Sunday, June 27, 2010

Life in the Wilds of Frederick County, VA

That Spot in the distance is a Hot air balloon. It looks so far away in the photo, But I assure you in person it was much closer. Enough for me to wonder if the pilot saw the trees at all.

But in the evening, one of the greatest show in the area can be seen from my deck. In my back yard and the woods. Bats doing their nightly aerobatics show, fireflies flashing all around, deer cruising by, squirrels, rabbits, cats, turtles and ground hogs.

I have recently had 2 run ins with the wildlife in my backyard. The first I was out mowing the area that I am reclaiming for the forest and a sea of honey suckle vines (I've dumped enough commercial strength round up that the ground should be fallow.). So I was pushing the mower when what I thought was a rock flew out the back. When I realized it went far and was lighter, I went to check it out. Not a rock. I had just shot a turtle over 25 feet with the lawn mower.

The turtle was fine, I cried for 1/2 and hour. Then I started looking and discovered that there were a good few turtles out there. The pictures here are NOT the one I mowed. As I said, he was fine.




These were taken on a different day and this turtle was larger that the astroturtle.





My second incident involved Bob and Charlotte. Grounds hogs which pictures appear in a previous post. Bob charged me. I was standing on the top of the slope by the deck about to go to the shed. One was inside the den underneath. I stopped and we were just looking at each other. After all, I didn't want to scare it off. Then I here this crash from the undergrowth below the second terrace. And there he is. Charging out of the forest and up the slope. Where I thought he would stop. He didn't. He passed the shed running at top ground hog speed heading right for me. It became clear that at that moment, he was not afraid of me one bit. I ran into the house.

I attempted another foray to the shed to get the electrical cord I needed, and was again thwarted. So with out the cord for that night's project, I had to settle with knitting. (shucks! ;)_ )

But some how this week, never coming in to contact with anything, as I completely ignored yard work, I now have poison ivy/sumac. Yup. First time. I am trying really hard not to scratch and am using the stuff the doc gave me and taking Benadryl. But really, I think I might have to were those little mittens that they put on babies to keep them from scratching, because I really want to itch it.

1 comment:

  1. LOVE the new look here! BTW- I know a guy who removes ground hogs...

    ReplyDelete