Critters of Summers Past...

With the brisk fall air beginning to fill our days, I began to think of all the critters and what-not we've come into contact here in the big city of Millport, particularly during the summer months. I guess it won't be long before we won't be seeing many of these once winter sets in.


This armadillo was caught by Mrs. Freeman (my wonderful Mother-In-Law) the day of our yard sale. It seems this critter had been digging up her roses and other garden areas
and she'd had enough! Tucker was both fascinated and
terrified by this creature...long refusing to go anywhere NEAR
where the cage was last seen.

These guys will NOT be missed! Amazingly, after we had our roof
replaced, we no longer had any wasps "mysteriously"
gaining entrance into our kitchen. Gary swore up and down
they all came in through the front door, but I know better! :)

I discovered this monstrosity in our butterbean section of our garden. Yeah,
I was thrilled - while he is actually quite pretty, I did not like the
idea of my delicate feet stomping around the knee-high
weeds (thanks Honey!), my gentle hands diving down
into the butterbean plants and tall grass (thanks again Honey)
only to have the possibility of something this large and
this "insecty" jumping out at me. Yeah, I know they
can't bite or anything...what's your point?

Ahh...Fred the lizard. He's such a cute little thing...at least as long as he stays
on our porch, frolicking amongst my house plants on the porch
railing. I'll miss his little greetings this winter - the gentle
bopping of his head up and down, the pink chin pouch
expanding out like a friendly wave of a hand.

We took down our hummingbird feeders about three weeks ago
and I've missed their chattering and wild
flying about ever since. I'll look forward to seeing
them again next year.

Several years ago, I was convinced we had a raccoon visiting
our porch every night, eating our cat's food. Gary told
me I was a crazy city girl until I finally convinced him
to set a trap. Lo and behold, the next morning, there he was,
a HUGE raccoon. So cute and cuddly...until he hissed and growled at me,
throwing his claws about and thrashing against his cage. They are
so cute to look at - from a distance - but their tell-tell
washing of their hands (in the cat's water bowl) gives them
away every time. :)


You know that piercing cry you hear on
shows where someone is lost in the desert? Well, this
summer I kept hearing it and I told Gary I thought it was a hawk.
Sure enough, it was! I managed to click a photo
of it in our backyard before it flew away. What a pretty bird!


Mr. Scaredy Spider is still living on his giant web on our
front porch, where he's eating up the gnats and other
annoying buggy-boos. I call him "Scaredy" because
anytime you walk anywhere near his web, he scrambles up
to the porch post and curls up in a ball like he's afraid. If
he only knew how much more afraid I am of him!!


HE'S BAAAACKK!! When I was pregnant with Tucker,
we discovered that we had a groundhog living behind our shed. We took
lots of photos of him one day when he ventured out (in broad daylight no less). Well, we haven't seen him in years and just this week, he popped up again, running under my vehicle, through
the garage, and out back behind the shed. He's HUGE. I don't know what
he's been eating, but he's certainly healthy. :)

It's never a dull critter day at our home in Millport, AL!