We've been seeing lots of skunks running around this year! Worse, so have the dogs!!!

Ugh! Twice skunked in a week.

Has anyone else noticed a large skunk population this year?

I've also notice a large bird population, especially cardinals, but that's been a wonderful sight!

I learned something interesting from friend about skunks the other day. Skunks adore our compost piles because there are lots of worms in them. He said a nice compost pile is almost a guarantee to bring skunks to your yard.

Smiles,
Lyn

Havent noticed skunks anymore than usual, but yes, a burgeoning amont of cardinals, and thankful for them !

Cardinals are a sign someone who loves you is near <3

HMMMM Included a foto but its nowhere to be seen !

Nor did the emoticons appear ?????

trying again

Cute cardinal picture. It's been amazing how many cardinals have been around this year. They've been a bright spot in the cold winter.

Lyn, thanks for sharing that info. We do have a couple of compost piles that might interest them.

Skunks are also mainly nocturnal. For the last couple of weeks, if you get on the road around here early in the morning, you can see them running around.

A few days ago, one of the dogs got sprayed. It was about 5am. That was a very rude awakening for all of us!!!

My dh called me while he was traveling the next morning on his way to Arkansas to tell me he saw a large number of skunks all along the way. He called me again the other night when he was on the road, again seeing a lot of skunks. I wonder if this is the time of year for mating or something? Or if there's just an abundance for some reason?

FYI ~ A mix of baking soda, peroxide and soap (and a good spray down with the hose) does a pretty good job of getting the stink off the dog!

Haven't spotted any yet, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time :-)
According to our "local expert" skunks mate twice a year, usually April and October.
That's when we see them travelling to see their sweetie or should I say stinky?

When one of my cats got sprayed years ago, I used the old tomato juice method and it worked just fine. However, he was one miserable looking cat all covered with tomato juice. He actually tolerated my putting him in the kitchen sink and pouring all of the stuff all over him and rinsing it off.

This is a cat that I had never given a "bath" to and was an adult cat. I was certain I'd have juice all over the kitchen, but he went along with the program. Thank God over and over again.

The cat I have now, up in the mountains, seems to get along with the skunks just fine. One of my funniest memories is what I call the skunk parade. There were three skunks going up the stairs to the top of the slope with Scamp following along at the end of the parade. No, he didn't get sprayed.

I've decided to get rid of my compost pile. I don't generate enough material to really make it effective, so I'd rather not draw critters to my yard.

Smiles,
Lyn

PS ...@Lavanda

>>>>Cardinals are a sign someone who loves you is near

We don't have cardinals in our part of the country. Does that mean we are unloved ???

awwww sweet Lyn, I guess your loved ones just weren't from our part of the country where Cardies inhabit. Poor you, no cardinals ? What birds do you have.

And as for that skunk/cat procession, that would have been SOME foto ! <3

@Lavanda .........

No cardies here, but we do have a lot of birds. Lots of blue jays and Steller's jays. The Steller' jays are simply beautiful, but they are a horrid bird. They will destroy the eggs in another bird's nest. In general, they are more aggressive than the more common blue jay.

My most awesome siting I have had was of a golden eagle that flew over my house to cruise the park across the road.

re: the parade ... you never have a camera when you need it ...

Smiles,
Lyn

We have just a few bluejays. Stellars, I have always wanted to see them ! But they don't normally come here. And I LOOOVVE green jays !
See foto.

I've never even heard of green jays. Thanks for the photos.

Smiles,
Lyn

Lyn, your stories made me laugh too. I know how mad my cat would be if we tried to cover him in tomatoes. and that Skamps was a real adventurer! haha. My cat used to spend his nights outdoors but the last time he was gone for four days and nights, he has retired. Don't know what he encountered but he didn't like it! I used to tell my dh that I wish we had a cat-cam on him to see what he's up to out there! He said it's probably best not to know. He's probably right.

Cardinals have been a sign of good luck for me too. The Native American Indians consider the cardinal birds to be a sign of love and good luck too. I'm guessing maybe that's where the meaning of cardinals comes from. Cardinals are one of many birds that are monogomous and stay with the same mates throughout their lives. So sweet.

Lyn, I'm sure you have some monogomous, loving birds up there to bring you good luck.

Doves... are they monogomous? We have a lot of them around this year too. Hmmm. maybe love is in the air! maybe time for me and dh to really tie the knot.

I used to bring Scamp in at night because we have predators up here that think of cats as snacks. He never did adjust to being a totally inside cat because for the first five months of his life, he was pretty much of an outside cat until I adopted him. I am certain is mommy taught him survival skills unknown to most fully domesticated cats.

He and Dat Cat were great friends for several years until Scamp got it into his head that it was his turn to be the alpha cat. Fur flew. Scamp would not give up, so I had to separate them. He now is totally an outside cat. Yeah, I worry about that, but it was the only solution because I could not find a better home for him.

The Native Americans in this area have their own beliefs about the animals and birds that are native to this area. I'll have to check a bit further to see what bird they view the same way the Native Americans in your area think of cardinals.

I have got to get off of the computer and get to work.

Smiles,
Lyn