Sunday, January 25, 2009

Penny on thin ice and possum

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The creek is thawing, slowly. Beyond Penny is a bend where the creek runs in from the right. That area is all melt, save for some white crumply ice. Penny is very cautious for a beginner.
It's possible Belle has told her to listen for the cracks.


She is near the edge here and it was making loud cracking noises so she wisely climbed the bank . It's not but knee deep, still I'm glad she is that cautious because her next experience might be deeper water.

Tonight the dogs were whimpering to go out, so I opened the door and looked out into the yard for critters before letting them out as I always do. They flew off the porch and scrambled around the weeping cherry, so I stepped out to see if they were after deer. I stopped short and looked down to see a possum eating the waffles I had left out to feed the horses!


Belle and Penny both ran right past it, so I ran out to the truck in my slippers and pj's and pretended to be going for a ride, coaxing the dogs into the H2 with my usual command of 'kennel up'. Then I slammed them in, and went back into the house to get the camera and Bob to help me get it gone.

It was not intimidated with the stick I prodded it with, nor me clapping my hands. It seemed to actually 'play possum'. It acted like I couldn't see it behind the tub of bird seed ( in the tidy cat bin).



Bob came out with an umbrella, so naturally I said "you'll need something stouter than that."
He opened and shut the umbrella at it a couple of times and off it ran. Then he just gave me that smug "told you so" look. I hate that look, the look of "I'm right again".
Wish that possum had hissed at him like the one that hissed at my nephew John in Texas. That umbrella would have been a crummy shield if it got mad.
I'm hoping for next time.
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4 comments:

Becky Mushko said...

Possums are not happy if you throw water on them while they are clinging to a screen door. (Don't ask me how I know that.)

Don't let the possum around your hay or where the minis eat. Possum poop can carry EPM virus.

Around here, possums in the garage are trapped and relocated to the farm. Possums near the horses are history (thanks to an efficient border collie).

Anonymous said...

Possums sure don't sound very friendly, and that one is sure giving you the evil eye.

Di
The Blue Ridge Gal

Clementine said...

Ugh...I hate those varmits. They used to get in my grain room, open the grain chest and help themselves to the feed. Every time I entered the barn I'd open the grain chest and jump.

Greener Pastures--A City Girl Goes Country said...

I think they're adorable! Poor possums get a bad rap. I've relocated them before. I remember one time I went into my feed room, switched on the light, went about my business and there on the shelf where I kept the cats' dish was a possum having a midnight snack. I almost put my hand on him! He just froze, looking at me. I froze looking at him. I stamped my feet. He didn't move. I waved my hands. Nothing. Ah, I just let him finish his meal, backed out and shut the light off. I love all animals. (I just don't want them tearing into my grain--I have a trick for that though.)

www.GreenerPastures--ACityGirlGoesCountry.blogspot.com

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union hall, S.W.Virginia, United States
Newly retired from Franklin County Public Schools.Prior to that I was a cosmetologist for several years.