Cows, Evil Groundhogs, and Stinky Armadillos

I would like someone to tell me why it is 38 degrees in May. This crazy weather has been reeking havoc on my allergies and my garden. Just the other night I had to make a mad dash to get everything covered up because  of a frost warning. My tomato plants don’t like frost. The silver lining is that we have woken up to a fog filled landscape for the last couple of mornings that can be quite breathtaking. Sunset isn’t so bad either. As the temperature drops the mist starts to roll off the creek behind us and envelope 45 head of cattle in a purple glow. Have I mentioned that I love it here?

In other news, we have been battling a large colony of groundhogs, or as I like to call them, the infidels. Don’t let the cuteness of these furry vermin fool you. They are evil. Not only can they make my little garden a pile of stubs, but they will dig out a foundation of a house in a heartbeat. Not to mention the fleas, and flies, and other nasty little bugs they carry. My husband has made it his life’s work to rid our creek bottom of the groundhogs’ evil regime. So far, we are succeeding, but we have discovered a sleeper cell in the pasture behind us, under the grain silo. Our landlord has asked for our help in saving the silo as well.

Groundhogs aren’t the only critters roaming around our country abode. An armadillo has taken up residence under our deck. I don’t know much about armadillos except that they like to dig and they are nocturnal animals. We don’t see the critter often since we are usually inside when he comes out, but he is also on our most wanted list. The last thing I need is a family of armadillos living under my house and digging up my yard. What’s funny is that armadillos aren’t even native to this area, but thanks to globalization these little vermin have been transported here and have thrived within the last 15 or 20 years. I think their biggest predator is a Ford pickup truck because I see a lot of dead ones on the side of the road or in the middle of the road. Yuck. And they smell really bad, too.

I’m sure more critters will come and go around here. It is the middle of nowhere so critters are to be expected, just as long as no snake critters crawl up in my yard I’ll be just fine. I have been practicing my aim just in case though.