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Atop my Hill 4/22/2016 9:24:26 PM
life is getting back to normal atop my hill
We have managed to weather another big storm, and another fire without damage to life, limb, critter or house.
The visiting raccoons I enjoy so much were all nearly wiped out during fall 2014 and I found myself not wanting to mention the hurt or loneliness of the front porch which provides haven for the 'porch' cats.
Some of my raccoons had been coming for many years. After years watching them and their antics I had been able to recognize little family groups, and despite experts who feel that raccoons mate and split leaving mom and kids to fend alone I do notice little gents and ladies who hang out together, bring the wee raccoons to swim in the little kid pool we fill with water during summer to provide clean fresh water during the heat and more arid weather.
I have watched little raccoons become teenagers, and mom brings them along with the new babies come the next baby season.
A raccoon is a raccoon is a raccoon does not seem to be entirely the end of it. Some have rounded ears, and some are more pointy, some are people savvy, some are wary, some do not mind my peeking out at them, and others flee up the Bradford Pear on the west side of the house.
Several years ago one little mom apparently lost a battle and her life over her babies with coyotes in the back pasture. During the fracas two wee critters made it to the safety of the Bradford Pear and spent that summer sleeping away the day in the tree, awakening at dusk to skitter down to a lower branch and wait for the raccoon horde as they came to drink water, play and eat some of the dog food left on the porch for wandering, abandoned dogs.
The babies lived to be adults, brought their children to the porch, etc., and sadly one day during fall I heard the blasting of rifles and shrieks of laughter and pleasure, the barrage seemed to last hours, but only lasted minutes in reality.
And not one of the old friends; babies, adults, none, it seemed, had lived through the carnage.
The trees here on our property have grown larger, and I see again a single or two, and this morning, 4 little furry critters.
Porch cats and they, as well as the visiting possums, all get along fine.
