My favorites are the skunks; they garden and chirrup all night long. They seem to echo-locate the babies. One night (on our infrared camera) the Mama Possum, walloped the baby raccoons when they got too boisterous.
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Like you we encourage the wildlife in our woods …. some call me bat crazy but I’d rather live in harmony and remember that I am here by invitation x
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Our back deck is party central in our woods. Lots of critter sex, babies born under the deck – all while we are asleep!
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Lovely!
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You’re so kind to the “bandits”, Kerry! ☺
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Well, they are extra cute and I love their stripey tails. 😀
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😆😊
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