It’s Thursday November 2nd and it has been an eventful week. We have been busy trying to get ready for fall. The garden was harvested for the last time. It was a great time as we all pitched in to help but also a little sad knowing that harvest time has come to an end.
The eventful week I mentioned started about 3 a.m. Monday morning when we woke up to an awful smell. I’m not talking “babies got a poopie” here. I’m talking about face-plant in the pillow and try to breathe without gagging. You guessed it. – a skunk had managed to get under the house and turn our nice, warm home into its home. And boy was he was reeking! Even better, since there was no way to get him out until dark without making matters worse, we just had to put up with the smell all day. It was a wonderful time.
Finally, when the sun started going down and we had come to a stopping point on harvest and garden clean up, we herded the kids inside and as soon as we walked in the door that pungent smell hit us again. It was a great reminder that my day was not over. So, I let Kassy and kids get washed up while I went back out to seal up any holes that a skunk could get in or out of – except one. I wanted his only way out to lead right into a trap.
And, since skunks are nocturnal, I knew it was only a matter of time until he would make his way out to start scavenging for the night. So, just outside the hole, I set up a live trap baited with candy. I covered it with a tarp so I could approach it and not get sprayed once the unwitting skunk followed the goodie trail into the waiting cage. Then, with it all set up, I proceeded inside to join the family for dinner. Did I mention the less-than-deliciously thick odor permeating the entire house? It was motivating. So motivating I went back outside to add a little extra bait just to make sure that a greedy skunk would find his way into the trap.
It was then as I walked out the door I caught the slight movement and realized that God had blessed our efforts. The skunk was caught! Praise God! With the tarp covering the cage I was able to pick up the cage and move the skunk without him seeing me which would likely cause him to spray. Slowly and carefully I relocated him to his final destination and we began airing out the house. Fortunately the weather is warming up for a bit.
Tuesday evening we let the kids dress up and took them to a local church’s Fall Harvest Celebration. We took the time to make sure the kids new it was Reformation Day and what happened in 1517. You can follow the link to get the full information but it is a very important date in history and we should all know about it. The kids had a great time as they got candy and hotdogs which are typically not on our approved food choices. Plus, they had games and a hay ride.
Today we continued cleaning up the garden area. We got all the t-posts/trellises and tomato cages put up into the barn to store over winter. After getting that out of the way, we got the tractor out to spread some wood chips and also to try and get rid of a couple stumps. We have been slowly working on them the past few years as it was all that’s left from an old overgrown fence line. The stumps are small but connected with old fence which makes them difficult. Today Maryam and I were successful. The stumps are gone and now we can truly begin the backyard play/entertainment area for the family we have been talking about.
Well, till next time. Get in the Dirt & Get Growing!!!
Kyle – a bearded farmer
