Home, Home on the Farm

I'm sure you are all familiar with the song "Home on the Range", "where the deer and the antelope roam". Well, I've been thinking that song might apply well to our farm. We have seen a myriad of animals roaming in the fields and in the yard this year and all in abundance. (We have our food supply of meat!)

We have many deer running around, along with their fawns. Rabbits and chipmunks are all over the place and I scared up 18 geese yesterday when I drove the Ranger down to the creek to find some way to cool off. The killdeer are back this year, nested at the same spot - at a bend in the driveway) and had four babies. They are the cutest birds, with their long legs and speedy walk. We have to be very careful where we drive and slow down because they run right ahead of you for quite a distance before they veer off into the grass.

We had a campout here last two weekends ago for the fathers and sons from church and some of them reported seeing a bear cross the creek and go into our woods. I had just been thinking of starting to walk the paths in the woods for exercise but now I'm reconsidering that. Maybee I'll just carry some pots and pans and make a lot of noise while I walk - I was told that would scare off bears. There goes the nice peaceful walk in the woods, with time to reflect and think.

Back to the chipmunks - one day I was filling the bird feeders and left the basement door open. I had been warned by Grandma that animals (chippies in particular) would sneak in but I thought since I was only a few feet away, nothing would happen. I was wrong...one came in. I heard some scratching noises in the basement later that day and I saw the chipmunk by the freezer by the window. I tried to get him to leave with the assistance of a broom, but he ran the other direction. I opened the window and screen, hoping he would go out that way but then you run the risk of him inviting his friends in because it's nice and cool there and there's a lot of food stored in the basement (wheat, bird seed, crackers, cereal, etc) - all things they would like. So what do I do? Everytime I go downstairs, I make a lot of noise and close the door behind me - I don't need a chipmunk in the main part of the house although he could squeeze under the door to the kitchen (old farmhouse - not real tight). I'm not scared of this fellow, but I don't like to be surprised.

Now I have heard a new noise coming from the basement. I swear he's in the heat ducts - I hear claws scrabbling on metal. I stomp on the floor of the dining room (where the noise is loudest so I'm assuming he's right below) to try to scare him but where is he to go? I have no idea how he got in there, but I have taken the precaution to cover up the floor vents with books and boxes just in case he can somehow work his way up and try to escape that way and give me an unwanted surprise. Even as I type this, I am hearing noises from the ductwork...time to go stomp on the floor!!!