I'm always impressed with folks that can grow vegetable gardens although, I've never been among them. A friend gave me a couple tomato and cucumber plants, already started and easy for me to plant. I've bragged about the handful of cherry tomatoes I grew this year, proud as punch to have seen a few fruits of my labors. Now it's time to brag about my cucumber, yup, only the one, but it was delicious and I grew it. I'm not exactly sure what I do wrong, or if my yard just isn't sunny enough? Clearly, I'm no farmer and will leave that to the folks that enjoy digging in the dirt but can't a gal get a couple veggies? Growing up my dad always had a large vegetable garden and grew lots of veggies with seemly little work. Of course, when someone else does the work it always seems easy. I give away eggs by the dozen to people who have no idea the stress caused from keeping predators at bay. Just last night around midnight as I slept peacefully I was suddenly awakened by the tiny chirping from my new chicks. I quickly sprang to the window and saw a giant (and I mean extra large) raccoon lurking and searching for a way into the coop. I shook Tim awake and he ran outside but the raccoon ran away as soon as it heard us. Wild critters are understandably trying to beef up before the cold weather sets in, but I'd rather it not be on my beautiful flock of chickens. Tim and I are now on high alert and nightly watch for intruders looking for a meal. We will stay vigilant to keep our girls safe and believe for now, the coop is secure. Our new chicks have taken to sleeping near the fence, close enough for a raccoon to reach inside and harm them. I now go outside each night after dark to put them inside their henhouse and keep them out of raccoons arms reach! Hopefully soon they will go inside on their own, but for now it's another nightly chore. Folks with successful vegetable gardens curse rabbits, deer and any other veggie eating critters, so I guess we all have our troubles. The vegetarians would go hungry on my annual pathetic crop, but those darn carnivores keep coming back! The life of a farmer isn't easy... gratitude overload for fresh produce and for folks that have the patience and skill to grow it. I will be sleeping with my window open, listening for trouble, ready to defend my girls if they sound the alarm. It's a good thing I don't have a vegetable garden, I couldn't handle the stress of worrying about deer and rabbits as well. I've got my hands full with raccoons and mr. fox if I can prevent it, they won't get a meal on my watch.
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