COLD DARK ROOM

[Pastel Tortie]

Hello, gang.
I've been out setting up some rat traps outside due to a strange new abundance of them in and around my pens. And I saw a VERY large Raccoon on my fence.
It's the first Raccoon I've seen since the Raccoon war of 2008. (In which I won)
Rodents are definitely getting a foothold out there again.
Time to get the big live traps out of hiding in the garage.

I know it's the Chinese Year of the Rat, but this is ridiculous! ?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I know it's the Chinese Year of the Rat, but this is ridiculous! ?

In the past, I had this under control.
I guess I've gotten lazy with keeping up with it.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

In the past, I had this under control.
I guess I've gotten lazy with keeping up with it.

I don't know... This is a weirder year than most. I'm okay if we call the increase in rodents and nuisance wildlife a bit unusual.

Do you remember when Apopka was overrun with mice? It was probably around 1999. People were calling the governor's office.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I don't know... This is a weirder year than most. I'm okay if we call the increase in rodents and nuisance wildlife a bit unusual.

Do you remember when Apopka was overrun with mice? It was probably around 1999. People were calling the governor's office.

Yeah
I think that all of the fruit trees have stopped producing because of the heat. And the rats are looking for an easy meal of leftover tortoise chow.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

A Raccoon that gigantic is probably a female and there is likely a lot more than just one.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Yeah
I think that all of the fruit trees have stopped producing because of the heat. And the rats are looking for an easy meal of leftover tortoise chow.

Any thoughts as to whether the rat population is actually larger and more robust this year?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Any thoughts as to whether the rat population is actually larger and more robust this year?

I don't generally see them in my yard.
Just occasionally scurrying across the powerlines at night.
They use the powerlines as a rat highway to get from tree to tree.
There were some new neighbors that had 2 dogs that continuously escaped their yard and killed many feral cats until another neighbor shot and killed the dogs.
The loss of several cats didn't help.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

I don't generally see them in my yard.
Just occasionally scurrying across the powerlines at night.
They use the powerlines as a rat highway to get from tree to tree.
There were some new neighbors that had 2 dogs that continuously escaped their yard and killed many feral cats until another neighbor shot and killed the dogs.
The loss of several cats didn't help.

Yeah, that would upset the balance, all right.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yeah, that would upset the balance, all right.

Many feral cats visit my yard because one area is pure sand.
So, it was actually beneficial

 

[Lyn W]

Good afternooning all. Sorry I disappeared. I have about 40 pages to catch up on it seems!

The dust has settled a little with the public exams although there is still much to sort out and schools reopen this week.

Tomorrow is my last day as a governor, but as it is a public holiday here in the UK I am actually done. Others will continue the fight in my place

I should be in France right now, but it was put on the covid naughty list and our insurance would have been invalid if we had gone

This left us with a dilemma. We decided to take our two weeks anyway, so JoesDad didn’t work last week and we did some holidaying from home.

Last Monday we went birdwatching on the Isle of Sheppey, a very unglamorous place about an hour from home, where we had glorious sunshine all day.
Then we stayed the night in small apartment in nearby Whitstable which is famed for its oysters.

Next day we had intended to drive along the coast to Ramsgate and visit the wartime tunnels there. However the weather was DIABOLICAL. Howling gales, seaspray and rain made walking difficult and we decided to head home instead.

On Wednesday we went to London for the first time since before lockdown. We stayed at a Small hotel with a very good restaurant near St James’s Palace. London was weird. I have never seen it so quiet not even out of season.

This is Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square and it is always packed there year round!
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The next couple of days were quiet then yesterday we set off for Devon in the south west of the UK for a week in a rented house in Torquay that we managed to get a late booking for. (Fans of UK comedy Fawlty Towers may remember that it was set here)

Son came with us and we picked up daughter on the way as neither has had a holiday this year.

The weather has been perfect since we arrived, so here are some postcards:

Our picnic spot yesterday in the grounds of the house owned by author Agatha Christie
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Our holiday house is on a hill with a glorious view
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And a few photos from our stroll around the harbour this morning
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So that’s my news. What’s yours? ?

Welcome back Linda.
That's a beautiful place, I'm sure you'll have a good time.

 

[Lyn W]

A closer up shot of an American Lotus blossom....

View attachment 304867

That looks like a lovely painting.

 

[Lyn W]

Hello, gang.
I've been out setting up some rat traps outside due to a strange new abundance of them in and around my pens. And I saw a VERY large Raccoon on my fence.
It's the first Raccoon I've seen since the Raccoon war of 2008. (In which I won)
Rodents are definitely getting a foothold out there again.
Time to get the big live traps out of hiding in the garage.

Hi ed.
On UK radio they said that there seemed to be more rats around homes and gardens this year because of the closure of fast food places so there was less waste being dropped for them to eat. I don't know if there's any truth in that. We had some around here but I think that may have been because a nest was disturbed in a nearby car park when they cleared all the vegetation around it. I've not seen any for a while though.

 

[Lyn W]

Any thoughts as to whether the rat population is actually larger and more robust this year?

According to UK radio it could be something to do with lockdown and less people and dropped fast food about so they are hungry and out looking for a good feed.

 

[Lyn W]

Good morning CDRers - a new week begins.
Hope everyone has a good Monday.

 

[Blackdog1714]

I know here in the city proper RVA the "nocturnal animals" are not so nocturnal. They knew when the freshet garbage was dropped and would adjust accordingly. A raccoon out during the daytime in the City is a very smart creature. Nature is trying to reclaim the earth BEWARE!

 

[CarolM]

Or an update on his device could be the gremlin too.

Good Point.

 

[CarolM]

Well, it's 6:50a and already I have briskly walked 10 laps (appx. 1 mile) around the pasture, fed the cats, prepared the daily tortoise dood, fed the young box turtles, the hospitilized painted turtle, the hatchling russian and softshell, played with the kitten, read all the new posts and dispatched my moderator duties on the Forum. As soon as I'm finished here I'm taking the tortoise food out to dispense, then pick up poop and clean and refill waterers. I have it in mind to run the strimmer, but can't predict the future.

You always amaze me with the amount of energy you have.

 

[CarolM]

View attachment 304749
And thank goodness for that, I was dying on Friday.

My Weekend came and went. I am not even sure that I saw it.

 

[CarolM]

That’s what I thought! We have EllieMay and EllyMae and now we have Yvonne G and Yvonne Z. What’s next Golden Greek Tortoise 567 and Golden Greek Tortoise 568?

We also have a Carol S and a CarolM

 

[CarolM]

Not in my case.
False modesty is worse, in my opinion!

mmmm, difficult one. I was always taught that I should never brag and should always be humble. But then again I was also taught to always say no and if they offer it again then I could say yes. But in this day and age nobody ever offers things twice. So if you say no, then you loose out. ?