There is good news to report today. This morning we had skunk #2 hauled away. Trapping with cinnamon dipped marshmallow seems to work well. Two skunks in 2 days, not bad. And they will go off and live away from the urban environment..and the cats and our poor dog (still has skunk breath) can begin to get their yard back.
We will continue to set traps for a while. If nothing more is caught in a week or so, we are likely done. If we catch others we are decreasing the chance of litters being born right in our area. Some critters just do not mix with urban or suburban settings. I know, they were there first...but ours is an older, established neighborhood. Maybe the green space we are near is like a pathway...and bird feeders and fruit trees provide them with part of their diet. I don't want to risk harm to our own animals though...I assume the dog would get sprayed repeatedly. She's just that way.
So for now, humans 2...mother nature 0. We'll see how it goes...
21 February 2009
19 February 2009
Not all crises are horrific
I would not have said this a few days ago...commuter plane crash, stumbling economy, torture questions...these are all big picture items. Step down from 50,000 feet to ground level and you get job loss, health issues...still horrific when rolled up into one package. And, at the same time...you get smaller crises too...I can't find my keys! Where is the checkbook? I have a flat tire?!?!?!
Monday night, very late we had just one of THOSE crises. After midnight we took the dog out, one last trip before bed. Just in the back yard. Except we had visitors. Two skunks...not one, tow. Of course, the dog was sure they wanted to see her...and they did. They fired a warning shot, a glancing blow, and exited the yard. The dog ran around, did her business, and then was captured for a bath. We were up until 3 a.m. drying and reassuring her.
Apparently, said skunk was looking at the dog when the shot went off. Hit the fence and showered down on the dog...mostly on her head. No eye problems, no running around and wiping off on all the furniture. Just this lingering smell...all through the house and in select spots on the dog. I think the worst is when she opens her mouth...skunk breath. Not horribly strong, but obvious. And inside her left ear...that's about it. The smell in the house has died down, thankfully.
Just as thankfully, we have hired someone to capture them and give them a home in a forest miles away. Nothing caught the first night, but I think the dog also scared them a bit. So this was a crisis...worthy of the Three Stooges, funny looking back...not funny at all when it happened. Stay tuned for updates on skunk capture!
Monday night, very late we had just one of THOSE crises. After midnight we took the dog out, one last trip before bed. Just in the back yard. Except we had visitors. Two skunks...not one, tow. Of course, the dog was sure they wanted to see her...and they did. They fired a warning shot, a glancing blow, and exited the yard. The dog ran around, did her business, and then was captured for a bath. We were up until 3 a.m. drying and reassuring her.
Apparently, said skunk was looking at the dog when the shot went off. Hit the fence and showered down on the dog...mostly on her head. No eye problems, no running around and wiping off on all the furniture. Just this lingering smell...all through the house and in select spots on the dog. I think the worst is when she opens her mouth...skunk breath. Not horribly strong, but obvious. And inside her left ear...that's about it. The smell in the house has died down, thankfully.
Just as thankfully, we have hired someone to capture them and give them a home in a forest miles away. Nothing caught the first night, but I think the dog also scared them a bit. So this was a crisis...worthy of the Three Stooges, funny looking back...not funny at all when it happened. Stay tuned for updates on skunk capture!
Consider this
You discover your car is leaking oil...not much, so you decide to put off doing anything about it. Over time it gets worse. But, instead of dealing with the problem, you have the car detailed. Car looks great, but wait. What about the real problem, the oil leak? Well, it continues to leave puddles wherever you go. Until the day the lack of oil freezes your engine block. Ah, you cannot ignore the problem now. The car is useless unless you deal with the leak, and you have the added expense of replacing the engine. Ouch!
This is not my story, it is an analogy that Pat came up with...and we were discussing the budget issues in California (grateful we no longer live there). California is in many ways a mini-America. Eighth largest economy in the world. Two thirds majority required to pass a budget...and unable to do so in a timely manner for as long as I can remember. Thankfully one was passed in the wee small hours of this morning. The problem is California mirrors the current American problem.
To deal with the oil leak is like dealing with the economic issues head on. Infrastructure spending...oil is necessary for the car to run. The detail job is like window dressing...ah, tax cuts. Without infrastructure spending you get a sink hole on the 215 freeway..all the tax cuts in the world will not fix that sink hole. But, infrastructure spending will give jobs to the folks who evaluate and repair that hole...and traffic moves freely again. Or as freely as traffic moves on any California freeway.
So, why is this so hard? Some say...debt, huge debt...don't do it!! If we don't, what happens? We have politicians, not elected servants of the public. We have window dressing, "See, we're looking out for you. Saving your kids from massive debt." Instead we will have roads, bridges, schools, etc. that fall into disrepair...or collapse. And routes we used to take regularly are gone, detours must be found. Ah, using more gasoline and increasing our dependence on foreign oil.
It's a long look. Maybe it happens, maybe not. I would rather the extra cash in my paycheck had gone to infrastructure jobs. Stimulus, you know. And, no matter what you do, it needed to happen months ago. Nothing we do will turn things around today, or tomorrow, or next week. But let's not make this a political argument. Let's really make it about helping our citizens. Anyone can be a politician. What we need are statesmen. People who work to provide for the common good and promote the general welfare. For everyone. Period.
This is not my story, it is an analogy that Pat came up with...and we were discussing the budget issues in California (grateful we no longer live there). California is in many ways a mini-America. Eighth largest economy in the world. Two thirds majority required to pass a budget...and unable to do so in a timely manner for as long as I can remember. Thankfully one was passed in the wee small hours of this morning. The problem is California mirrors the current American problem.
To deal with the oil leak is like dealing with the economic issues head on. Infrastructure spending...oil is necessary for the car to run. The detail job is like window dressing...ah, tax cuts. Without infrastructure spending you get a sink hole on the 215 freeway..all the tax cuts in the world will not fix that sink hole. But, infrastructure spending will give jobs to the folks who evaluate and repair that hole...and traffic moves freely again. Or as freely as traffic moves on any California freeway.
So, why is this so hard? Some say...debt, huge debt...don't do it!! If we don't, what happens? We have politicians, not elected servants of the public. We have window dressing, "See, we're looking out for you. Saving your kids from massive debt." Instead we will have roads, bridges, schools, etc. that fall into disrepair...or collapse. And routes we used to take regularly are gone, detours must be found. Ah, using more gasoline and increasing our dependence on foreign oil.
It's a long look. Maybe it happens, maybe not. I would rather the extra cash in my paycheck had gone to infrastructure jobs. Stimulus, you know. And, no matter what you do, it needed to happen months ago. Nothing we do will turn things around today, or tomorrow, or next week. But let's not make this a political argument. Let's really make it about helping our citizens. Anyone can be a politician. What we need are statesmen. People who work to provide for the common good and promote the general welfare. For everyone. Period.
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