Millie and Steve were fighting again. While they generally kept the “volume” of the fighting turned down----occasionally it was loud enough for the neighbors to hear. In fact, their fighting was legendary in the neighborhood. You see----they had very different ideas of how to keep the squirrels and cats, that roamed the neighborhood, from attacking the birds they were trying to attract to the many bird feeders and bird houses they had installed around the property. Steve had gotten very good at making these structures from left over bits of wood and items to be thrown in the trash----he had even sold a few on EBay. Steve’s approach was very direct. He would dress in his finest Army Surplus garb and hide out in the bamboo thicket and wait----BB Gun cocked and loaded. It was Millie that had to (all too frequently) deal with the complaints of the neighbors about broken windows----and kids with sore behinds. It was Steve that had to deal with Millie when it was their windows that got “thwacked!” It didn’t seem to bother him that he was the one that was going to have to fix them----somehow it was worth it to see those furry bird-food-chomping squirrels, and bird-chomping cat-beasts go “ass over teakettle” out of the trees and off the fences-----especially when they would sometime drop into the Koi pond. It was ultimately Millie that succeeded in keeping them at bay. One day while the carpet guys were out in the truck eating their lunch, taking a break from installing new carpet in the living room, she got an idea, Steve had inadvertently stepped on the uncovered tack strip when he had come in from the bamboo to get more BB’s-----“eye-watering” for Steve----“light-bulb” moment for Millie. She put on her gardening gloves and pilfered the carton of tack strip from the carpet guys and headed for the back yard. (Hopefully the carpet guys had more tack strip in the truck.) Necessity is the Grandmother of invention-----or so they say!
Charles Buell
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PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.
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Charlie,
That is a different kind of Steve. I welcome all those creatures into the fold. That is how I first met Nutsy when I realized he was a very special kind of squirrel man.
So you haven't taken to putting carpet tack strip all along your fences?
Goodness! You've written about Steve and his wife! Don't you think that's kinda personal and they might get upset! : )
Hi Charles, I was telling my husband about this home inspector who is truly a gifted writer and teacher at heart...we both enjoyed your blog today, thanks!
Love your photo of the window damage.
Barbara, Steve and his wife are tough----they can take it:)
Cynthia, thanks so much, and glad you enjoy my blog.
If that were me I'd be the first to stick his hand on the top of that fence.
Jack, I know what you mean. As you can see in the picture, this was a gate----hard to open and close without dealing with the rusty pointy nails:)
And I'm not coy about it!
Very kindly,
Croakster
Croakster----as I can "well" imagine.
This story explains an awful lot about Nutsy.
Jim it does----especially all the bandages on his feet:)
Mr Charles,
I have always been treated nicely, except in the dealings I have had with you where I got ripped-off when it came time to collect my paycheck.
nutsy
Nutsy you sure have your panties all in a bunch over 25 cents!
This is more fun than reading the sunday comic strip...
Your building consultant for life in Brentwood, TN
I have found that a pellet gun inflicts more damage.
Michael, thanks.
Alan----dang----forgot about pellet guns:) I bet Nutsy hasn't though:)
Wohaw!!!!!! I think dear old Dad just put a contract out on Nutzy! I do believe it's open season on all things bushy tailed. If I don't get Nutzy first then I'll have to breakout the sundried canned squirrel (marinated in Mango Chutney) Hmmmmm... bring those rodents on!!!! it's time to get my squeal on!!!!!!
Klee, I knew this post would get you out of the back forty:)
I read your first sentence. I am confused. kate ford
Kate----what the heck are you talking about?-----I am pulling my hair out in clumps trying to understand.
Well Charles, it was not intended to make too much sense. I was just checking up on you to see if you read your comments or rather if you left that duty up to one of those critters. It appears it's really you. Good job. kate ford
I was related by marriage to a family who were driven insane by squirrels in their birdfeeders... it's been years, this brought back memories.
Kate, must be a pattern, male "pattern" baldness:)
Maureen, it truely takes a "special" sort of person to love squirrels:) Awesome to have you stop by.
James, I get your points----I'll bet Nutsy does to.
Charles, NO those tack strips don't keep out unwanted pests... they make the cats & racoons & possums HOWL in pain all night long in the back yard, after they step on a nail!