A Skunk Story...No Art Today

I could have shown you some artwork today if I'd of remembered to scan it before I sent it off to the hands of the USPS. I did two altered envelopes last night for a PIF over at AFA. Maybe next time I do an altered envelope, I'll not send them off without scanning. I can't gurantee that as I can't gurantee you all anything at all!
I told you all about the resident skunk in an earlier post. Well he was back again last night. I was fixing to close the backdoor before I went to bed and of course Fred (dog) followed me to the back door cause he follows me almost everywhere in the house. Fred spied that skunk over in Susan's yard under the flag pole illuminated by the yard light and off he took after he gave a hearty woof-hello to the skunk. I hightailed it right after him hollering, "No, Fred! That isn't a kitty!!" He paid absolutely no attention to me at all and kept right on running straight for that pretty little skunk. Fred was less than a couple of feet from mr. skunk when he swung his whole body around to face that silly dog. His tail went straight up and he stood up as tall as he could on his short little legs. Fred snuffled around the skunk, checking him out. Fred didn't make any noise in this endeavor...He'd already had his say on the back steps at my house. I, however, wasn't done with my narrative to the dog, pleading with him to come away from that skunk! Mr. skunk seemed not to notice me at all. I finally got his attention as the skunk and he were almost nose to nose. I acted as though I were quite excited about something at the house and when Fred looked at me, I took off running towards home. Fred followed! (Thank you, Lord!) The little skunk put his tail down and shuffled off behind Susan's pumphouse. Fred had to stop to do his business on the lilac bush and seemed to have forgot all about th skunk. He followed me in the house and that was that.
It was kind of cool being that close to the little skunk. I was within four feet of the little guy when he had his tail up, checking out Fred. He didn't stink at all from that distance. Course he's probably not had to use his scent glands as of yet...he is a young one. I call him a him only cause I don't know if he's a girl or a boy and referring to him as him is just easier. Very well could be a girl for all I know. I just know I have no desire to check him out to see which sex he really is! I really don't care to get THAT close to the critter!
Fred was saved from a spraying and I was saved from having to deskunk a sprayed dog! Trust me that that is no fun at all! Been there. Done that. Don't particuarly want to do it again anytime soon! It takes two gallons of vinegar to deskunk a 120 pound black lab! I didn't have two gallons of vinegar on hand last night.
Now that we know the little skunk is still around we are going to try to trap the little fellow and relocate him. Josh (who isn't an expert on skunks, but simply seems to know what he's talking about here) says that we can live trap him. Once he's caught all we have to do is cover the cage so that if he does spray, he doesn't spray anything but what we've covered the trap with. Makes perfect sense to me! Ma has a live trap that will not hurt the skunk in the least and we can take him down to the diversion dam where there is lots for him to eat and water nearby as well.
I really don't care if there's a skunk at my house. So long as he behaves himself, doesn't get into the trash cans, doesn't decide sleeping under the house is a good idea and keeps to himself...no, I really don't care that he is here. He's awfully entertaining actually. I like to watch him from afar. The ONLY thing that concerns me is that silly Fred dog. He's none too bright some days! He really likes cats and skunks look way too much like cats to this dog! I think the only thing that saved him from getting sprayed, besides me pleading with that dog, was the fact that he didn't try to chase the skunk and he didn't bark at it.
I don't believe the skunk has established a territory here. He's been here for about two weeks now. He isn't very big. Probably from this year's litter. I'm actually surprised there are not more than just this one around. Skunks have large litters.
At any rate, Susan is going to get the trap from Ma tomorrow and set it tomorrow night with some cat food to bait the critter to enter the trap and we'll take his hide down the road to the diversion dam over at Woodston. He will fit in there nicely and should be fine.
Skunks don't hibernate through the winter and winter is fast approaching. It is supposed to snow tomorrow. Skunks semi hibernate...sleep sometimes but come out on nice days to forage and get some sunshine. I think I will miss the little fellow actually...
I'll let you all know how the relocation project goes. Hopefully without a hitch!
I'll show you all some artwork and maybe another poem in the next post.
You all be good to one another.
Peace
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