Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Bats In The Bellfry or Raccoons In The Hayloft

I have got to stop being so nice. There, I've said it. Maybe I should explain.


We have a little sparrow that nests in our barn up over one of the beams in the main part of the barn each year. She raises two clutches of babies and we really enjoy watching them grow and finally fly off. This year she didn't seem to know to use the open window to come and go so I started leaving the back barn door open about 4 inches so she could come and go that way.

Big mistake. Hubby was up in the hay loft getting down some hay when he noticed a raccoon up in the rafters. It is a very small female and she scooted down between the bales very quickly. He called me to come take a looksy and we could hear baby sounds coming from deep within the recesses of the bales.........very young baby sounds. Soooooooo we have a family living up there, not the best thing to have but now we have to wait until the babies get old enough and Mom raccoon can move them. I hope I can get some pictures but I'm sure not sticking my hand in there to try to find out where they are!


T came over after school yesterday. She likes to cook so I asked her if she would like to make a rhubarb pie as I had just gone out and picked some. I cut it up for her and she did the rest.



The finished product! The funny thing is she wouldn't eat any of it! I'm wondering just what she put in it???????
We went to the coast for lunch this weekend. It is our all time most favorite place to eat as the seafood is to die for and it sits right on the ocean. Grampie and D were deciding what they wanted and D said he wanted a 5 pound lobster! Yikes! We got him a 1 pound and just let him think it was a 5 pounder!!

This is what grandmothers are noted for. We always have a tissue in our pocket or tucked in our sleeve like our grandmother's did.


Mom and T on the beach.


Funsize with the beautiful Atlantic ocean in the background.


This was a strange thing we found on the beach. I think someone had some fun sitting this up on the rock with the seaweed around it.

D thought it was a hoot!


On the way down Funsize, Hubby and I stopped and took some pictures. This is Fort Knox, no not THE Fort Knox but our fort with the same name.
This is the new bridge that was built to replace the old one. It cost many millions of dollars and took several years to build. You can go up in the tower if you want to see the view. I'll pass on that thankyouverymuch!!!!



I have lots more to write about but I think I will break this up into two posts as we had a lot going on over the Memorial Weekend. Dad marched in the parade with the other veterans and I want to put some of those pictures in plus more beautiful ocean scenes that we enjoyed. Continued in a couple of days......

28 comments:

Needled Mom said...

A family of raccoons movin' in? Hmmm. I do hope that you get a good photo of them, but please do it with care. I know they can be nasty. We have a resident one who eats the catfood if we don't remember to take it in. Ours is HUGE!!! I'll have to post a photo of it.

T looks like she will be an excellent baker. It really looks as though she is enjoying every moment of it. I am surprised that she wouldn't eat any of it. I love rhubarb pie. Send me a piece, please (with ice cream).

The photos from the shore are beautiful. That bridge is really a beautiful piece of work. I'll pass on the heights too.

Did D finish his lobster? It certainly looks yummy. You can send me one of those too. Hee hee.

Have a great week, dear friend. xoxox

Mrs. Mom said...

LOL the ever expanding family there! Bet the baby racoons are cute though...

Pretty impressive bit of baking going on there too. The end result looks beautiful!

Susie said...

Isn't it fun to bake with the grandkids! Her pie looks wonderful and how interesting she wouldn't touch it.
Your pictures of the Atlantic make me want to see the East Coast even more. It's just gorgeous.
I'll be another one standing down below to admire the view. I don't do towers!!
Have a great week!
love you,
xoxo

KC said...

we had a racoon in are garage last year.. Thankfully he didn't stay too long and didn't have babies.
That pie looks so yummy..
Your weekend sounds great. Family, fun and food.. what more could you ask for.

Musings of a Housewife said...

I've been in that tower! It's way cool. YOu should go.

Dawn said...

Wow I am very impressed with the little pie baker. How old IS she??? I am with her on eating rhubarb pie, but it sure was beautiful!


What beautiful pictures of your trip to the coast. Looking forward to Part II.

Anonymous said...

C. was almost attacked one night by a family of raccoons on my back porch. It was awful and my cat later disappeared so I am wondering if they got the best of him over his cat food!!!

And you would be mortified over the dead plants I have hanging on my front porch because mama birds decided they would make great homes for them! Hmph! Now I have to look at dead plants until they fly off!!!

The little pie maker is adorable! She looks like a pro. I would not want to see what my pie makers would produce (or what they might add into the mix either!).

The pics from the coast are gorgeous!!!

Donna. W said...

I envy people who are close enough to the ocean to drive there.

Momma / Cowgirl said...

WOW, you had a full few days. Looks like it was loads of fun.
thank you for sharing this lovely weekend you had.
take care and happy horsin' around!

Anonymous said...

Looks like too much fun going on up there! I want a pie like that one!

Have a good day!

Nancy said...

What a cute little pie maker you have there! She looked so serious. And the pie itself looked like a picture out of a magazine!

Your photos of the seashore are beautiful! How nice that you live that close to the ocean! And what a big lobster for a little guy! Did he finish it?

Waiting for Part 2 of your post. Hope you can get some pics of the baby raccoons later on, too.

Rising Rainbow said...

Baby raccoons, that's pretty interesting.....but I'm with needled mom, be careful. They can be very nasty when threatened....not to mention they can carry rabies. You don't want to mess with that stuff.

That pie looks gorgeous. Maybe she doesn't like rhubard. It is an acquired taste, I think......one that I have acquired by the way. lol

kdwhorses said...

Raccoons-oh joy joy!
T is a cutie in the kitchen! Good job letting her/teaching her in the kitchen! There are so many girls that have no idea how to cook. Savannah loves to help and she can make alot of stuff herself.
The shore and fresh seafood. Oh man, I am jealous and to post a picture of the lobster, now that was torture!! Seafood is my favorite! The shore and water just breathtaking! The bridge is pretty, but I too will pass on going up! I do not like heights!
Um, since you are getting requests for the pie, I will take a piece too!
Thanks for sharing!

Linda said...

Seafood and rhubarb pie! Just not fair. I loved the trip you took us on.

Tammy said...

Since I have two little girls, it was fun to see those pictures of your little T baking that pie. She looks like such a pro! I think this summer I am going to really start doing more with my girls in the kitchen!

Love the picture of D with his grandpa...and the beach photos, too!

I'm really looking forward to seeing those Memorial Day photos with your dad! How special that he marched in the parade!
Blessings,
~Tammy

Frazzled Farm Wife said...

We have a raccoon in our hayloft too....YIKES! I thought it was just a cat but my son swears it was a raccoon.

I love rhubarb and it is getting harder to find around here. My sister used to have a patch but it died off. The pie you made looks great!

Love the pics of the ocean....one thing I want hubby to experience some day.

Diane at Crafty Passions said...

I really enjoyed your pictures !
T looks like she is really into baking, its so cute to see that in a child so young!
Have a nice weekend!
Diane
http://dianobe.blogspot.com/

Peggy said...

thanks for stopping by my blog! I hope you get pictures of the baby raccoons as they are cute little critters. :)

palmtreefanatic said...

Racoons? hmmm...we have a couple around here my beagle wants to get!

That girl knows how to make a pie! WOW! I am guessing she doesn't like rhubarb? I don't blame her there! It sure looked great, as she did making it! GREAT PICS!

Wow! what a family weekend! just great!

Mississippi Songbird said...

Great photos! Have a great upcoming weekend!

Mary said...

I am impressed. We have a family of raccoons living in the tree at the end of our driveway. The other night the light on our porch came on (it is a motion detector) so I looked out. There on the porch was a small raccoon looking into everything to see if it could find something to eat.

The rhubarb pie looks delicious. I love rhubarb and have it growing in our backyard. It is a great spring treat.

I'm glad you enjoyed your Memorial Day weekend. Thanks for dropping by and commenting on my post today. Please visit again soon.

Blessings,
Mary

hippo chick said...

Love the pictures of the ocean. I LOVE the beach. I have asked God if my mansion in heaven can be near the ocean. Hey, I can ask, can't I?

The pics of the pie remind me of baking with my girls.

Oh, you asked about the wrapping paper on my Mother's DAy gift. I think it came from the company where she bought the gift.

Have a great weekend.

P.

Alice Grace said...

One question, how was the Rhubarb pie? Looks great! My Mom loved rhubarb, but I have never cooked with it. Are you going to share the recipe? I think I would love to try it!
Gorgeous pictures as always!

Sharon said...

we had a family of raccoons living in our trees behind us but the neighbor's dog one of the babies and she has moved them and I have seen them in the 2 weeks. I love your photos. I with you on the tower tho, I don't like heights.
Can't wait till we see more of your photos.

BarnGoddess said...

watch out for mama coon, she can be nasty tempered but you already know that....

I bet T is an awesome baker! Wee One and I made a cake this morning. Kids love to bake!

The coast photos are beautiful.

Carole Burant said...

Hey not fair, she's making better looking pies than mine! lol I'm very impressed, she did a great job. Love her look of concentration in the pictures!!

Oh yikes, raccoons living up in the hayloft! Now why didn't you want to put your head in there to see them???? hehe They can be vicious little varmints can't they!! Every once in a while we have one hanging around here but we try to deter it from staying because it's not an animal you want around. Just like the groundhog we had here, it's gone now, thank goodness. It's all we would have needed, a groundhog to start eating all our veggie plants once we plant them!

Ok, that lobster looks like he's ready to jump into that garlic butter dish! lol I'm not much of a seafood person...I don't mind fish once in a while and I'll eat deep fried battered shrimp but that's it! It's no wonder you love going to the coast...look at that scenery!! My goodness, even a skull amidst the seaweed! lol As you say, someone had fun putting that there! lol

When you get a chance, come over to my blog to enter my giveaway:-) Love ya!! xoxoxo

SabrinaT said...

We have a birds making a nest in our BBQ grill. We have just let them have it for the summer. We get to many Typhoons here to BBQ anyway.
The seashore looks wonderful, it is about time for a vacation home to CO I think.
Your granddaughter looks focused on her pie, it looks wonderful!

Mikey said...

Ok that skull totally threw me off. That looks like a cow skull!!! What in the...?
Love the pie, that made me smile. You're just like my mom! sniffle... that's so sweet. You're the best!!!