Stories from the woods.

We have a porcupine, previously featured here and thoughts of trapping him and relocating the spiney troublemaker elicited a story from a friend. She had a rat problem after her basement was flooded and not being able to face killing it she humane-trapped it. She was planning to drive it to a remote spot and release him the next day. She put the rat and trap in the boot (trunk) of her car. Next morning
she opens the boot to find the trap but no rat.

Who's a naughty porcupine?

He had escaped somewhere inside the car. A visit to the local garage ended in disappointment when workers there told her they could not find it. She was staying at her cottage that night, a warm one,  and decided to leave all the car doors open so the rat could escape. She wasn't thinking about raccoons at the time. But next morning she discovered it wasn't just rats which liked the inside of her car and found that a raccoon had made it his home for the night and left a calling card. I'm only surprised he didn't drive off in it.

The old road.

Beware swearing at the biting insects. I'm digging the vegetable patch and shout Bugger off, just as a nice French couple are walking by. Ah the bugs, they are terrible eh, they offer.

Forget-me-not

It's three years today since I emigrated here. It's a beautiful sunny evening in the country with gusting winds. I'm sitting on the porch watching the trees being whipped about.  Every now and then  I hear the crack of wood and a large branch lands on the ground. Quite entertaining.  If you are thinking of giving up your life for another country - my advice is to consider it very carefully. It takes longer than you think to settle in.  Probably about three years.
How to emigrate.