Just a quickie. Computer is fixed and tomato thief identified. It's so good to have Google and Blogger back at my beck and call once more and am relieved the tomato mystery is solved.
I was so pleased that the thief was not human. I really tend to believe the best of people and that would have hurt. However the thief left some DNA recently in the form of poop that Google identified as raccoon.
 |
| Not my picture |
I just pulled the plant up and spritzed ammonia around the perimeter of my melon patch hoping that will discourage him or her from further looting.
Still for now, I won't let Callie out by herself in the dark. I have seen first hand what a raccoon can do to a good sized dog and Callie is on the small side. So far so good. We live in harmony.
I will be back visiting you again and plan to be back posting on Monday.
Stay dry if needed or may you have rain if needed. Be comfortable and safe.
With trees looming larger and shadier each year,about the only spot I can grow tomatoes now is in pots on our deck.
ReplyDeleteNo more. Every darn cherry tomato has been plucked off. Could be squirrels, chipmunks, or raccoons, all of which I've seen wandering around there at one time or another.
Congratulations on getting your computer back.
Yikes, you mean they aren't even safe on the porch? Guess it is good I am not wild about tomatoes.
DeleteThose raccoons are very destructive. Glad you found the culprit, and that your computer woes are behind you! :-)
ReplyDeleteDjan,
DeleteIt is nice not to have to wonder or even consider a possible neighbor. Luckily your community garden seems immune. May it stay that way.
I too am happy that the thief was not human. It is appropriate however that the culprit wears a mask. Glad you are back. Didn't know how to send your broken computer a Get Well card.
ReplyDeleteAnnie,
DeleteHa,ha he was definitely dressed for the job. Thanks for thinking about sending a card anyway:))
Yeah! Your back. Motion sensor sprayers work well for scaring the critters away. Raccoons can really be destructive.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great idea!!
DeleteBrig,
DeleteThank you and I agree with you and Fishducky. I had seen them advertised and I like the humane way of solving the problem.
Pleased you've identified the culprit. We had a very large cat one time that tangled with a raccoon, and it was not pretty. Our son has a lot of raccoons in his back yard every year when his cherry & plum trees are producing.
ReplyDeleteLinda,
DeleteOh I feel for that cat. I had a dog lose and eye and most of the skin on his face in the battle he lost with a raccoon. They can be fierce.
I've been out of touch myself just because we've had guests in the house and then traveling ourselves. I'm glad you found the culprit. Raccoons are pretty darn tenacious and they eat anything. I remember people telling me in Illinois that they will even eat car tires because of the salt on them in winter.
ReplyDeleteKay,
DeleteHow delightful to see you here. I thought I had run you off with my long posts. So glad that you were just having a good time and were happily busy.
I'm so happy to be back and able to visit although I'm now up to my ears in photos. Arrrghhh...
DeleteI had a fishpond in Los Angeles and, sure enough, a gang of raccoons came by and finished off the fish. I the middle of the city, we would sometimes see them walking down the sidewalk at night. I'm glad your thief was of the animal kind, probably the only species that could neatly pick off the tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteInger,
DeleteThey do have those clever and useful little hands. Prowling the streets?? Mercy, they certainly have adapted to us humans.
Glad you got your computer fixed --and glad you found our your tomato culprit. We have raccoons here --and they love to come on our deck after dark and check out anything left-over bird seed in the deck cracks.... I put all of the feeders up at nights --and SWEEP as good as I can.. BUT--those little stinkers can always find more!!!!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice remainder of the week.
Hugs,
Betsy
Betsy,
DeleteI have heard they will raid bird feeders as will bears. Well at least they clean up between the cracks for you:)
We have monster-sized racoons here! We hardly ever see them, but earlier in the summer, our son pointed to 2 strolling through our yard. We know not to put anything on the bsck deck in a cooler even in winter. (We wouldn't dare in summer because bears would be on our deck.) However, one winter we had loads of company and put 2 coolers out - one with bagels/cream cheese, one with lobster tails. The racoons got the bagel cooler open but we had thankfully put a weight on top the lobster one. Their tracks were all over the deck plus the remnants of their bagel feast.
ReplyDeleteBarb,
DeleteSo good to see you are back posting and thank you for the back reading and commenting you did.
Oh my if they had gotten the lobster tails--what a horror. They are clever. I will have to remember that if I lose power this winter and put coolers outside. Thanks.
Glad things are going well.
ReplyDeleteGail,
DeleteYes they are and thank you so much. Enjoy this rain.
Glad you were able to identify the culprit.
ReplyDeleteStephen,
DeleteMe too. I'd have hated to think it could have been a human.
Raccoons here have been digging up our lawn every night - little holes everywhere and tufts of grass pulled out. They don't seem to be bothering the produce though. And of course there are the patches of smashed plants where the raccoon kids have wrestled. Very cute, but also very annoying.
ReplyDeleteLinda R,
DeleteYou must have tasty grass but that is good if they leave your produce alone.
Thankfully raccoons don't show up in the city often, though my brother sees them on the farm. They don't last long though...he traps them and removes from his property if they are lucky, and shoots them if they are not.
ReplyDeleteI just have a bunny who likes to eat/deadhead my portulaca. I'm okay with that!
Eileen,
DeleteTrapping and relocation was next on my list if the ammonia failed.
Probably the cutest thief in history, eh??
ReplyDeleteKeith,
DeleteYep. Just too hard to stay angry at that face.
So glad your computer is fixed and you identified the tomato thief. All good news!
ReplyDeleterobin,
DeleteI know you understand the loss of a computer. Yes, all is right again.
Hey glad your computer is working again! Yes it would be a bit creepy to think that a human was stealing your tomatoes, and I hope the raccoon loses interest as well.
ReplyDeleteJoey,
DeleteI think he may be gone. No new DNA anyway. I may get one of those motion detector sprayers anyway.
Those cute raccoons can be deadly. We lived near a small pond once and there was a large raccoon that would lure dogs in to swim and then he'd bite and hold on to the dog and wrestle it until it couldn't hold out and it would drown. It happened twice that we were sure of and we kept an eagle eye on our dogs !
ReplyDeleteGinnie,
DeleteI had heard of this nasty practice but have never known of a case. Scary. Just glad I don't have a pond nearby. I am keeping a close eye on Callie anyway.
Goodness, I am glad you identified the thief...I would hate to think human, too. But in today's world who knows anymore. Yay for good news about the computer. Have a super day!
ReplyDeleteTerri,
DeleteI would hope in the country that folks are are a bit more honor bound. I too am so glad it was a 4 legged thief.