[Magdalen] Flowers That Bloom in May.

[Jay Weigel]

We have a groundhog that lives (I assume) down the bank behind our
forsythias. It comes up to graze on weeds and such in the back yard and
doesn't seem to bother any of the flowers or bulbs, so we leave it alone
and kind of enjoy its wanderings. I think it's a bachelor dude, since I've
never seen it with any progeny. The other night I startled it late in the
afternoon when I came out to light the grill. It was under one of the tulip
poplars fairly near the house and took off for home in a large hurry. Those
things can MOVE!

I had a home health patient whose son had a little terrier mix dog weighing
about 20 lbs. that was a terror to rodents of all kinds. He was absolutely
fearless and was a particular groundhog hunter. I once saw him drag home a
groundhog he'd killed that was almost as big as he was.

I once wrote a piece for this list or another of its incarnations entitled
"Gladys and the Groundhog." In some migration from one to another computer,
I seem to have lost it. If anyone still has a copy somewhere in their
archives, would you please send it to me offline? Thanks.

On Tue, May 10, 2016 at 9:27 AM, Marion Thompson <marionwhitevale at gmail.com>
wrote:

> I wonder at the frequent observations in the media and elsewhere that
> such-and-such a creature is vicious in its encounters with pets, or people
> for that matter.
>
> What else should it be in defence of itself, when spirited self-defence
> can mean the difference between life and death or at least cause the pet or
> human to back off?
>
> Marion, a pilgrim
>
>
>
> On 5/10/2016 8:14 AM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen wrote:
>
>>
>> In a message dated 5/9/2016 8:12:03 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>> susanvhagen at gmail.com writes:
>>
>> I have  to remind myself
>> sometimes that at least it's not  groundhogs.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>     Agreed they are awful.  Locally, they seem more to go for
>> vegetables than for flowers.  They also can tunnel under fencing,  so
>> it's just a nightmare.  They are also vicious in any encounter with  pets.
>>       David Strang.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>