Wednesday, September 06, 2006
NAPOLEON AND THE INVADERS.....
With most of my news being about Rocky, Tuffy and the weather lately I thought I’d catch you up on Napoleon. He is a bird with an attitude, let me tell you. I fear I’ve spoiled him too much because he has been munching away on all the new growth of our Japanese Maple tree that we put in our new berm last year…..or was it the year before? Time gets by me too fast to remember but I digress……anyway, back to the tree it was a pricey little thing to buy but in one of my grander moments we splurged for the main attraction to the front of our house.
I began noticing beautiful new dark red leaves, though tiny, coming all over the top of it this Spring and when the rains quit I watered faithfully because my focus is on our investment, shall I say. Well, anyway…..a week or so ago I really stopped to give it a good look and I noticed all of the new growth was gone and there were bare little twigs all over the top. I noted the difference and didn’t think too much about it……until…..until…..I was in the living room the other day and I saw something move in the direction of the tree.
As I watched, Napoleon’s head came up out of the center of it like a snake and his long ole neck was stretched to the max, nipping away at the tasty leaves. I was instantly sick. That explains why the tree hasn’t lived up to my expectations. Well, at this time of year I figure we’ll do something about it in the Spring, like maybe a big fence around it. I’ve chased the cats out of it who used to love romping all over the variety of neat branches and now I have Napoleon to deal with. He has less intelligence than the cats for he continues to munch away.
He comes on the run when he sees me come outside with something in my hand…..he comes right to my feet to eat the home made breads I bake and he really loves cookies, muffins and rolls. When I went out to put the outdoor kitties up this evening, there stood Napoleon in the garage eating the dry cat food. I leave the big door up about 18 inches to make it a little cooler in there and I have to chain the small door with a gap only big enough for the kitties. The neighbors up the road have a large Lab who loves to catch the door open so he can devour all the food out of the free flowing feeder we have for the cats. He doesn’t go under the big door but I see that Mr. Napoleon does. He also likes going in there mid-day to roost on top of our van……..and leave his little calling cards.
You see, he is very special and since he didn’t ask to get lost and has had to figure out what works for him and what doesn’t I give him a little wiggle room. The poor creature had some pretty miserable nights last winter with the sleet and freezing rain to contend with so I figure he deserves a break here and there. I am amazed at how he has survived in a world he never imagined.
Along with Napoleon we have some new residents I’d like to get rid of. One afternoon I noticed a huge Armadillo rooting around in my flower bed. Chevy and Callie were sitting a little ways off just looking at him in amazement……..I went out to scare him away and he obliged me. However, that was only the beginning of a long siege on their part to burrow under the house, dig huge pits in my flower garden, make holes everywhere in the lawn…….the list is quite long. Rocky has flooded holes with water, pounded big rocks into the holes….watched the holes to whack anything that came out and is presently considering traps. I have visions of Caddy Shack as he plots his evil ways to destroy our invaders.
Well, life is never dull here at the Rockenbach’s acre…….if anyone has had success with Armadillo’s I would appreciate any suggestions. And I always thought they were just a dead animal upside down on all the highways……they really do exist and are living and breathing.
From where I see it……that’s not a good thing.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
I began noticing beautiful new dark red leaves, though tiny, coming all over the top of it this Spring and when the rains quit I watered faithfully because my focus is on our investment, shall I say. Well, anyway…..a week or so ago I really stopped to give it a good look and I noticed all of the new growth was gone and there were bare little twigs all over the top. I noted the difference and didn’t think too much about it……until…..until…..I was in the living room the other day and I saw something move in the direction of the tree.
As I watched, Napoleon’s head came up out of the center of it like a snake and his long ole neck was stretched to the max, nipping away at the tasty leaves. I was instantly sick. That explains why the tree hasn’t lived up to my expectations. Well, at this time of year I figure we’ll do something about it in the Spring, like maybe a big fence around it. I’ve chased the cats out of it who used to love romping all over the variety of neat branches and now I have Napoleon to deal with. He has less intelligence than the cats for he continues to munch away.
He comes on the run when he sees me come outside with something in my hand…..he comes right to my feet to eat the home made breads I bake and he really loves cookies, muffins and rolls. When I went out to put the outdoor kitties up this evening, there stood Napoleon in the garage eating the dry cat food. I leave the big door up about 18 inches to make it a little cooler in there and I have to chain the small door with a gap only big enough for the kitties. The neighbors up the road have a large Lab who loves to catch the door open so he can devour all the food out of the free flowing feeder we have for the cats. He doesn’t go under the big door but I see that Mr. Napoleon does. He also likes going in there mid-day to roost on top of our van……..and leave his little calling cards.
You see, he is very special and since he didn’t ask to get lost and has had to figure out what works for him and what doesn’t I give him a little wiggle room. The poor creature had some pretty miserable nights last winter with the sleet and freezing rain to contend with so I figure he deserves a break here and there. I am amazed at how he has survived in a world he never imagined.
Along with Napoleon we have some new residents I’d like to get rid of. One afternoon I noticed a huge Armadillo rooting around in my flower bed. Chevy and Callie were sitting a little ways off just looking at him in amazement……..I went out to scare him away and he obliged me. However, that was only the beginning of a long siege on their part to burrow under the house, dig huge pits in my flower garden, make holes everywhere in the lawn…….the list is quite long. Rocky has flooded holes with water, pounded big rocks into the holes….watched the holes to whack anything that came out and is presently considering traps. I have visions of Caddy Shack as he plots his evil ways to destroy our invaders.
Well, life is never dull here at the Rockenbach’s acre…….if anyone has had success with Armadillo’s I would appreciate any suggestions. And I always thought they were just a dead animal upside down on all the highways……they really do exist and are living and breathing.
From where I see it……that’s not a good thing.
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
