Tag: Raccoons

Stealth Treats

Sometimes you gots to be sneaky.

Sometimes you gots to be quiet and gentle.

Sometimes you gots to blend into the background and make your appearance slowly and delicately.

That way, you’re noticed slowly and on the others’ terms.

It’s always good to integrate yourself with others on their terms, not your terms.

Not at first.

Then, once accepted, you can find out if your terms are acceptable.

Remember to keep your term negotiable. Often it’s better to merge systems, to synthesize, to let the whole become greater than the sum of its parts.

 

After much waiting (Raccoons)

I often mention our concern when the wildlife traffic diminishes in our yard.

Such diminishing follows seasonal patterns, we know.

Compound seasonal patterns with construction and global warming, and we may not see our friends until far into seasons.

This concerns us.

Last week I mentioned our concern for the turkeys last week. This week we’re glad to see our old friend Raccoon bringing his Shadows to us.

 

A Lovely Couple

Sometimes we are blessed to witness love on the bloom.

Not all couples stay faithful throughout their lives in The Wild. Some, like the Raccoon, don’t stay faithful for more than the time it takes to get the deed done.

Talk about “Slam, Bam, Thankyou, Ma’am.”

I wonder if they leave a peanut or cookie on the bureau when they leave.

Canids tend to mate for life.

We worried greatly when Jackson, a young male coyote, showed up with a limp. Not sure what happened. We looked for signs of a broken bone or a twisted joint or scarring.

Couldn’t find a thing.

He eventually grew out of it. Shortly after he was out trotting normally, we never saw him again.

Moved on to better habitat, we’re hoping.

Coyotes are never out of season where we live.

Same is true of ignorance and simple stupidity, it seems.

 

Family Dining

Ever get together with a friend’s family for a meal out?

Happens in The Wild a lot. Often you’ll get distantly related families – Opossum, Raccoon, Fox, Skunk, and the like – dining together, sometimes at the same table…or pile…sometimes not.

They don’t seem to mind.

Sometimes when I’m out there, they will gather around me. Raccoon kits nibble at my toes, other kits and pups wait patiently with their elders for me to leave food for them.

I once cracked some peanuts in my hand and two raccoons stood at my feet reaching up.

Do you have any idea how wonderful it feels to know The Old Ones consider you safe?

Not to mention being an easy touch.

 

Little Climbing Raccoon

Youngsters at play.

Or escape.

You never know, scary Two-Legger that I am.

Getting high in a tree is a natural defense for raccoons, one of many.

The Wild, The Old Ones only fight when there are no other options available.

Even then, it’s rarely open aggression. More often it’s defense. Yes, there’s predation and only those preparing to pass over are hunted. Unlike humans, ego plays no part in survival. No wolf or fox or coyote or bear or mountain cat takes down the healthiest, most robust buck and shows off their kill to others of their kind. Nothing in The Wild brags about killing because they only kill when there’s a need (“only” meaning “under normal circumstances”).

Boastful behavior doesn’t exist in aboriginal societies, either. At least not that I’ve seen. Often, when some group prepares to hunt, they make supplications to the Old One they wish to take down. They ask The First of whatever they hunt to give them one ready to go home so as not to offend.

Also to keep the greater numbers of the hunted kind safe. Aborigines know there will be other hunts on other days. Taking out the most fit means numbers diminish and until the numbers are zero.

Should you ever wish to learn the Mathematics of Life, spend time with aborigines. They know it well.