When I was little, I remember pretending to be the princesses from various Disney movies.  I loved imagining I was Cinderella, getting to get all dressed up (with help) and go to a fantastic ball to meet the prince.  I sang along with Belle in the scene on the hill about the adventure she longed for.  And don’t forget Snow White, friend to all the animals.


Well lately, I have decided that being a friend to all animals is not all it is cracked up to be.  And let me say now that if you are an animal lover, please do not take offense to what is below.  I love animals.  I do.  Just not when they are doing what they are doing and living where they are living.  So please, please don’t leave me any nasty comments.

It started with the groundhog that lives under our deck.  We call him Chuck, as in woodchuck.  He is cute, fat and actually pretty fast.  The kids have enjoyed catching glimpses of him as he is out in the grass.  Never mind, the occasional feces he leaves on our deck.  (insert: scowl)

Not OUR Groundhog, but this is what he looks like – photo credit

But what really took the cake was when he ate all (as in every single one!) of the leaves off my watermelon and cucumber plants.  There goes our summer of overflowing, juicy watermelon and the delicious cucumber for our salads.  The only thing I’m grateful for is that he didn’t have a taste for my tomato plants (remember my summer bucket list?  phew!)

Not OUR mouse, although just as cute – photo credit

The following week while Dan was grilling dinner, a mouse ran across his foot.  He opened the cupboard to his grill and discovered a little nest.  Yep, his big gorgeous grill had become a home to varmint!  He promptly removed the nest along with the other items stored in the bottom of the grill.

The next day, he opened the cupboard and found the nest was back.  We also learned that there was not just one mouse, but rather three!  Long story short, three days of rebuilt nests and finally mouse traps took care of the problem.  Dan and I standing on the deck with buckets to try to catch them when they ran just wasn’t working.  But it was entirely entertaining for the kids.

The last “friend to all animals” straw was broken when Dan ran inside from working on the deck to tell me he smelled something weird.  He turned around and discovered two skunks right next to the lower deck.  I grabbed my camera and took this picture:

OUR SKUNKS!