For several days, our little skunk refuses to leave his home. It is as if he is aware that if he departs through the one-way screen, he might not be able to reenter, since the human has been so inconsiderate as to cover his newest entrance hole with heavy slate slabs.
Despite his concerns, the resourceful skunk continues his diligent housekeeping. The question is, "Just how many mothballs did the human alpha-male drop into this hole?" Sort of like, "Can you guess how many candies are in the jar?" Those humans are a funny sort. The morning is punctuated by a brief visit from an old friend, the raccoon.
(Notice the white paper note which has been left by the human for the professional exterminator to read. Unfortunately, the exterminator never shows up.)
Concerned that the parasitical rodent will never leave, the human makes some adjustments to the screen, so the skunk will believe that it will be possible to re-enter if he chooses to leave.
"Aha, thinks the skunk! The screen has been bent open!" Confident in his ability to return home, the skunk departs lightheartedly for an afternoon jaunt.
Since the professional exterminator has failed to show up yet again, the human alpha-male decides to take charge of the situation. While the skunk is out and about, the human bravely enters his enemy's territory and closes up the opening. (Note: it is nearly midnight. This is one determined alpha-male.) Later, when the skunk returns, he is dismayed to find the screen back in place, and the home inaccessible. Luckily, the neighborhood is full of other decks, located on houses whose humans are not nearly so clever and conniving. And probably there won't be mothballs. (Yesss!!!) The skunk departs into the warm dark night to find a more accommodating human host.
Our triumphant alpha male human exults in his success. It has been a long and arduous battle of wits and strength. In a final demonstration of his evolutionary prowess (probably intending to woo his female mate) the human adds reinforcements to this already impenetrable fortress!
Unbeknown to the celebrating human family, a mystery guest makes a brief and ghostly appearance outside the abandoned hole. It's not a skunk, or a raccoon....it's a.....a....WHAT IS THAT?
10 comments:
WHAT?!!! What IS that?
Mike says it is an "ROES"...Rodent of Extraordinary Size, from the Princess Bride. I think it's a good guess.
Tell us tell us, do you know what it is? I can't believe the whole world the exists under our deck!
That was the first thought that entered my mind ... except I believe the correct scientific terminology is R.O.U.S.'s(rodents of UNUSUAL size).
Perhaps it is some sort of possum, although this is the only possum I ever saw on my mission: http://picasaweb.google.com/JBFblue/TheMission#5321823168079324370
Really though, fantastic job with the skunk, I am very impressed. Hopefully he has given up for good. (I especially enjoyed the documentation, top notch commentary, I do say)
Being a native Iowa girl, having seen several, and actaully hit a couple with my car (its number one preditor), I say this is a possum. They are usually mild manored, until cornered or if they have babies.
Good luck with this one! Marsupials are a wiley bunch. Plus, I hear they throw wild parities and invite all of their previously evicted friends...
AHHHHHHHHHHHH! What is that??? I get the shivers just looking at that skinny tail...it looks like a giant RAT!
Okay, it must be a possum, but that did not cross my mind until I read the comments.
Way to go DAD! You are braver than I could have ever imagined. This is the kind of hero stuff most men only dream about.
Joey, I enjoyed the picture of the possum being consumed by turkey vultures. I know what those are because one day I watched a flock of about 7 turkey vultures (or "buzzards") working on a dead fox in the field. I thought to myself, "Those are the ugliest birds I ever saw," and Steven and I looked them up on....Wikepedia, of course.
I love how our R.O.U.S. just fades in and out for an instant. So eerie! Spellbinding, yes?
I also just love Daddy reinforcing his barrier...putting up those two big boulders, then thinking, "Well, maybe that's a bit much." Manly, without overstatement.
I miss our skunk.
I just discovered that the term "possum" covers about "69 small to medium-sized arboreal marsupial species native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi." They are so named because they resemble an animal called the "opossum" which is found in Amercia. American opossums are commonly called "possums," though. Are we clear?
There is actually a species called the "Virgina opossum," which is the only marsupial in Northern America.
Here is a link, which has a picture of the "Virginia opossum."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Possum.jpg
Robin, it looks like you nailed it. (Yeah, and you've nailed a few with your car, too, apparently.) Thanks.
I concur. We have lots of Virginia possums out here in Culpeper. They are creepy with that long tail, and mighty ugly. Great job with Mr. Skunk, though we will miss the adventures. Bet the air is smelling cleaner around your house though! At least possums don't stink!
This was great! You're free of the skunk!
Now, regarding the alleged Virginia opossum. Dare I say, it looks like a photoshop job, the way it doesn't move at all and the fading in and out business. Maybe there's a conspirator within the Farrell household? A late April Fool's perhaps?
I promise, Mom's honor, no photo-shopping was involved! That's a bona-fide under-the-deck critter. The odd effect is due to the setting of the webcam, which was taking pictures only every 15 seconds or so. We could have missed it entirely! You do see it twice, in different locations, if you look closely. (once up in the left top corner)
ooooh, creepy and crawly! As I was watching alpha-male reinforce the fortress, I thought, "Hmm, nice solid home for some mice!" Could the ghostly critter appear larger because it is near the camera? Could it actually just be a mouse, or a rat? Matt knows of a large variety he calls a "nutri-rat" from his days in Louisiana.
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