The Rascals Return

With a frost predicted, we moved the plants and flowers into the house that we wanted to keep for another season: Boston ferns, angel wing begonias, fuchsia, and a large purple shamrock.  Geraniums and hydrangeas can tolerate a light frost, so we left them outside with plans to put them down into covered the window wells later. The double glass doors to the back yard filled with plants no longer served as a route outside, but the plants are protected and offer a greenhouse atmosphere  for us to enjoy all winter long.

After a day working in the yard preparing for wintry weather, we went to bed tired but satisfied. During the night I was awakened by the wind chimes hanging from the tree in the center of the back yard. Drowsily I thought to myself it must really be windy for that chime to be going like that because the center piece that each chime hits to ring was broken.  Before long the chimes were silent and my assumption was that the wind had died down.  Then I heard it, even with the window closed.  A sound that had agitated me so much several weeks earlier--the raccoons were back.

I considered the options I had.  With the temperature in the upper thirties if  I went out to chase the coons out of the yard, I would need shoes and a jacket, unlike my barefooted nightgown assault last time.  I would have to go out the door by the garage instead of straight into the yard through the glass doors.  I would wake my husband and we would both be agitated and wide awake for some time after.  Considering all of these negatives, I rationalized that the raccoons had already destroyed most of the water hyacinth on the pond and either did not seem interested or able to catch the fish, so I went back to sleep instead of accosting the invaders.

The next morning, the evidence was clear.  Raccoons had once again created mischief.  The one last water hyacinth was chewed up and on the edge of the pond.  The tangled wind chime hung silent in the tree.  The squirrel trap, closed overnight to prevent an untimely captive, lay upside down and the few remaining peanuts eaten.  I had strict instructions that if I heard the raccoons again, I was to let John know so he could deal with the situation in the night.  We certainly do not want this to become a common occurrence.  Ah, the joys of city wildlife!