Trapped!

          I really wanted to title this week A-Hunting We Will Go because it reminds me of Elmer Fudd on the old Bugs Bunny cartoons and I was hoping it would elicit the same childhood memory for you. Since I’m actually trapping and not hunting it seems deceptive. I really, really, dislike deception. Let me give you an example.

          Recently on Facebook this riddle was posted.

          At a four-legged table, there is one grandma, two mothers, two daughters, and a granddaughter. How many legs are under the table?

          The answer is ten. The grandmother is also a mother, the mother is also a daughter, the daughter is also a granddaughter, and there are four legs on the table. Three people, one table.

          “Tricky!” you say.

          More like trickery I say. It draws on facts not in evidence. Ergo, deception. Which is, of course, the intent of the riddle.

          “Peg! Y’old curmudgeon! It’s meant to make you think!” you exclaim.

          I know, right! But I prefer more classic riddles. Let me give you an example.

          It’s greater than God and more evil than the devil. The poor have it, the rich need it, and if you eat it, you’ll die. What is it?

          If you’ve not heard this riddle before, I don’t want to ruin it for you so I’ll put the answer at the end.

          “So, what were you trapping?” you ask.

          I’m trapping the baby whistlepigs. My grandfather on my mother’s side called them that but they’re also known as groundhogs or woodchucks. 

“Why’d he call ‘em that?” you wanna know.

Even though whistlepigs are mostly solitary, they’ll use a shrill whistle-like call to alert all the groundhogs in the area of danger, like say, a low-flying hawk. They’re also food for foxes, mountain lions, coyotes, and wolfses — err, wolves. They’re vital to our ecosystem.

“Peg, how about some whistlepig facts?” you say.

Why, that’s a great idea! The website Animal Facts Encyclopedia gave me some great facts! Thanks for suggesting it!

Their teeth can grow 1/16^th of an inch a week!

They’re in the squirrel family as are tree squirrels, chipmunks, marmots, flying squirrels, and prairie dogs.

It’s the only rodent with a day named after it.

They construct large elaborate burrows called a sette (pronounced set) that can be 80 feet long with several levels and multiple entrances.

They spend a lot of time underground and can even pull carrots and potatoes straight down.

They’re mostly vegetarian and eat half their weight in food every day.

They defend their territory against other whistlepigs in loud squabbles which include hopping around, swishing their tails, and chattering their teeth.

They’re true hibernators. Their body temp drops from 98 to 38 degrees and their heart slows to as few as four beats a minute. They can hibernate for as long as five months.

Males are called a boar, the females a she-chuck, and the babes are a kit, pup, or cub.

They can hit a top speed of 10 mph.

Weigh 8-14 pounds,

Litters are 3-5 average but can be as many as 10.

The pups are about 4 inches long at birth, naked, and blind. They’re weaned at 4 weeks, and independent at 5-8 weeks.

They live 6-12 years.

It’s hard to get rid of these cute little rodents and it’s illegal to poison them. The problem with poison is you may not kill them and they can cause secondary poisoning in protected critters like raptors.

So, they’re interesting critters, don’cha think?

This week we got three of the pups. There’s at least one more. 

Since whistlepigs are rabies carriers they want you to shoot them if you trap them.

 I know there are plenty of groundhogs and killing a few won’t hurt the species.

I know they’re destructive.

I know they can carry rabies.

I know, I know, I know. But I hate it.

“Peg, you have to obey the law,” you say.

And I know you’re right.

“Can you shoot them?” I asked Mike.

“I can, but I don’t want to.”

So, I called the Pennsylvania Game Commission and was told that you CAN relocate them. So there! I’m legal.

We took these guys down across the Susquehanna and out away from people and horses to an abandoned road and set them free.

           We either got two of these guys or the same one twice.

         The first time I propped the door open and left. When I checked later, he’d decided it was a good place to sleep the day away and was still there.

          The second time I got a coon, my little three-legged girl came limping out as soon as I had the door open. I don’t know if it’s a male or female but I think of her as a she because she’s smaller than the other coon I’ve seen on my kitchen patio cleaning up the leftover cat food at the end of the day. Most times there’s not any cat food leftover since someone’s gotten good at only putting out what the cats’ll eat during the day. Then (and I know I’m bad) then I’ll toss them a dried-up apple, a too ripe banana, or a cup of dog food.

          No matter who I’ve trapped, they make a mess inside the trap. They either tear up the ground underneath or poop all over the place. While I was power washing it, I discovered if the cage is upside down the door stays open. From then on when I have to release an animal, I just gently roll them over and open the door. I can walk away and they can leave in their own good time.

          And it’s the same with this guy. I either got two or I’ve caught the same one twice. 

          While I was doing research for my letter blog, I picked up a handy little trick I’m going to employ. Since whistlepigs are most active from sunup to sundown, closing the trap at night will keep me from getting possums and coons.

          Speaking of critters …

          I put some nuts out for Alvin early in the week. He seems to recognize that I’m not as fast as a cat and he lets me get kinda close to him. 

          I watched as he nibbled the first nut, then the second and third one just disappeared!

          Where do you think they went?

          Long about Wednesday I found a dead chipmunk on the kitchen patio.

          Uh-oh, I thought. Alvin’s luck ran out. And I felt bad that it’s partly my fault.

          Saturday, I noticed Alvin (or an Alvin impersonator) was scavenging for seeds under the birdfeeder. I also saw Mr. Mister on top of the feral cat box watching him. Smudge came to the door to see what I was looking at and he sees Alvin! And Anon knows where he lives too! He’s going to have to be awfully smart to stay out of the clutches of these guys!

          Speaking of critters…

          We had a bear! It’s the very first one Mike and I’ve seen! We were watching TV and Mike says, “Is that a bear?” He was looking out the front door.

          I was instantly on alert. “Where!”

          About that time this guy comes sauntering across the patio. I ran for my camera but I had my big lens on, the one that doesn’t want to focus all the time, and it was getting dark. Both things spelled disaster for picture making. 

          When he left the patio, I went out to get a picture as he walked away.

But it’s my first one so you get to see my crappy pictures.

Look at this handsome guy, would ya! Mr. Mister got up to greet me when I went out on the kitchen patio. He likes to have his head scratched.

I noticed a wet spot where he was laying so I checked out his leg. It’s closed up a lot but I think there might still be a small pocket of pus.

While handling his leg I felt moisture, dampness, stickiness on the inside of his leg. I got him to lay down and I see he’s got something going on there but it doesn’t look too bad. I’m wondering if you think I should treat it or let it be.

Mike and I had our haircuts this week. We were way early, as is Mike’s way, so we drive around some back streets in Wysox. Going past a scrap iron business I see this.

“Oh look!” I exclaim while snapping away.

“What?” Mike asked.

“By the dumpster. Can I have it?”

Mike slowed the Jeep and turned to look. “No.”

“But they’re throwing it away,” I whined.

“You don’t need it,” he pointed out.

So, we went on, leaving the treasure for someone else.

We tried a new salon and I was trying to capture an infinite number of Mike’s and Kelsey’s. I got three.

Check this out. This is one of my favorite places to be. The Kipps’ front porch. You see the handsome guy in the middle? He’s the boss — or thinks he is! On one visit Tux was being very vocal, very bossy! 

“You want a drink?” Lamar asked and went in the house with Tux.

“Was that what he wanted?” I asked when he came back out.

“Nah.”

Tux didn’t let up so Lamar leaned forward in his seat and gave Tux a good talking to. “You’ll just have to wait.”

“What’s he sayin?” I didn’t know Lamar spoke Tuxese.

“I think he wants me to throw a ball for him.”

The Kipps are always very polite. If you visit and the TV’s on — it gets shut off. If they’re eating — they put their food aside and come out and visit with us.

“I don’t want to interrupt your dinner,” I say.

“Nah. We’re done,” they say or, “I just took the last bite. It’s alright. Let’s sit.”

If Tux wants to play — he’ll just have to wait. They always make you feel like you’re the most important thing in their life at that moment.

I love the Kipps.

And I love Miss Rosie’s painting. Look at these! Aren’t they beautiful! 

“I’m going to get those little lights that have a cork attached and have an on/off switch,” Miss Rosie told me. “And put them down inside. Maybe a ribbon with some curly q’s up around the top.”

It’s a good thing I’m not friends with her friends on the computer or I wouldn’t be able to show you this until after Christmas!

Sometimes I come home from the Kipps with flowers for my windowsill vase. These little beauties are Forget-me-nots.

They’re not the only thing blooming right now either. Yarrow is blooming. I just love the smell of Yarrow!

Yarrow can help reduce swelling for external wounds, stops bleeding, reduces fever, heals irritated skin, aids digestion, reduces excessive menstrual bleeding, and eases cramps. Plus, the bees like it.

          This is Elderberry. I’d show you my macro picture but it looks almost exactly like this one.

          How about Crown Vetch and his closeup.

          Milkweed. I love Milkweed.

          I don’t know. It’s in our neighbor Vernon’s garden and I gravitate more toward the wildflowers. 

          This one I know. Blueberries!

          Road and random pictures.

          This doe and her babes were at our house.

          And we saw this one while sitting on the Kipps’ porch. Same or different ones? Who can tell?

          There used to be a barn here. 

It looks like they pulled all the rims out before they tore it down.

          This barn is gone too. I’ve sent you pictures of it before.

         Speaking of rims…

          I have a Chinese Lantern! Actually, I have more than one but I’ll only show you one.

          It was while I was taking its picture that I noticed something on a leaf. I couldn’t tell what it was.

          If I touch it and it flies away, I won’t get a picture, I thought. So, I took a few pictures first. I got closer and closer and still couldn’t tell what it was. Great! I’m thinking. I’m taking pictures of poop on a leaf.

          But it’s not. It’s a Tortoise Beetle. The first one I’ve ever seen even though they're supposed to be common. These guys belong to the leaf beetle family which include the Cucumber Beetle and the Potato Beetle.

          The coolest thing about these beetles is their defense against getting eaten. During each molt the old skin is pushed back and attached to spines at his butt. The dried skin, plus poop they fling up there, gives them a shield. 

          Speaking of poop!

          Look who’s squatting in my Gladiolus! Macchiato! 

          And this is my defense! Since I took this picture, I’ve added more dishes from my stash of craft dishes. Any little place they can get their little paws in, they will!

          It’s wonderful, just absolutely glorious, to have friends and family that love you.  

          This meal is curtesy of friends and a reminder of my mother. 

          My Miss Rosie makes the best strawberry pie! And it’s low calorie too!

          “How does she do that?” you wanna know.

          Well, for the specific recipe we’ll have to ask her but I know that she makes it with sugar-free Jell-O.

          My salad came from my friend Jody’s garden. Homegrown lettuce. Mmm-mm. The dressing is the part that reminds me of Momma. When we were growing up our meals were almost always meat, potato, and a veggie. Occasionally there’d be a salad. To make a homemade salad dressing Momma would mix mayo and ketchup with a touch of vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. The tradition continued as I made it for my kids when they were growing up, only they liked to use it as a dipping sauce for French fries.

          I was telling my morning loves, in my morning love note, that because I make pancakes and tortillas so much, I decided I wanted a griddle. My stove has an extra burner that turns two burners into one. I’d been using a single-burner round griddle.

          “I’m going to look for one at yard sales this summer,” I told my handsome mountain man.

          “Peg, just buy one,” Mike said.

          “No. I want a cast iron one and they’re too expensive. I’ll just wait until I find one at a yard sale.”

          Well, don’cha know that a few days later a Nordic Ware griddle shows up in the mail! He loves me!

          “I know it’s not what you wanted,” Mike said as I opened the unexpected box. “And I don’t know if you’ll like it, but I thought it’d work until you can find the one you do want.”

          This week I tried it out and it works great! It cut my stove time in half. (I hope that made ya smile.) “I can be happy with this,” I told Mike. I’m much too practical to spend money on something when I have one that works perfectly fine.

          As it turns out, Mike isn’t the only one who loves me! Look what came in the mail this week!

          “What did you get me?” I asked when I took delivery from Andy, my Fed-Ex guy. I opened the box and saw it was a cast iron griddle — just exactly what I wanted! 

          “Mike! What did you do!” I thought it extravagant but secretly I was pleased.

“It wasn’t me. I didn’t do it,” he protested his innocence.

          This thing is an antique, a real treasure, and weighs about ten pounds! I was impressed! I flipped it over and saw the maker. Griswold.

          “Uh-huh. I know who sent it now.”

          “Who?”

          “Patti!” My oldest and much adored sister. “She says Griswold is the best cast iron you can get.”

          Griswold was founded in 1865 in Erie, Pennsylvania. They made butt hinges, stove dampers, and other stove accessories. In the 1870’s they expanded to include cast iron cookware. They earned global recognition for their top-notch cast iron pots and pans. In the 1940’s Griswold hit hard times because of competition from other manufactures making cookware out of other materials. In 1946 the company was sold to an investment group which in turn sold it to the Wagner Manufacturing Company. If you collect cast iron the ones made under Wagner are virtually worthless. In 1957 the original Erie plant was closed.

          “Oh, my goodness!” I gushed when Patti answered her phone. “Guess what I got in the mail today!”

          “Oh, you got it!”

          See! I guessed right!

          “When you said you’d find one at a yard sale, I said to myself, ‘Dang, she’ll never find one.’” Only Patti’s dang was spelled with and F, if you catch my drift.

          “Fang?” you say.

          No. Think about it.

          Patti got on her computer and found me one. She loves me!

With that, let’s call this one done!

"Wait, Peg!" you say. "What's the answer to the riddle?"
The answer is nothing.