First Day of Spring - March 21, 2023

The first day of Spring 2023 dawned dreary and rainy.

One of my first acts this morning was to go outside and set the groundhog trap.  It may have been an exercise in futility, since we've seen the groundhog only when it's been sunny and somewhat warm, but one can hope.

Yesterday afternoon I heard the trap rattle and looked over my shoulder just in time to see the groundhog disappear down the gulley.  The trap had not been set (we spring it at night so we don't catch a 'possum or a 'coon), but there was bait in it.  I guess the groundhog was trying to burgle the vegetables through the wire.  I went out and set the trap, but it was getting late in the day and I didn't see him again.

We're over-run with critters, I tell you.

Son #2 and his family have gone on vacation and have left their cat with us.  "Duffy" is a 1-year-old Ragdoll cat, and may be the biggest cat that I have personally ever seen.  He is HUGE.  And he never meows or purrs.  After he'd been here, silent as a rock for three days, I texted my daughter-in-law and asked if the cat has any vocal chords.  That very evening, he meowed (once) for the first time since he'd been here.  He's not much trouble, except that he wants to jump onto the kitchen table and the countertops.  He's so heavy that it takes him a minute to gather enough strength to make the leap, so while he's fixing himself to jump, I have time to yell, "NO!"  Like he cares.  He jumps anyway.  He keeps eyeing the windowsill where my violets are.  If he knocks my violets off the windowsill, he may be a former cat by the time his family comes home.

I am especially worried about him terrorizing my tomato seedlings.  We've had freezing temperatures during the past week, so I moved them inside to my sewing table.  They are doing very well, so far, but I have seen cat hair stuck to the leaves; he's been up there when I wasn't looking.

Note to self:  I fed the tomato seedlings yesterday.