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| just looking around
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I always see the groundhog late in the evening. Today was no different. It is almost dark. The picture does not look like dusk on the east side of the house, in the shadow of the house and many trees because I used the "enhance" function.
"maybe I should just leave"
"not time to retire for the night"
Still facing away from the house where it eventually retires, this ground hog is just hanging out.
"No, maybe there is something near the road?
After ten minutes of showing absolutely no alarm at my presence and several moves toward going closer to the tree and road, he finally turned around and scurried under the house. Only when I moved toward the house did he leave.
If I had a garden of any sort, I am quite sure he would dine there each night.
Yesterday, I got two portions of the demonstration food that the hens ate before. The hens were happy. but the little ones came to me for food. If little chickens are abused long enough by the big ones, hegemony keeps the little ones in line....sigh. (You no longer have to beat them with the chain, just rattle it.) A look is all it takes.
Your turn
Are there any downsides to having this critter around? Any benefits? Do people eat these?
People do, or have, eaten almost anything - but I hope the groundhog is safe now. And will be fascinated to learn more about this (to me) exotic beast.
ReplyDeleteEC,
ReplyDeleteI don't want him here, so I am planning to set my live trap for him. Your birds are exotic to me, not a groundhog...lol. I suppose familiarity breeds contempt and the scarcity breeds fascination. They are rodents, also known as woodchucks.
Read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog
Once while we were driving along a highway/ freeway in the south we saw what might be described as a "herd" of ground hogs. Those things are BIG! We had no idea what we had seen and at thefirst rest stop I asked around .... the guy filling the snack machines and the guy maintaining the property and neither could give us any information about the animals we has just encountered. All I can say is that those things are BIG! I think that if I were hungry, and someone else had killed it, I would eat one!
ReplyDeleteJanet,
DeleteThat is an interesting experience. How did you decide you saw groundhogs? I might try one, especially if I were hungry. I was thinking that maybe some of the Hispanics might want it if I trapped it.
Thanks for that story.
Woodchucks can be eaten with some special preps. Google woodchuck recipes and many sites come up.
ReplyDeleteOur kids once raised minipumpkins to sell, just when they were ready to harvest a family of woodchucks went thru and took a bite or two out of each one!! Needless to say it's not my favorite animal.
Following site gives lots of info:
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/woodchuck.htm
Tom,
DeleteOh, no! That is heart-breaking. Thanks for the link.
First, a big thumb's up for your integrity and sense of morality, Linda!
ReplyDeleteYes, people do eat them. Never will forget that one in Mom's oven. I'm not that hungry yet. Groundhogs here love watching traffic pass by.
Also, rats always remain rats! And thoughts do become things
Sissy,
DeleteThank you. Rats, yes, that settles it...lol. That groundhog was facing the road and the several cars that passed did not faze him.
I think he is adorable. We have a baby rabbit that is living in our yard, I named him Mister. I love all the wildlife in our yard.
ReplyDeleteSonya Ann,
DeleteMany years, I have a family of rabbits in the yard but not this year. I definitely don't like raccoons, and I am iffy on this groundhog. He is cute, though.
In WV, I would hear of many people who ate "groundhog", but my grandma turned her nose up at the thought.
ReplyDeleteWe had one in my yard once that just walked down the sidewalk to the front door and stood up on his hind legs and observed a snake hanging on my fence. I just happened to be on the other side of the front door, peeking out a small window - doing the exact same thing!
Cherdo
www.cherdoontheflipside.com
Cherdo,
DeleteI think I am on your grandma's side. That is funny that he just walked up the sidewalk. And, you were both peeking at the snake. Funny.
Hey Linda,
ReplyDeleteI suppose, in the spirit of Groundhog Day, I could have my comment repeat, over and over....
I suppose, in the spirit of Groundhog Day, I could have my comment repeat, over and over....
I'm not sure about consuming a groundhog. I think a groundhog would come in mighty handy in the garden I'm leaving behind. Keep the stray cats out of the vegetable patch.
I'm outta' here....
Gary :)
Gary,
DeleteI thought about Ground Hog Day. Good comment. Good comment. Good comment.
Groundhogs ate my tomatoes, so you maybe be leaving the fox in charge of the henhouse. I hate you must leave vegetables behind.
See you in the new place.