Mask Mandate

Whether you're the thief or his lookout, you're probably wearing a mask!
At least if you're a raccoon...

A few years ago my friends and I spent a weekend painting at Welcome Home Retreat in Weatherford, Texas.  We came out of our painting room and into the courtyard for a late night dip in the hot tub to discover these babies who thought they were sneaky enough to help themselves to the bird food. 

Here at home I am less delighted with our raccoons.  As long as they go about their raccoon business at night and keep to the woods, I'm happy to have them as neighbors.  When they are unkind (translate to break in the coop and kill) to my chickens, we generally need to have a daytime discussion.  That meeting ends with a long car ride and a new home for the bad guy.

It's one thing to have a talk while he's in the cage.  It's another when I'm face to face with him on the porch.  You'll have to read about that one here as we didn't stop for a photo op in the middle of the night.

Raccoon Story Part 1

Raccoon Story Part 2

I've always known I wanted to paint these little raccoons one day.  Sara's Inspiration Image for March's Inspiration Collaboration was a furry brown dog on a black background.   It was a reminder that these raccoons were still waiting their turn to be put on canvas.

Original Oil Painting on 8"x 10 Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Backyard Friends - Update

I know you're all checking your blog feed daily to see if there's been an update to our raccoon / possum issues... (Click here if you missed the beginning.)
You wanted a raccoon update....

Well, let's talk about it...

We set up a fairly technical alarm system... Here's how it would work. The raccoon (We'll call him Ed) would try again to open it, hear the clatter of falling tin cans, run for his life, and vow never to return. 

Four tin cans on top of the chicken food bin... Ahhh... But wait... There are only three cans up in the picture.  The other can was an Eagle Brand milk can... Perhaps I didn't rinse it well enough... I think Ed liked the taste (because, let's face it, who doesn't!) and carefully removed it to take back to his home for a late night dessert.

Next we set up quite an elaborate safety system for the bin holding the bags of treats. A bucket of rocks on the lid.  When Ed tried to open the box, they'd fall on his head.  (I know... I know, it must seem that I attended and received an advanced degree from the school of Wile E. Coyote!)

Let's see how that worked out...

Yep!  It worked... well... sort of... We heard the ruckus, hopped out of bed, turned on the light, and ran around the side of the house to find Ed, rubbing the knot on his head. He just furrowed his brow and sort of scowled is disgust at us both.  Without a word in his defense, he just turned and left.

Now, you really need to open click on this photo and zoom in... right there in front of Pounce (our cat). Do you see where Ed has managed to pull the plastic bag from the sunflower seed through the side of the bin?

What??? How?

Yeah... Ate right though the side of the bin lid!  
Well, there weren't any little plastic chunks on the porch, so I assume he ate it. Hmph!  Serves him right!

Tummy ache and knot on the head aside, Ron gave him a very stern talking-to about the the rudeness of his destruction of property as he ambled away.

I switched out the oyster shells and scratch (Basically they're rocks that apparently are good for chickens to eat sometimes so they can use them as "teeth" to grind up food... Don't quote me on that... Better check with a real chicken blogger person.) and put those in the canisters with lids that flip open and put the good stuff in canisters that have screw tops.

When Ed and his buddies come back, let them have a few hands full of rocks to munch on.  See how they like that.
But, maybe they won't come back. You see that little opened box of Irish Spring.  It makes the whole area smell like... well... like Irish Spring.  Its supposed to keep the deer away, so maybe it will work for Ed and company too.

As I sit on my back porch and write this post, it's becoming pretty clear that Ed has daytime spies that are keeping an eye on me.