Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Night Visitor

Hospitality is an art I've always tried to exhibit. I want my home to be open to guests at any time. Well, almost any time! Two nights ago we had a visitor whose appearance did not excite me. And he was NOT welcome in my home! No way - not at all.


My sweetheart was standing in our dining room near the entrance into our kitchen. A short time before that I had let Miss Savannah, my kitty cat, outdoors when she asked to go. Occasionally during the late evening she likes to sit on the patio and watch the nighttime world go by so I had no problem allowing her to go out that night. It's common for her to sit there for a few minutes and then appear at the patio door in the dining room when she is ready to come inside again. If we are not paying attention so we notice her patiently sitting there, she will hit the door with her paw to get our attention. As my sweetheart stood near the patio doors he noticed movement just outside the door. Thinking it was Miss Savannah, he looked up. Then he said, 'We have a visitor!' Assuming he meant Miss Savannah, and that she was ready to come in, I went toward the door to let her in. Immediately I realized she was not the one at the door. Looking in the door at me was another creature. Apparently wanting to come inside.

A raccoon! Cute little critter, he was. I didn't want to let him in my house. My first thoughts were for Miss Savannah's safety but I was fairly certain she was hiding somewhere nearby until this interloper disappeared. As my sweetheart and I watched this little fellow we realized he was not afraid of us. And we knew if we opened the door he would most likely come in and make himself at home!This is not the first time we have had a raccoon at our door, looking in to see what's happening inside. We are fairly certain someone is feeding him and that he thought we looked like the kind of folks who would share our goodies with him. I sat down on the floor just inches away from the door. He wasn't afraid of me, nor was he nervous when my sweetheart moved a bit. When I didn't seem to show kind hospitality he moved back a bit, sat down and made himself comfortable.Did he think he could wear me down? Sit me out? I think I convinced him I wasn't going to budge because a few minutes later he decided to check out some things he saw nearby.When nothing he saw appealed to him he decided to come back and try one more time to flash his big eyes and make me feel sorry for him. At least that's the way it seemed!After awhile he must have decided there was no way to successfully win my heart so he slowly walked toward the fence and my neighbor's big trees where raccoons have been seen before. Within just minutes I opened the door a bit and called Miss Savannah. She came running through the door in record time. She looked like she had seen a ghost! That was the last we saw of our nighttime visitor. He was gone - or so I thought! The next morning when I opened the blinds I couldn't believe my eyes. My Nerf football lay near the edge of the patio - but it didn't look the way it did when my grandsons last played with it.

And just a few feet away on the lawn - this:Was there a raccoon football game here? Or a feast? Or was this revenge because I would not invite him in? I'll never know - but I do know that, like Humpty Dumpty, all the king's horses and all the king's men can't put my Nerf ball back together again!

13 comments:

  1. lol, Adrienne, I can't believe those pictures! I'm glad he did not hurt your kitty.

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  2. Before my son started driving, I would wait for him in our church parking lot until his Boy's Bible Study was over.

    Since it was dark by this time most of the year, I can't tell you how many times I saw raccoons ramsacking the church's garbage can area.

    Of course, the actual garbage was protected in containers but that didn't stop the visitors from trying each week. :)

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  3. Wow, those pictures are so cool! Wonderful to see wildlife like that ....as long as it's safe.

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  4. AWESOME !! So glad you got the great photos...
    I have thought of you and your family so often lately and offered up prayers for all of you.
    xo bj

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  5. I got such a chuckle out of this post! Cute cute pictures. So sorry for your nerf ball. I think it's kind of a trick-or-treat revenge. His trick for you not giving him a treat.
    Our neighbors feed the raccoons on a daily basis. Twice a day I think. Last fall at one point I counted 22 coons on their back deck and we have a raccoon path worn through our yard where they cross the road.

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  6. Hi Adrienne, What a cute story! I love looking at and watching racoons; but same as you, I wouldn't let them in...Or feed them! They will never go away!
    Hope your family is doing better,
    Love,
    Marilyn

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  7. I hear that those little sweet looking creatures can become very aggressive... so I'm very glad he did not get inside your house or harm your kitty...

    I continue praying for your dear daughters family as they adjust to life without your son-in-law

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  8. Goodness, what a funny story. Be carefuly though, those babies are really, really agressive and MEAN. Thankfully, your kitty cat was OK. Bet she doesn't ask to go outside at night much anymore :)

    Blessings,

    Sher

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  9. Glad your sweet cat is fine and those pictures of what happened to the ball are amazing!

    Thanks for your sweet comments on my blog, Adrienne :o)

    Blessings!

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  10. Adrienne,
    Years ago when we lived in "The Woods", racoons would come at night and rumage through our trash. Our son, Caleb was just a baby and had starting eating baby food. At night when the racoons would come, they would tip over the trash and get the baby food containers out. We soon discovered they knew how to place their paws into the jars to get every drop of left over baby food. They really liked the fruit kinds of baby food. Applesauce was the favorite.
    Thank you for sharing those pictures. Your post brings back memories for me of lighter times for me and my family.
    Bless you, sister.
    Still praying for you and your family.
    Your's in Christ,
    Bren (Seeking Grace on the Narrow Path)

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  11. I don't invite those kinds of visitors into my home either. He was kind of cute though. ;-)

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  12. Interesting but not something we have here so don't know why they are not welcome unless thaey are like foxes.

    Congrats. on your anniversary and trust you are having a wonderful break with real time to relax.

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  13. hehe cute racoon and so thankful your kitty was safe!

    Friends of ours live have an embankment and stream on the back of their property. In that little area is a long standing racoon family - generation after generation - we're talking 40+ years here! Every night after supper the racoons (about 10 of them) come up to the porch. Out our friends go with a bowl of kitty food. They sit in their porch chairs and toss the food for the racoons to sup on. Amazing. We saw this ourselves one night! Our friends told us to stay inside because racoons can be quite territorial. No problem! hehe.

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I am grateful that you stopped by to visit me. Your kind and gracious comments are appreciated and treasured.