It's ON!!

I spotted a ground hog today. In my yard. Going under the Groundhog Love Shack (more commonly known as our shed). Seriously!?! The games have begun. Me against the groundhog. They have a terrible history of mowing down my garden in short order and if there's anything that can irritate me quite like that...well...I don't know what it is. So, what shall it be? A motion sensing sprinkler? A Bear Grylls-inspired snare? Razor wire? Specially trained attack chickens? Ground hog burritos???? Time shall tell...

And speaking of animals (aren't my transitions oh-so-smooth...ha!) James has always been fascinated by snares and wants to catch an animal. A month ago he made a clever squirrel snare, making a wire loop and putting peanut butter and Craisins in it. He rigged it up in such a way that the loop was nearly invisible and right along the path a squirrel would take down a branch. The squirrel took the snacks, but left the snare. James was miffed. This week, he rigged up a little rabbit trap. We have a rabbit we call our 'pet' because it sits in the same exact place in the yard every day. I don't know why he wants to catch it or what he would do if he did. I think it is more of a challenge for him. He dug out one of the termite traps the previous owners had installed. It left behind a narrow hole about 10 inches deep. He laid a cloth napkin over it and made a trip wire out of a piece of twine and two twigs. His idea was that the rabbit would run along, perhaps attracted to the lovely pumpkins printed on the napkin, and then couldn't proceed past the trip wire. It would thus step on the napkin and fall through into the hole. Never mind that the hole was sized more toward a small mouse, or realistically a few over sized crickets. But I've got to hand it to him! He is clever, and determined. I hope someday he catches something someday.