October 16, 2012 What to do.....what to do?!

As you can see, this isn't current since it was taken early spring with snow on the ground.  However, this is what I see all over the yard today.  I tried to get a photo yesterday of about 6 in one area on the mound, just relaxing like this.  Too many late afternoon reflections in the windows and couldn't do it.  Today, many are in the east field and just a bit too far away for a good photo.  But, it is grey and drizzly and I think even the deer are in the "what to do" mode.  At least, they think they are safe here by the house.  The wolf situation is truly getting out of hand.  At 5:30 yesterday afternoon, I walked by the window and saw 6 of my girls pointing, toward the county road I live on, and not moving a muscle....just watching.  I paced back and forth....window to window....knowing what was going on but where was it/or them?  Finally, I saw a big white wolf on the end of the driveway.....just diddling around down there....doing what it is wolves do when they are also wondering "what to do" and what can I get by with.  The amount of wolf sightings in the yard this past week has been amazing.  It makes me think I ought to rent out a spot for one of the people with a wolf tag to park and have at it come wolf season.  I mean, really......and this is only the ones we're seeing.  How many are we not seeing?!
In the Duluth News Tribune today, again, I see some of the people are still at trying to get the wolf season stopped.  People.....we have so many wolves in this state, a thinning out and education for them is badly needed.  Just yesterday in the paper it mentioned about 2 men hunting with their German shorthaired pointers and all of a sudden one is running back toward his master yelping with a big wolf in pursuit.  When he had a safe shot, which was by then very close, he shot it with bird shot.....dead.  He promptly reported it to the game warden.  City folks who "think" with their emotions instead of reality of this situation are just going to get the wolves in more trouble.  If they aren't soon educated about what happens when they continue to come too close to humans and their pets, a lot more wolves are going to get killed.....and you aren't going to be hearing about the numbers because they won't be legally tagged.  The hunting season is badly needed.  The wolves need to back off and give people their space again.  And, sorry folks....but, there really is enough space for all of us in Cook County, yet.  They don't need to live in our yards.  We should also be able to walk out our doors to garden, with our pets, to do whatever.....and not have to carry a gun.
And, yes....I do have things I am doing while in my what to do....mode.  I processed a bunch of tomatoes and got them canned this a.m.  It has been a while since I have had enough to do that.  But, when it got really cold, I picked them all and now they are ripening pretty fast.  I don't intend to let them spoil and I can't eat them raw that fast.  In a couple of days, I should be able to do another batch.

Toby, on the other hand, is laying here by my chair, wishing he was doing this!  He has his priorities straight.  By the looks of the grey and low cloud and fog yet, there won't be any hints of sunshine to coax the birds out of the brush....but, you never know.  It happens. 
On yet another subject.....I finally got to see the raccoons that are hanging out here Sunday night on the deck.  I had figured, more than once, we also had some.  They have been more and more numerous in the county these past few years.  The suet feeder has been nicely opened and the suet cakes taken out, just enough times, without damage, that I guessed we had one or more.  I had just sat down to read and heard a noise on the deck.  I turned on the porchlight and there, on the deck railing in a big bird feeder was a young raccoon.  In the heated bird bath a few feet away, also on the deck railing, was the other.  He was quite happily playing in the warm water.  I watched them for about 1/2 hour.  At one point, the one in the bird bath got out, padded over to the window where I sat, stood up on its hind legs.....and looked at me.  Cute!  Did I say cute?!  Well, they were.  Once they make a complete nuisance of themselves, I probably won't say cute.  But, it's back to hauling everything in at night again.  They don't break as much stuff as bears, but they either eat it....or put too much weight on the deck hooks that hold the feeders and ruin them.  They couldn't get into that hanging feeder on a bet.....but, it smelled good.....so it tried.  Oh.....the things I do for the critters around here!   :)