TAIL is not a typo. It's yet another Time Killer animal blog entry. Just when I felt Larry the boxer had quieted down and the deer have started to get ready for winter, another animal appears on the radar screen.
I was on my way out today when I eye-balled the back yard and saw this hyena-like creature sunning itself on the ramp going into our shed. The shed is a hang out for multiple critters - ground hog & skunk live underneath and there is always a family of mice living in my leaf blower.. I always check before starting up as one year I made a rodent salsa out of a mousekafamily. And, let's not forget the squirrel who entered our INSIDE through the fireplace.
Back to the latest ... My first impression was that this new creature was a fox but it didn't meet all those criteria (as IF I'd know)..The face was pointy but the tail was bare-ish, like a rat. That bothered me. A fox tail would have been nicer. It also didn't have a red hue. I think that perhaps this was a coyote. It got up and walked across the yard and it had a bounce in its step as if to say "screw you, bub...this is MY yard." I then went into the yard - with baseball bat in hand - just in case it attacked.. I saw no evidence of him but I did hear some rustling in the woods.
I was unable to get a picture so I went to the trusty internet (YOU TUBE) and saw some pictures that led me to believe this was a coyote. I've seen them on the news many times since being home. Town officials seem to always be killing them (that ain't good) so I didn't feel too bad holding a baseball bat. I doubt I'd engage in battle.
Meanwhile as the coyote/fox hybrid entered the woods I see my new-found friend in the yard next door - LARRY the Boxer. Old Larry was poised still like a hunting dog (mmmmm, fox?)..I could tell he sensed something but couldn't chase because his owner put up an invisible fence .. These are very popular and stop dogs from straying off the property (I guess it's electrical or audio). The culprit never appeared again but I think Larry saw it. I guess the fence that keeps Larry in place may keep Wil E Coyote off their property as well..
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
In the clearing stands a Boxer
One of the things I like about living where I do is the peace and quiet. You can go hours without hearing a sound. I swear as part of my Time Killing duties I've seen less than five cars go down our street in a day. When we talk about relocating (which we do) I hate to think about giving up this solitude. I fear things are changing..
I had heard through the grapevine that our elderly neighbor - who hasn't made a peep in 20 years - has taken in her daughter and her 2 children. I heard some evidence of this and wasn't too worried. There's a fair amount of space between our properties. I had met the daughter while checking my mailbox - a highlight in my daily routine. She was very friendly and pre-apologizing for any new noises. I said I hadn't heard anything (yet). Today that changed.
I had to hang around the house because I have the oil burner tech coming to do a pre-winter cleaning. Normally, I'd be out by 11 am doing something but today I am here with the windows open on a very nice day. And so the fun began at 9 am or so. How long can a dog bark before shredding its throat muscles? So far it's been 2.5 hours - NON STOP. The oil burner guy is actually quieter. The dog, a Boxer, is named Larry. Odd name for a dog I think. Then again our family dog was named Charlotte. This dog looks like a show dog....but he does have a head shape like a Pit Bull.. He did trot over to me the other day and I held my ground so I didn't seem like a pansy..(remember the deer story from last week?)..He stopped before he got to me and returned to his owner next door. I was relieved but thought "uh oh, is this going to be the new regime - avoiding Larry?"...So far he's still barking.
The oil burner guy finished and I walked out to his truck to sign stuff. He gave my boiler an A+ as we chatted in the driveway. He then asked "what's with all the barking?"...
I had heard through the grapevine that our elderly neighbor - who hasn't made a peep in 20 years - has taken in her daughter and her 2 children. I heard some evidence of this and wasn't too worried. There's a fair amount of space between our properties. I had met the daughter while checking my mailbox - a highlight in my daily routine. She was very friendly and pre-apologizing for any new noises. I said I hadn't heard anything (yet). Today that changed.
I had to hang around the house because I have the oil burner tech coming to do a pre-winter cleaning. Normally, I'd be out by 11 am doing something but today I am here with the windows open on a very nice day. And so the fun began at 9 am or so. How long can a dog bark before shredding its throat muscles? So far it's been 2.5 hours - NON STOP. The oil burner guy is actually quieter. The dog, a Boxer, is named Larry. Odd name for a dog I think. Then again our family dog was named Charlotte. This dog looks like a show dog....but he does have a head shape like a Pit Bull.. He did trot over to me the other day and I held my ground so I didn't seem like a pansy..(remember the deer story from last week?)..He stopped before he got to me and returned to his owner next door. I was relieved but thought "uh oh, is this going to be the new regime - avoiding Larry?"...So far he's still barking.
The oil burner guy finished and I walked out to his truck to sign stuff. He gave my boiler an A+ as we chatted in the driveway. He then asked "what's with all the barking?"...
Friday, September 3, 2010
Hello Deer
Not too many new time-killing activities to report. I am very used to being around the house more than ever so nothing is surprising or interesting. Today was a little different. I was out for a couple of hours and when I returned and pulled in the driveway I saw a number of deer in our back yard. This is nothing knew. It can be like Wild Kingdom around here at times. Unlike our first house on Long Island, there are critters aplenty around here. Long Island had squirrels and birds. If there ever was a deer we would have called 911.
So, as I got out of the car I walked into the yard. There were 5 of these creatures. It looked like a mother and 4 babies or fawns or whatever the hell they're called. The fawns have spots like in a Disney cartoon or in the movie "The Yearling. Those 4 fled as I entered the yard. I had no intent but they were eating my shrubs. The mother deer, however, held her ground. You know, like a deer stuck in the headlights. This had to be the biggest deer I've seen in the yard. It looked like one of those hunters' decoys. All it needed was a target on its side.
I figured the mother was protecting her clan (is that what you call a pack of deer?)..I walked toward the big mother and she never flinched OR showed a sign of moving. Now I am thinking I have no seniority here. This could be a crazed animal with distemper and I will be filmed being attacked and go viral on You Tube (I had my phone/camera at the ready).. I never got this close before and I am wondering what gives? I kept getting closer and I was getting creeped out. The baby deer were frolicking in the woods. I made a few sudden spastic gestures and this animal still didn't budge. I was about 12 feet away and gave up. As I turned away to go back to the driveway I wondered if I will be blind sided. I made it back OK....The damn deer was still holding its ground. She showed me I guess.
When I got into the house I turned on the TV and it was wall-to-wall coverage of Hurricane Earl. I was flipping channels and one of the more obscure reports was saying that your pets or animals may behave oddly when a storm like this approaches.. Mmmmmmmmm, does that include those white-tailed demons??
So, as I got out of the car I walked into the yard. There were 5 of these creatures. It looked like a mother and 4 babies or fawns or whatever the hell they're called. The fawns have spots like in a Disney cartoon or in the movie "The Yearling. Those 4 fled as I entered the yard. I had no intent but they were eating my shrubs. The mother deer, however, held her ground. You know, like a deer stuck in the headlights. This had to be the biggest deer I've seen in the yard. It looked like one of those hunters' decoys. All it needed was a target on its side.
I figured the mother was protecting her clan (is that what you call a pack of deer?)..I walked toward the big mother and she never flinched OR showed a sign of moving. Now I am thinking I have no seniority here. This could be a crazed animal with distemper and I will be filmed being attacked and go viral on You Tube (I had my phone/camera at the ready).. I never got this close before and I am wondering what gives? I kept getting closer and I was getting creeped out. The baby deer were frolicking in the woods. I made a few sudden spastic gestures and this animal still didn't budge. I was about 12 feet away and gave up. As I turned away to go back to the driveway I wondered if I will be blind sided. I made it back OK....The damn deer was still holding its ground. She showed me I guess.
When I got into the house I turned on the TV and it was wall-to-wall coverage of Hurricane Earl. I was flipping channels and one of the more obscure reports was saying that your pets or animals may behave oddly when a storm like this approaches.. Mmmmmmmmm, does that include those white-tailed demons??
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