No plums this year. This poor tree has been decimated by raccoons once again.
Almost every evening last week a family of raccoons would amble up to our sliding patio door. They would peer into the glass and chirrup for a bit of supper. When they spied us coming to the door they would come closer but we would chase them away. Raccoons are cute but very destructive. Besides, they are not very discriminating gourmands. They will just as readily dive into an unattended a garbage can as rush to watch us smoking our barbecue.
So the raccoons were pretty miffed because we weren't providing take out meals. They weren't used to be given the cold shoulder. I suspect that a few people think they are really cute and toss them a few victuals. Hence, the raccoons turned their attention to our poor plum tree.
Last year when we came home from vacation our tree looked as if a mad hacker had cut off a third of the branches. The cuts were so sharp I even asked my neighbour if he had been trimming our tree at night. That's not such a strange request since our neighbour is very skillful with the hedge trimmers. Skillful yes but nuts no.
The idea of raccoons chomping on the branches never crossed my mind. Until one night I heard loud chewing. I grabbed the spotlight and pointed it toward the tree. Raccoons were swinging from the branches, chewing the branches and dropping them to the ground. Once the branches dropped, the racccoons would eat the fruit off the branches from the ground.
This year I hoped it would be different. But the tree was battered once again. You would think I could pick the plums before they were eaten but they weren't ripe.
I hope they get the runs.
I apologized to my neighbour.
6 comments:
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Raccoons are cute but I now understand why people used to make them into fluffy coats.
We have one living between our first and second floors..One day as I was cooking I happened to turn around and saw a tail hanging down between the pocket doors. the raccoon was sitting on the pocket door track in the wall and his tail was hanging into the room. I pulled it. >:(
That is too funny. We used to chase them with water guns until they started drinking and washing their faces with the water.
Just an update for you about that wild yeast starter I was making. It didn't turn out, it smelt horrible. I know that it is suppose to be fruity and citrusy in smell, but I would gag everytime I opened the container to feed it. SO I dumped it out. I think I'll stick to regular sourdough starters. lol.
Mine too! Except that I made bread hoping that it would be okay. It wasn't.
How frustrating although having never seen a raccoon I still think of them as cute and adorable. Clearly I am mistaken! I loved the way you told the story. Beautifully written post. I'll be working on my random facts tonight :)
They're so cute! But terrifying up close. I'd love to have a chance for a safe tail pull.
I planted a hedge of filberts 10 years ago. It's lovely. But I've never had a filbert from it, and probably never will, as the squirrels are much more willing than I am to eat them when they're still very green.
Also, be careful what you wish for. Something that had been eating cherries had the runs under our front tree. Ew.
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