Raccoon in the Havahart Trap
Actually, this is a photo of the first raccoon. They all look pretty much the same.

Word of the Day

Schweaty - Describing someone who has sweat and other bodily moisture on them that were created during a provocative situation. Being in a moistened state.

Woodtick Count of the Day - 42

Sis and I got all the wine racked yesterday. We're quite pleased with all our varieties and blends this year. After much discussion, we decided to add more sugar to the wines this year. I'm glad we did. It's a bit early to know for certain but Sis and I both thought all the wines tasted pretty darn good...so far. Wine-bottling will commence at about this time next month. I think it would be wonderful if my brother could come to help us bottle his Concord Grape Wine. But...maybe he can design the label.

Eureka! And I'm not talking about the TV show...which...I happen to like but that's beside the point. Eureka! HTP woke me up at around 3 AM to tell me that we've caught another raccoon. Woohoo! Two down. HTP and I will transport the critter to the same spot where we took his sibling. Maybe they can hook up and discuss the perils of walking into Havahart traps. Actually, I think we lulled the raccoons into thinking that the trap was safe. After the last time the raccoons tripped the trap from the side, HTP re-set the trap but...he wasn't too sure how it was done...so, the raccoons were able to steal the bait without tripping the trap. Then, even though I KNOW how to set the trap, after the chipmunk incident...oh...that's right...I never told you about that, well...next paragraph. Anyhow, after the chipmunk incident which I'll tell you about in the next paragraph, I re-set the trap and I didn't get the trigger mechanism set quite right. The raccoons...or something...marched into the trap and stole the bait without tripping the trap. I re-set the trap but...I was going to put some bait in it last night after supper but forgot. Actually, I was a bit surprised to hear that we caught a raccoon without bait but....it's all good.

As for the chipmunk incident... A chipmunk brazenly marched into my Havahart trap to munch on the bait that I'd set in the trap. Of course, the trap was sprung but chipmunks are pretty small. I have a smaller Havahart trap but this wasn't it. The particular Havahart trap I've got set up on my deck was designed to catch larger prey. Raccoons, rabbits, squirrels....not chipmunks or mice. Anyway, the chipmunk decided to make a quick exit through the side grid of the trap only...he got stuck. Gypsy was totally upset. First by the sound of the trap and then by the sight of a chipmunk struggling to remove its hindquarters from the trap. I could just leave it like that. I decided to use the same method that I use when taking off my wedding ring when I'm kneading bread or making meatballs. Oil. I can now add to my list of things that I never dreamed I'd find myself doing. I can now say that I've oiled a chipmunk's butt. Hey! It worked. The chipmunk squiggled its hindquarters out of the trap and ran off without even thanking me. Oh well...such is life. If you wait around for a thank you for every single nice thing you do, you'll end up standing around doing nothing for anyone to be grateful for. Besides, you can't catch a raccoon with a chipmunk stuck in your Havahart trap. Just a bit off-putting.

Murphyism of the Day

Hodgins's Homily

A miracle drug is any drug that will do what the label says it will do.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

All men are frauds. The only difference between them is that some admit it. I myself deny it.

- H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)