It's miserable, rainy, cold and muddy outside which means it's almost dirt and bunny season.
I am looking FORWARD to the Easter weekend like nobody's business. This year I feel like I quite desperately need those 4 days off. And the main reason is bunnies.
My garden is the historical meeting place for all the world's bunnies when mating season arrives.
As cute as they are, and they are, they really do eat just everything. But that's not the main issue. The main issue is my garden is being used as a maternity ward every year.
I have to be very careful when I dig and rake and weed because the only thing worse than accidentally cutting a plant in half is cutting a nest of blind baby bunnies in half.
To reassure you, I have not done that ever. Although I did have an incident with a nest of voles a few years ago and it still haunts me.
But that's not very Easterey talk so let's forget that ever happened.
Because of the bunnies and voles, mice, groundhogs, skunks, raccoons, mink and a variety of other wildlife including but not limited to the cougar my gardening partner SWEARS he saw - I really need a better fence.
So next weekend that is what I'll be doing regardless of the weather. I will be in the garden with a trenching shovel digging in a new fenceline.
That's 160 feet of trench.
WHY NOW?
I'm using this weekend in particular to do this because the ground will be thawed enough to easily dig but also still wet enough that when I shovel out the trench there won't be any dry dirt tumbling back into it refilling the hole.
Once that's done I'll reline my T-posts, add the fencing, backfill the trench and put up a detour sign for the bunnies.
Time for your Saturday morning puzzle.
The 20 Piece Puzzle
Because you suddenly realize you have a trench to dig.
The 80 Piece Puzzle
Because you're smart and you pay someone else to dig trenches.
Have a good weekend!
I feel for you. We live on a bit of a rural acreage and have been entertained by the very illusive large jack rabbit all winter but last week another bunny appeared and with all the carry-on of that day, I think we will have more than one rabbit to worry about shortly. Oh yes - this bunny has set up his territory on the edge of our garden.
You need a beagle! Or at least a mix. Our first dog was a beagle mix of something. Yard was packed full o rabbits when we moved in. He had a blast! I don't remember this, but mom says he'd bury the heads to age them and dig them up later to crunch on. He helped with the opossum population numbers too. Such an awesome dog! I miss him still.
Always warned us of big snakes & water moccasins too. Took cars of the rats. Etc. Then they came out with a stupid leash law (out in the country!). Sadly for us, but good for him, he ended up at a house much further out in the country with multiple acres fenced in, and his own couch (inside). About 30 years ago I guess, but still miss him.
(They expect cats to be tied up outside too, weirdos. )
Hi Shirley! For me it's always right in my potato patch or my squash patch, I guess because they're so dense with foliage it's good cover for them. ~ karen!
Happy Trenching! As I've never before said to anyone. And I'll add that I like rabbits. They taste like chicken.
There's another guy up at the garden who is always talking about trapping and eating the rabbits at the garden. He doesn't know I have 100% seen him cuddle a bunny. ~ karen!
Awww . . .
Hmm, I'm now pondering the age of your gardening partner, since he swears he saw a cougar in your garden... ;-)
I am certain he saw a fox too.
I was waiting for that one, lol. ~ karen!
Lol. We've definitely got foxes and bobcats here. Maybe coyotes too.
That spelling looks wrong... but google says it's right... hmm.
I love puzzles and yours were fun.
Thanks Deborah! I liked making today's puzzle. ~ karen!
Thanks for such a lovely puzzle today! Good luck with the critters. My electric fence goes up tomorrow! YEA!!!
Ooooo good for you! That'll be fun. Good luck. ~ karen!
Wow Karen. Of the 80 piece puzzle. I will think of you as I stare at our fence, and the fences in our neighborhood, all of which are weathering and falling down. $7,000, or Karen digging a trench by hand. Nice.
If I were to get a job at the zoo feeding the animals, would I be a fauna caterer?
I love the puzzles. Thank you for providing those. As far as the maternity ward is concerned, I am fed up with the rabbits as well. A lot of woman and man hours go into gardening and I sure don't want to share most of it with them.:(
While going to my car from my apartment one day a few years ago, I *almost* stepped on a tiny baby bunny. Whew! After several hours of shopping, and a handful of big boxes, while going back to my apartment...I did. It hadn't moved. And it didn't survive. 😭🐰
I was HYSTERICAL, calling a friend, bawling my eyes out. She, the voice of reason, and a long term gardener, assured me that sometimes things happen, and not to beat myself up over it. However, today, years later, I'm still traumatized. Which is why I will NEVER EVER EVER understand people who torture animals! Also folks, DO NOT buy dyed bunnies and chicks this Easter! 🐰🐥
Ok I’m obviously shite at doing puzzles. Just did my first one (20 piece) in 4:08. Near the end I couldn’t find the last piece and was half expecting an “April Fool’s” piece to jump out, but I finally found it hiding way up in the corner behind something. However, I will admit to a vague sense of satisfaction in its completion lol.
Detour sign, indeed! Like bunnies can read.