The raccoon and the kittens

Saturday night, I went out for a cigarette. Tiger was on the Rubbermaid container I have on my back deck staring into the back yard and didn't even acknowledge me being there. This was unusual. Even more unusual was that Ralph didn't come running and meowing like he always does. I looked over the back rail and saw Ralph also staring into the back yard. I started talking to him and eventually he came up on the deck. His tail was really poufed out. I heard some leaves rustle and thought it was another cat. I was going to chase it away, but thought it might be a skunk and went inside to get a flashlight. Was I surprised to see a raccoon in my back yard and glad that I just didn't go try to chase it away. I have lived here all my life and have never seen a raccoon in my yard. I went back inside and called my friend Barb. We were talking and the raccoon waddled over to the corn cobs I had out there. The kittens were very intent of this intruder in the yard, but didn't wander over. I guess with me talking and having the flashlight shining on him, he waddled over to the holly tree. He climbed about a quarter of the way up the tree. I was getting eye shine and said to Barb "to bad it isn't Halloween. It is pretty eerie looking with this eye shine." I came in, as did Ralph for a little while. Here is a picture of Ralph either annoyed at me for taking yet another picture of him, because of the intruder in the yard or just chillin from the experience.

A little bit later we went out and the raccoon is under my dogwood tree munching on the corn not 20 feet from me. I tried to get a picture, but it didn't turn out. My friend Deb on the street behind me had come home and yelled over to see what I was doing. I told her I was trying to get a picture of this raccoon. She said "raccoon. I haven't seen one around here is ages." I guess from us talking the raccoon started for the holly tree again. Ralph went over to where the raccoon was eating the corn. Well this pissed the raccoon off and he comes waddling toward Ralph. I was yelling for Ralph to get away, but he stood his ground. Tail poufed, back arched, Ralphy boy stood there. I don't know if he was hissing or not because I was yelling and trying to take a picture of this raccoon. The raccoon finally gave up and started waddling to the other corner. I did get this picture, but it isn't very good.

Ralph is in the bottom right of the picture with his back to the camera. On the left upper portion is a birdbath. If you go up from where Ralph is and right of the birdbath is you can kind of make out the back and tail of the raccoon exiting the yard. I was very proud of Ralph, yet very afraid for him. All the while this is happening, I am still on the phone with Barb. I went to get a bag to put the corn in. Not because I don't want the raccoon coming back, but because I don't want the raccoon coming back and hurting the kittens. With flashlight in hand and Barb still on the phone, I gathered my courage and went for the corn. I was under the tree when Tiger jumped out. I let out a yell and some cuss words. I gathered up the corn and came back inside. What an adventure in my back yard that night.

"I think we all have a little voice inside us that will guide us...if we shut out all the noise and clutter from our lives and listen to that voice, it will tell us the right thing to do.

"Christopher Reeve"