Chloe Returns With Her Family

Chloe came by last night with her entire family. It seems she only has two kits this year. As usual they all seemed very healthy and easy to get along with. (Unlike three if Kimmies youngsters who are 'grabby' and one might say bratty). It was hard to get a photograph of the little ones as they wanted to check out the camera or climb up on my knee to beg for a treat.

One of Chole's kits - with good manners.

Somehow her youngsters are always easy going. They are inquisitive, and accept treats slowly and carefully. There is little risk of getting scratched by her youngsters.

Mother Chloe

Chloe has all her new fur, has put on a little weight, and is looking extremely well.

Afternoon Shadows

Now In Full Glory!

Big Momma, aka Kimmie.

Just a couple or 'portraits' of Kimmie that I took last week. Though Kimmie is very big for a raccoon, she has a very passive, almost friendly nature. A beautiful critter.

Kimmie Speaks Out...

Actually thats not true. Kimmie is simply chewing on a bit of dry dog food.

Tell you more later.

The First Day lilly Bloom

Perhaps it was the very heavy rain we had yesterday as the extreme hot weather got pushed out. I don't know for sure, but the first day lilly bloom appeared. I'm a little confused though. I moved this clump from where it was being overshadowed by a big cedar two years ago. I'm sure prior to moving it was just a very common yellow flower. Do these blooms change color depending on their enviroment?

Some call me a weed.

It's late in the day and this bloom is almost finished. I think this delicate blossom is the 'Moon flower', a cousin of the Morning Glory.

already harvesting

The zucchini are producing!

Waiting for halloween!

The giant pumpkin has begun to bloom. If these are true to claims we are going to have a space problem by the end of august.

Friendly Critter

Ms Skunk is a beautiful animal. Her tail is almost pure white, and her rich coat has a glossy sheen.

Coming Along.

Wow, what color!

The heat has brought these on quickly.

A Different Variety

I have about five different varieties of hosta - all blooming at slightly different times.

More blooms.

The very hot weather is bring out the blooms all over the place.

Hey Ma - Who Is This?

Imagine my surprise - a few minutes ago Chloe showed up with two of her youngsters - along with Ms. Skunk - right at my open door. (Open trying to keep things cooler in the retreat). Thankfully there was only a slight 'discussion' about who was going to get to eat - and they all sat down together like old friends. To add to the fun Kimmie and her five showed up a few minutes later. A busy night!

Real Soon Now....

They love the heat!

Looking Bright

Of Things to Come...

Future sandwiches?

Cauliflower doing well.

Future yummies!

I have no idea.

Stormy Weather Ahead...

And the kits came rolling out!

Hey gang - Rusty has a treat on - come and get it…..

Relaxed!

I just sit, relax, and eat everything in sight

Learning how….

....to plan his work even while eating..Future renovations?

Goodness me, mommy can we come back tomorrow?

We even have toys to play with as well as food….

Oh my, I’m stuffed…

Look at that smile…This is one happy baby raccoon!

Hold the Onions!

Well look who came back. Now this critter has no smell - yet, and seems to tolerate me and my camera quite well. But I don't want to take any chances... Grinning a big grin. I wonder if there will be any baby skunks this year. I don't think so - I suspect this critter is just a year old.

Big Momma Relaxing!

Oh my! What a busy night. After Chloe came by to show off one of her family, we had a visit from Kimmie (Big Momma) and her gang of five. Big Momma seems to have decided to let us act as baby sitters, (or should that be kit sitters) - while she moved off about twenty feet to just relax.

Sitting pretty!

This shows how gentle most of the youngsters are. This little one stayed snuggled up to milady waiting patiently for her treat

Scritch my ears please.

Of course being busy munching on a tea biscuit helped. ;-)

A Gentle Creature.

This shows how gentle most of the youngsters are. This little one stayed snuggled up to milady waiting patiently for her treat.

Raccoons and Water - go together!

Dunking time! Or perhaps just playing in the water. The dish is 15 inches across - a little bigger than the kit.

I like these treats....

Oh I do love this biscuit. The tea biscuit was only a treat. The main menu was a ‘kibble’ type of dry dog food. Mostly a chicken-rice formula.

One Happy Baby

Chloe's youngster

Chloe came by tonight. At last! I was getting worried about her. Though she only had one kit with her this time - she may show up with more over the next few nights. She looked somewhat thin, but her youngster looks healthy and both had a good appetite.

I have seen Kimmie and her gang, but recent photos I had of them vanished into oblivion when both my main HD and backup drive got trashed. I hope to get some new stuff over the next few nights.

Chloe and kit drop in for treats

One of my favorite weeds

An interesting ‘weed’. To be sure some have an aversion to this plant in their lawns. My Scottish uncle used to call it ‘grave yard vetch’. This common low growing flowering plant has several names the most common of which is Creeping Charley. It will grow in places where little else does, has nice leaves and very small blue flowers. It grows to a maximum height of perhaps six inches - and even has a nice small when cut back with the lawnmower or other trimmer. Of all the so-called weeds, it’s probably one of the nicest.

This is fun!

Two of the kits romping in the water. The water dish is 15 inches in diameter. Mom and the other siblings are just a few feet away.

Hey, Ma - look at me splash!

Kimmie returned last night, but only with two, then four of her five youngsters. The last one was probably at home having been given a time out for some misbehavior.

Mom watches as one youngster checks out the water. This one was sitting on my foot while eating a few minutes before. Mother raccoon never came closer than six feet away from me - but was quite at ease when the youngsters came right up to me looking for - probably a treat.

Whisker to Whisker, Eye to Eye.

Every time I got close they wanted to check out my camera. Too close to focus properly.
These little characters are extremely inquisitive.

Stranger in a Strange Place

Bright Colors

A Very Wild Rose

I have not seen either Chloe or Kimmie and her kits for the last three days. However the ‘newcomers’ have been showing up as regular as clockwork - and getting a little more used to me all the time. I think it’s time to give them names - how about Mutt and Jeff? Mutt being the larger one with the funny face - Jeff the one with the slight nick on his ear.

In the meantime Momma robin has a second family well on the way - and more flowers are blooming as others fade.