Our Island is over run with Rabbits, are they a big problem or is it a matter of perspective? Let's take a look at it.

A car pulled to the side of the road, a man got out with a white bundle and set it on the shoulder, "run" he shouted "you are free! Run." Someone's Easter present was sent into the brush. 

Pests, roaming around the yard at all hours of the day and night, Raccoons, Skunks, and Possums mostly. One pest I have turned into a hobby of sorts, I suppose that is the proper way to phrase it. I am hunting the dreaded tomato worm or the Hornworm. Early in the morning I go to the garden and start looking, anyone that has searched for them understands at least one thing. They have adapted perfectly to their environment, I have the hardest time finding them amongst the curled up tomato leaves which they mimic exactly, I found one this morning and one this afternoon. My friend Mike comes over, walks to the garden and starts picking the little monsters off the limbs, he found 5 this morning. I can live with most of the critters we call "Pests", some others are harder to take due to the mess they leave, the plants they eat, or the number of them. I was talking to the "Bunny Lady" early this morning, we've been neighbors for over 15 years. Her schtick is rescuing Rabbits, she feeds them, takes them home, finds homes for them, and yes she will take them to the Vet for neutering or be patched up. During our conversation, she told me some of the people on our stretch of the levee have spoken to her about the Rabbits. Many people do not want them around and they want her to stop feeding them.

A tiny bunny, it is about a month old, these are black, we have
an assortment of colors.

A bit of background information is in order. The Rabbits overtaking our small island on the California Delta are domestic pets that have been "set free". Many years ago there were bunnies on our island in the numbers we are seeing now, suddenly they disappeared. Overtaken by Coyotes, Foxes, and Raptors, seeking refuge in the water the rabbits swam across the slough to another extremely small island which happened to also be a marina. Living under the docks, the place is built on a huge granite boulder, the bunnies had no predators and they flourished. Hundreds of them lived under those docks, then two years ago during our winter of heavy rain the island flooded. Rabbits swim well and these are no exception, they all swam the 30 yards or so to our levee, some swam the opposite direction 100 yards to a larger island. I suspect the survival rate was low on the far side island, there are no trees or hiding spots for them as it's mostly a pasture. Now they are thriving on our island, they have a litter of 4-6 every other month, or so it seems, the population is booming.

The Rabbits swam from the Island with the building on it to the far side,
and to this side also, they are good swimmers.

Gardens, fruit trees, and wild berries offer a wonderful menu for them, plus with the Rabbit Lady feeding them every morning and most of the other women tossing vegetables to them, they lead a good life. It's a short-lived life but they are well fed, and that is one of the complaints, stop feeding them. Stop feeding them and they will go away or so the thought goes, I don't know if they would disappear or not, it seems doubtful.

On the island, we have "bird" people, animal people, and like everywhere else we have "Cat Ladies". This is a rural area with the entire interior of the island serving as a huge pasture, there is a lot of open space. Encouraging all sorts of wildlife which are crossing the road towards the river for water bringing them across gardens, yards, and living spaces, it is part of living in a rural area. Many of those that have moved from the Cities because they like our lifestyle do not understand what it is to live amongst the critters.

Rabbits attract Rats, they can but don't have to if they are domesticated Rabbits, in the wild, there is no way to control it. Cleaning of the hutches and disposing uneaten foods each night will keep the rodents away.  Rats attacking the bunnies is rare although reports of it happening have been recorded, people raising rabbits are well aware of the precautions that must be taken. In a hutch it could be a major concern, however, in our situation with "wild" domestic animals it isn't a situation we should be too concerned about. I say that because the rats are here anyway, we rarely see them because they occupy the same space in the food chain as our local squirrels. They don't come inside the houses, but they do haunt the wooded areas, wood piles, compost heaps, and under abandoned sheds and building.

They dig holes, under fences, in gardens, and in the Levee. Not as bad as Beaver or Ground squirrels the majority of rabbits holes are about the same size as the Skunks dig, small about 2 inches in diameter. But when they dig big holes they are big, not always real deep but the diameter can be up to 2 feet. (.60 meter) There are a lot of holes everywhere on our levee, shallow, narrow holes none the less a levee is no place for them. Breaches are sometimes caused by holes dug by animals, Otters, Beaver, and Fox all live on the banks of a river. They all dig dens in them creating a problem large enough for our municipal district to keep a trapper on retainer. I spoke to him one-day several years ago during an unusual uptick in the population of Beaver, they are a nuisance due to their living under wooden docks and chewing them apart. On this day he was humanly trapping a nuisance Beaver for relocation to another island, he told me an amazing story. He had found a Beaver den dug into a levee on our island, as he was digging the hole opened up exposing a cavity large enough to park a 3/4 ton pickup truck in, now that is a major problem. Rabbits do dig holes, although not real deep they still compromise the levees.

The rabbits eat everything and multiply like crazy, there is no denying, they are everywhere. One of the neighbors, a weekender, is being driven nuts by them and he wants to trap them and dispose of them in no uncertain terms. They are eating his ground cover, ice plants, and flowers which are overtaking his levee in leaps and bounds. Talking to him I told him that soon his entire levee would be covered and he will welcome the grazers as they will keep his plants under control, needless to say, he wasn't buying into that theory. His wife told my wife she told another neighbor and on it goes, until the Rabbit lady stopped me and I got the 5th degree, the word was out Mitts wants to kill the bunnies. I didn't prevail in any of those conversations mostly due to my reply, "well he doesn't want to kill all of them." sometimes old Jacques trips all over his reasoning and tongue. Now when it comes to the rabbit "problem" my lips are sealed.

They carry diseases that humans can be infected by, yes they do, one disease SepticemicTularemia is potentially fatal, a multisystemic disease in humans. The disease may be transmitted to humans by handling the infected animal tissue while processing the animal for food, and by eating undercooked infected meat. The Rabbits share many diseases with Rats, Gerbils, Hamsters and other rodent type animals.

(Follow this Link to see a list of the common illnesses carried by Rabbits.)

The Rabbits are a problem, how big of a problem depends on one's perspective, in my opinion. We have flocks of wild Turkeys, for example, I was going past my neighbors chicken coop that had been overtaken by them. He raises Peacocks, Chickens, and Ducks in one section of his farm all in the same coop, the Turkeys overran it. He put a number of domestic Turkeys in the pen and they ran off the wild ones, in California wild Turkeys are an invasive species and may be eliminated if they are creating a financial hardship to the farmer. We still have the birds running around so I'm certain he did not shoot them.

I don't think anything needs to be done with the rabbits, everything in my life takes a natural course, I'm convinced this will as well. We have sheep ranchers and sheep attract Coyotes, all of these bunnies running around will attract them also. The Coyotes will move in, I am convinced they are already hunting rabbits. Part of what I do for the area is removing road kill after animals have been run over, or dead animals I find in peoples yards and lots. I don't find very many, a few squirrels every month, a possum about every six months, and rabbits about once a week. I have not found an animal killed by a Coyote, but I have found some killed by dogs, and lately, I found a small one killed by a Fox. Dogs are simple to figure out if they are the perpetrators, domestic dogs merely kill the animals consuming no part of it, they let them lay. Foxes on the other hand only go after the small bunnies, for one they are easier to catch, and two a full-size Rabbit will fight a Fox and is able to cause life-threatening injuries to the small canine.

An adult Rabbit, it must be related to all of the other black ones.

How much of a problem are they? I will relate another short story. I was on my scooter when a lady I stopped to talk, she asked me,

"What do you do about your Racoon problem?"

I looked at her with a skewed look on my face and said to her, "I have a raccoon problem?"

She replied, "Everyone else does so I thought you did as well."

To which I answered, "Well, I leave a bucket of fresh water out in the garden for them, and the food remnants I don't compost I leave outside the trashcan so the critters don't spread my garbage all over the place."

She didn't answer me, it was a thought that never entered her head.

That is why I said earlier it depends upon a persons perspective, I choose to live with the wild animals, It is the easiest way to deal with them. The wild animals take turns in overpopulating the place, not too long ago someone suggested re-naming the island to "Skunk Island", due to us being flooded with the polecats. Raccoons overran the island in the past also, and we have just passed the Turkey boom, right after we were buried in Feral Cats, so it does run in cycles.

The next animals to overrun the island will be Coyotes, Hawks, and Kit Foxes, they will be after the Rabbits. When the Rabbits are thinned out the predators will move along to another well-stocked area.

They will be gone soon enough, it will be unnoticeable to most of us until one day someone says "I wonder what happened to all the rabbits?" I already hear comments such as "We don't have any wild cats around here any longer, I wonder what happened to them."

Personally, I don't think they (the Rabbits) are a big enough problem to be concerned about, it's a matter of perspective which adds to my self-awareness in recognizing the cycles of life expanding my appreciation of the natural flow of things around me. To my friends and neighbors, I will say, "Just be patient, they will be gone before long, they will probably swim across the river to the small island and refuge."

Red Wing Blackbirds are on the list of pest also, my favorite birds, they were decimated by West Nile Virus, they are making a comeback and we will all realize once again why we have a "Bird Island". Some people call it "Grass Island", boy are they in for a surprise next spring, I will write about it then.

Red Wing Blackbird, when numbering in the thousands they are
noisy, we'll hear them again next spring.

Thanks for reading and sharing my blog, I realize overpopulation of Rabbits can be a nightmare, Austrailia went through it several years ago, some people fear that's where we are headed. I don't see how we can be, every dog on here has one thing on their mind, Chase Rabbits. I will be on the lookout for the Fox, and the howl of the Coyote will get closer. Thanks again.

jacquesandkate   EmergencyKitsPlus.com

The trilogy of survival Self-Reliance, Self-awareness, and personal responsibility will see us through any emergency.

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail"

Ben Franklin

Hurricane Lane has dumped 3-4 feet of rainfall, the third highest recorded since 1950, at one time this past weekend the entire island was under flash flood warnings. The government is recommending residents keep two weeks of water, food, and other supplies on hand. I advocate keeping one week versus the 72 hour supply recommended by FEMA and most other disaster preparedness government entities. Two weeks is a reasonable supply, one week is ample for a short event and three days is enough to keep a person supplied during an evacuation.  (Follow this Link to read about record-breaking rain in Hawaii)

The amount of supplies is the most difficult question to answer, it differs whether the catastrophe is a shelter in place, evacuation, or if being forced to shelter in place is in a partially destroyed house. In the aftermath of a rapidly moving wildfire, residents who have lost everything most likely did not have enough time to grab anything before fleeing. Tornadoes are much the same many times' entire towns are destroyed, and when people emerge from their shelters they realize everything is lost. There are also those disasters that sheltering in place is in order, often the homes that provide shelter are damaged, but they still have usable food and liquids.

Anyone of us could be on that roof one day.

Our pantries, refrigerators, and freezers have salvageable food we are able to add to the stored supply we have set up. When a major disaster wrecks its havoc one of the predictable after effects is power outages, making it essential we survey our supplies quickly. I look in our pantry's contents, dried noodles, (women call it pasta, men call it noodles, go figure), oatmeal, various dry cereal and numerous cans of assorted preserved foods. Many of the items will last a long time, rice, beans, dehydrated fruit, honey, oatmeal, and pasta to name a few. Other foods must be kept refrigerated below 40 degrees F (4.44 C), inside a refrigerator or kept on ice. Butter, margarine, hard cheese, raw fruits, and dairy all must be kept cold.

Seafood cooked or raw, meats, poultry, milk, cream, yogurt and soft cheese when kept below 40 F longer than 2 hours should be disposed of without a thought. Pies made of dairy products such as custard, chiffon or cheese should likewise be disposed of. Fresh eggs, egg substitutes, processed lunch meat, prepared pizza, hotdogs creamy dressing and cream-filled pastries are subjects for disposal as well. Becoming ill during an emergency situation is not an attractive state, it is prudent to arbitrarily dispose of any at-risk foods, keeping only those that we know for a fact do pose a threat to us. It appears as if there may not be many foods that would be salvageable after such an event, but there are some things we can do now to prepare. (This Link will lead you to FEMA's planning templates)

Water is a big part of any survival plan, we each need a minimum of 1/2 gallon per day for drinking purposes only, and depending upon how hot the temperature is we may require more. Water may be stored in the freezer in containers made for just that purpose, they lay flat on the bottom of the freezer under the frozen food. The frozen water will extend the life of the food in the freezer, how long depends upon how often the door is opened allowing the cold air to tumble out. A dial thermometer is the best way to keep track of the internal temperature, simply lay it on top of the food and check it only when the door is open to retrieve supplies. One case of 24 pints of bottled water will supply one person for a one week period, drinking water only, sanitation needs demand more. As the water in the freezer thaws, it is then available for drinking, cooking, and hygienic purposes. Drink water that has been stored for emergency needs, it should not be assumed our water supplies are safe especially after a flood, fire, or hurricane. Flood water should never be used for any purpose, after walking in it we need to shower and change clothes as soon as possible.

Most pantries have somethings in them we can use after the event.

The food in our homes will supply us for several days, the oatmeal, pasta, granola, and canned foods will suffice after making sure it is safe. Only in certain circumstances will we be able to rely on our pantries, we should all have a 7-day survival kit on the handset up next to our exits. During our planning not adding the house supplies in our emergency food and water supply is prudent, we have no idea in advance what catastrophe we may face.

Regardless of the supplies we store, a means of boiling water and cooking must be paid attention to. Camp stoves, Bar-B-Ques. and open fires will all serve well. A vessel to boil water in, and utensils to cook with, are all important to include in our planning. Some people invest in a sanitary station consisting of a tent enclosure, portable toilet, and a shower are generally the highlights of the stations.

It is unfortunate that during the past three years we have witnessed terrible tragedies at ever increasing strengths and duration. Whether out West dealing with wildfires and smoke, the Midwest with Tornadoes, the North with blizzards, and the eastern seaboard dealing with deluges of unimaginable size, we all need to become more self-reliant. My goal is to be as self-reliant as possible for my family first, then to also have enough supplies on hand to be able to assist my neighbors when the need arises. Being self-aware of my limitations with preparedness, and my ability to deal with emergency situations is an important aspect as well. In order to be a successful survivor is knowing what we are and are not capable of and what we need help with. Taking responsibility for ourselves is the final of my personal trilogy, I am responsible for making sure my family and neighbors survive what we may have to endure.
( Follow this Link to a typical survival kit)

The Hawaiian authorities were advising people to gather 7 days of supplies during the Hurricane, showing packed grocery, hardware, and water stores on TV that were packed with people waiting in unbelievably long lines. It is best for us to prepare or supplies well before any event takes place, it enables us to avoid price gouging and long lines. Emergency kits are available commercially, custom made for our special needs, or many people put their own together, whichever way we choose will suffice.

Thanks for reading and sharing my blog. Give some thought to what natural or man-made disasters you may be faced with and if you have not yet start planning now. As thinly stretched as the first responders are the response times are sure to increase. If that time extends into many days, which we have already witnessed during the heavy onslaught of three Hurricanes, in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico last year a week-long emergency is becoming the norm. The old sing-song "Prepare for the worst and hope for the best", is very good advice during these storms, wildfires, and the flooded world we occupy.  Thanks again and certainly consider preparing yourself and family to survive for one week at least, or as Hawaii is now recommending 14 days.

jacquesandkate  EmergencyKitsPlus.com

Stepping outside my niche, as a carrier sailor I had to write a remembrance of Lt. Commander McCain

"A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his FREEDOM."

Bob Dylan


I am stepping out of my niche to write a blog commemorating and remembering Senator John McCain, I didn't know him personally but I knew a lot of pilots just like him, he was in one of the sister squadrons of the one I was assigned to during the Vietnam war. I don't get political and I won't in this blog, I did not agree with everything Mr. McCain took as political positions. I am a registered Democrat. (after being undeclared since 1969, this year I registered Democrat.) I have and always have had a deep personal respect for him, he like I was a "Carrier Sailor", we spent a portion of our lives on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier.

Senator McCains Squadrons Logo.

Commander McCain was in VA-163 flying A-4E aircraft, on board the USS. Oriskany which experienced a horrific fire that killed 100 sailors. Three months after the fire Mr. McCain launched off the deck of the ship into American history, he was shot down over Vietnam. A ground to air missile the size of a telephone pole ripped the right wing off of his jet forcing him to eject. Breaking both arms and his right leg at the knee. Landing in the water he began to sink, his arms would not work, he dropped his 50 pounds of gear and it sank to the bottom, as he did. Grabbing the release lanyard for his life preserver with his teeth he pulled back inflating the flotation device which brought him to the surface. A retired North Vietnamese Colonel Mai Van On was the first person the endangered pilot saw, handing Mr. McCain the end of a bamboo pole, On pulled him ashore. He had been shot down over Hanoi and parachuted into a lake in the center of that city.

A mob was waiting for him when Colonel On pulled the lifeless aviator ashore,  he was severely abused being punched, spit upon, his shoulder was smashed when a bystander slammed it with a rifle butt. While in agony from the now broken shoulder a bayonet was stabbed through his foot, it was not a welcome home party. He was taken to Ministry of Defense Hospital #108, from there he went to Hoa Loa prison, the "Hanoi Hilton" where he would spend the next 6 years.

The Jets were spotted on the flight deck according to "sortie", four aircraft of each model would be launched on a mission to return 4 hours later, refueled, serviced, loaded with bombs, and sent off the deck again. Each of the planes was piloted by young men, I was 18 years old during my first 'Westpac", the pilots were old at the age of 23-25, most were academy graduates. As a "Plane Captain" I was responsible for the maintenance of one aircraft, preparing it between launches then standing by until the pilot came to complete his mission.

Senator McCains A4-E Squadron

The pilot and the plane captain made a "walk around" inspection of the airplane, checking for leaks, loose rivets, and the general condition of the airplane. He would check the ordinance, the tires, and struts generally holding one hand against the fuselage it was almost like bonding with the jet. Climbing into the cockpit the plane captain followed him up, fastening the seat belt, talking to the pilot making sure all systems were set to go. If the ejection seat were to be accidentally activated it would be death to the pilot and plane captain, it had to be armed.

The engine was started first, sometimes they did not start, which would abort the flight, I don't remember a plane I had not starting. We would then go through our pre-flight checks, vertical stabilizer, ailerons, rudders, and flaps, looking for hydraulic leaks and proper operation. The engine would be revved up, and the last check was fuel level, 2,000 pounds he would signal with our way of one-handed counting.

Upon completion of the pre-flight checks the "blue shirts" would assist in removing the hold down chains, chocks, and then stand by to move the plane. The plane captain would then direct the plane to a waiting "yellow shirt" who would then direct the aircraft to the Catapaults.

We saluted the pilot then tapping our helmet we would then with both arms motioning to the yellow shirt to take over, we always met eyes with the pilots. Following the plane to the Cats, we watched during the prep and hook up of the plane to the steam-driven shuttle. The moment of truth has arrived, he will now be sent off the flight deck at 200 mph under full throttle. We would on occasion lose an airplane to the ocean, I don't recall how many the USS Ranger lost while I was on board, it was at least a dozen during the cruise of 1970-71, with the loss of some of the pilots.

A photo of one of the airplanes in the squadron I was attached to.

The courage displayed by pilots like Senator McCain is best described by the words of a Bruce Springsteen song, "Courage we can't understand." Looking at the face of the young pilots every emotion was on display, fear, bravery, intelligence, and raw courage. Every launch of every aircraft was the same, the aviators were being sent into the great unknown risking everything for their country, their people, and their lives. If there was not enough steam pressure if the rolling of the ship was timed wrong, or if there was a problem with the connection to the shuttle that plane was going into the water, along with the pilot. Upon connecting the shuttle to the plane a signal was made to the flight deck officer all was ready for launch, he would then double check the setup and when satisfied got an OK on the steam pressure and sounded the launch alarm, then finally touching the deck the aircraft was launched. Hunkering down like a large wild cat getting ready to pounce it would hesitate for a split second, the pilot saluted one more time set his helmeted head back into the seat and was launched. That was the moment he (in those days we had only male pilots in attack squadrons.) did not know if he would ever come back, courage I didn't understand then and I still don't to this day.

So went Senator McCain on that fateful October 26, 1967, when he was launched off of the flight deck of the USS Oriskany in his A-4E Skyhawk. On the western lakeshore of Trúc Bạch Lake, on Thanh Niên Road, in Hanoi, a monument has been erected with these words on it "Here on 26 October 1967 at Truc Bach Lake in the capital city of Ha Noi, John Sidney McCain was shot out of the sky in his A4 aircraft by local militia citizens defending Yen Phu.  There were 10 other planes shot down on the same day." If a memorial is erected by a country honoring an enemy pilot, that pilot had to have done something heroic in their eyes. I believe that something was when it was discovered Senator McCain was the son of a Navy Admiral he was offered an early release by his captors. His reply was only if everyone in that prison was released with him, he spent 6 years in that prison being tortured due to that decision. That one act is and will remain in United States Naval history as a quotation as famous as Oliver Hazards Perry's "Don't give up the Ship" embossed on the battle flag of the USS Niagra. Made famous as the dying words of James Lawrence as he was dying aboard the USS Chesapeake in 1813.

(Follow this Link to read more famous Navy quotes)

Senator McCain has my respect and he always will, I knew pilots like him made out of "stuff" that is hard to define that did not return after being shot down. One incident, in particular, a pilot went down in North Vietnam all the while staying in radio contact we listened from the ready room. His dying words were "The enemy is upon me," hearing shots ring out we knew he was dead.

My Squadron Logo.

I as all sailors witnessed a lot of undescribable incidences that occurred out at sea, every sailor has at least one, mine is the bravery and dedication I witnessed each and every time a pilot went off the deck. None of us came away from that war untouched mentally or physically. Some were faced with impossible situations and rose to the occasion, Senator McCain may not have been the only hero in that war, but he was my hero, displaying courage I don't understand.

John McCain retired from the Navy in 1981, the recipient of the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

I feel I must add this note, I was in VA-25, the fist of the fleet, I did not know Senator McCain personally, although I knew about him. The fire on the Oriskany took place two years prior to my first Westpac, I saw many training films about it. There are nefarious people attempting to blame that tragic Naval disaster on Mr. McCain, I will state with 100% assuredness he did not start that fire. It would have been impossible for him to do so, besides the fact that ship was every sailors home, we don't set our ships on fire. I can describe how it started, how the sailors were killed, and where most of them died, however, it would take many more pages than a mere blog.

The USS Oriskany on fire, it brings tears to my eyes.

Thanks for reading and sharing my blog. The comments coming out of our nation's capital words of total disrespect towards John McCain are despicable and unbecoming of the leader of our nation. Yes, it was a highly unpopular war, but to continue the discrimination and outright hostility for the veterans of the "teenagers war", after 50 years is completely uncalled for. That war never ended for many of us, in the very least Senator McCain will now rest in peace, the nightmares will end, for him.

jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com

Foxes how much of a threat are they to children, cats, and dogs, do they carry rabies?

"The Fox condemns the trap, not himself" William Blake

The Red Fox, friend or foe?

I saw him in the early morning light sitting in a corner outside eating one of my prized apples, that's where they have all gone I muttered aloud. The Fox heard me, set down the apple core, went down the stairs and walked into the forest. He looked back at me, it was then I realized that I will see him again tomorrow.

The Sly Fox, a subject of many folklore, campfire stories, and nursery rhymes is interesting, misunderstood, and a Wiley character often suspected of foul play of which they had nothing to do with. Sporting a well known thick red tail, white patch from it's chin to the tail, and long legs the Red Fox is easily identified. Lurking in the shadows peering out between the trees, rocks, or other obstacles he is always exciting to spot, but not always a welcomed visitor. There are those who harbor a fear of them, others a profound dislike and some are admirers of the crafty canine. They hold the same curiosity of us as we do of them when a Fox spots a human, they stop and look at us as if we are the curiosity and the unwelcome intruder. I suppose we are as far as being a curiosity is concerned, an intruder sharing the same place and time is a little harsh. I would prefer being seen as living in harmony alongside them, and that is most likely due to them not being a threat to me in any way. There are legitimate reasons for harboring a general dislike of the wild animals, some of which we will explore in this article, let us begin.

The American Red Foxes lifespan in captivity is as long as 10 years, in the wild, it is 2-3 years. His fur is a rusty red color with the legs being darker many times they will be black. They are canines and with that, they sport long canine teeth, and black pointed ears which aid in their excellent sense of hearing. The fur on his belly is white up to its nose. The male is called a "dog", the female is "vixen", he weighs an average of 10-12 pounds and she a bit lighter at 9-10 pounds 56-74 inches in length, males are slightly larger at 54-78 inches long. Being nearly the same size and weight it is difficult to determine the animals' sex from a distance, with a sharp eye one may notice the snout of the male is longer than his female mate.

( Follow this Link for more information on Foxes.)

Foxes mate in the winter, when spring arrives a litter of 2-12 puppies are born, they are mates for life and both of them share in caring for the pups. Born a dark gray coloring it is not retained long, they lose the gray and within a month of birth grow a new coat, this one is the classic Red Fox color. Female Foxes reach maturity at 10 months of age, the male takes longer, they have a short life in the wild, 2-4 years. Because most of the time Foxes are sighted alone the common consensus is that they live a solitary life, the male and female travel, hunt, and feed independently but they do meet up from time to time. That time is sometimes brief and other times for longer periods of time spent grooming and playing with one another. Observations in urban areas have disclosed the mating pair will sometimes have other mature adults in their "group", they are referred to as "helpers". The helpers are generally offspring of the mating pair that have stayed in the nest too long and are completely dominated by their parents. They are territorial animals and will defend their territory from other Foxes.

Red Fox pups are sometimes colors other than the typical red-rust.

Their territory or habitat is varied, marked with scents to warn off intruders they normally will not fight with a direct neighbor, they recognized one another, it is the strangers they don't want around. If the Fox is absent from its normal territory another one rapidly moves in and becomes the new resident. Foxes are found to be living in a wide range of environments in North America, deserts, grasslands, forest, mountains, and they have adapted to living in suburbanized areas. They are adaptable to almost any habitat, but still, prefer the forests and other wooded areas to others. Living in burrows (Dens) the Fox finds security for raising offspring, staying cool, and storing food. Dens range in depth from 1-1/2 feet to just over 8 feet deep, ( .45-2.4 meters), they sleep in the dens an average of 9.8 hours a day. Not above taking over the den of wolves, porcupines, and other large mammals, often sharing them with Badgers, and Woodchucks, they are accommodating in some ways.

Foxes are Omnivores, they will eat almost anything, small mammals, crickets, crayfish, beetles, caterpillars, and rabbits. They will continue to hunt even if they are "full", like squirrels and other mammals they store food for the winter. Nocturnal hunters they can be seen during the daylight hours occasionally, their excellent sense of hearing aids them in their night hunting excursions, hearing small animals deep in the ground they dig until the prey is captured. Other times like a cat they stalk their prey, getting as close as possible they suddenly jump upon the intended target.

A Fox hears prey beneath the snow, he leaps and dives in head first.

Foxes do not hunt domestic dogs or cats, they simply are not viewed by them as prey, nor are they seen as enemies. Like most other canines they will chase cats, for whatever reason, but when catching up to them and the teeth and claws come out, the Fox will retreat. Unless it is backed into a corner, it will then fight its way out, but to take on a cat or dog is out of the Foxes normal behavior. Chickens, Rabbits, and newborn animals are prey to the Red Fox, the fact that they will invade a chicken coop is not only folklore but rooted in truth.

Humans are not seen as prey by Foxes either, we are far too big, they prefer to give us a wide berth, but they will fight when they are in a corner and feel trapped. Some accounts of Foxes attacking small children exist but they are extremely rare and when it does occur it generates an enormous amount of press coverage which overrides how truly rare those attacks are. Even in cases when the animal accidentally gains access into a house as soon as it realizes humans are near all the Fox wants is out of the place, open a door and let him out, a better choice may be to call your local animal control. If we don't corner them, grab onto one, or reach into a Fox den we shouldn't fear being attacked by a Fox. But what if it's diseased?

Rabies, if a Fox attacks which are rare, or if you are bitten by one assume it has rabies, just like every other mammal. A bigger danger is to our domestic pets, dogs, in particular, Fox scat carries diseases that may be spread to another canine, our pet dogs. When we find Fox scat in the garden or yard just like any other dog feces it should be picked up and disposed of. Mange is a disease that is easily spread to a dog, easily treated when discovered the dog will not die from it, lose of fur is generally the most severe after-effects of contracting mange.

Foxes are not a threat to us or our pets, however, it is best to keep them away from our homes. They are scavengers, willfully jumping into our garbage cans for a quick and easy meal, they make a mess out of your garden and yard, and as mentioned earlier the disease their scat may carry is reason enough to avoid them.

Thanks for reading and sharing my blog, many people are convinced Red Foxes are dangerous animals, the inspiration for this article actually. I read a write-up in a forum where a Fox was blamed for killing a mans' cats, so he started eliminating the Foxes in his area. Unfortunately, the real culprit is most likely the many Coyotes that inhabit the area where he resides, 8% of a Coyotes diet consists of cats, feral or domestic it doesn't matter to the Wiley Coyote. Thanks again for reading the blog.

jacquesandkate  Emergencykitsplus.com

Road trips car breakdowns weather emergencies and unavoidable delays that may last days, how ready are we?

Interstate 5, miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles.

When I worked my wake up time was 4 am, just like millions of other people making a living in every type of trade and profession imaginable. I spent all of my work life out of doors, the elements were always in my face. Some of my commutes through the years were 2 hours, others were 30 minutes, most were in the range of 1 hour. During all of those years I learned to be prepared for any event that may unfold, and some did. I was stranded unable to continue home many times due to accidents, home fires, earthquakes, and weather. I spent many hours underneath a vehicle on the side of an empty road in the middle of nowhere accepting help from anyone that happened by. The theme of this blog is one of those incidents I have wanted to write about for a long time, it restored my faith in humanity for a while.

I was driving a 1992 Chevy Suburban in 2004, a nice vehicle when compared to most of the transportation I had during the years preceding this. I drove a 1972 Suburban for years, a three-door classic, no air conditioning, no radio, oh well you know the type of car, I spent a lot of time on the side of the road underneath it. My 1992 Suburban was an entirely different type of misery, sure it was comfortable, air-conditioned, and highly unpredictable. That diesel engine was trouble.

More than the motor being a problem the unpredictability was a much bigger concern, I never knew what would be the next problem. I was driving 3-1/2 hours to work, living in the Bay Area one of the plants I worked at occasionally was in the Central Valley, a long drive south on Interstate 5. I drove the interstate for 2-1/2 hours then turned East on highway 198, and drove another hour and a half to Hanford California. The drive there just fine, sometimes I would tow a 30-foot travel trailer then stay at the County Fairgrounds, thankfully this trip I decided to stay in a motel.

I generally worked there for 2-4 weeks, this time I was there for 3 weeks and ready to go home. We had a crew of 12 men, all Millwrights, rough old guy's who were all used to working killer long hours for weeks that seemed to never end. By the time the job ended we were all ready to leave and go home after all of our gear was loaded up on the company flatbed.

Hanford California, an old Western Cow Town.

I headed East on 198 to Interstate 5, it was a long drive and I was in no mood for car trouble, but this old Suburban would once again let me down. I had driven for about an hour, I had another 50 miles before I reached the Interstate, the intersection of State Route 269 and 198. The small town of 5 points is 20 miles to the north, Huron is 5 miles south, it is about as much in the middle of nowhere as a person can be on the West Side of the Central Valley. I stopped at the 4 way stop sign and gained speed when at 45 miles per hour my front right tire, wheel, and the whole circus removed itself from the truck and headed in a Northwest direction through the orchid. I skidded to the right side of the road and watched it roll for 1/4 mile and came to rest against a tree, waiting for me to fetch it.

The right front assembly had come completely apart, spindle, disc brake, and the lugs were broken, all in the middle of nowhere, and no one was on the road. It was hot, I was sitting in the shade of the orchard hoping one of my co-workers would drive by, but I had found out when I returned to work in the Bay Area all of them went North on highway 99. After sitting there for 1/2 hour a service truck pulled up behind the Suburban, three workers jumped out asking me in Spanish if I needed help. I took Spanish 4 times, or I started to learn Spanish, it just never "took". I am currently taking English classes online (free), for grammar, pronunciation, and writing, I just never could learn Spanish. After all of these years, I have learned to understand "broken" English/Spanish as most people in the Southwest do, it's a matter of survival.

They were Ranch Mechanics, highly skilled in maintaining farm equipment, processing machinery, and trucks, we looked at the damage and jumped in their truck. We drove to Huron, apparently, my new found buddies knew everyone in town, waving and honking so much I felt like I was in a parade. We bought parts, some had to be put together with a hydraulic press, and others torqued to specs, no problem they exclaimed. I had visions of huge hammers and a lot of cussing in the sand on the side of the road.

I couldn't have been more wrong, their truck had every tool imaginable like every farm maintenance truck does, so we got to work. Actually, they did most of the work, it would have taken me two days to repair the damage, the four of us finished in 2. I was back on the road after talking to the guy's for about an hour, they lived in the labor camp about a mile away with their families. They were a Godsend, I offered them money which they did not take, one must be careful when offering to pay in that situation. A good intention may easily be taken as an insult if not offered correctly, the Mexican people are very proud and many times the reward is helping someone in distress, these guy's were those type of people.

We call it paying forward, upon leaving they told me to pay them back by helping someone else, in the middle of nowhere that is the basic rule of humanity. It wouldn't be long until my turn to help someone did, in fact, present itself, I was 1 hour from home when I saw the truck broken down at the end of an exit, again in the middle of nowhere. Interstate 5 is a lonely, long stretch of road, sure there are plenty of traffic and gas stations, but between rest areas, gas stations, and turnoffs it's like watching a river flow past. The broken down truck was loaded with equipment, I imagined it was being driven by a guy like myself driving home from a worksite back to the San Francisco area. As I approached the truck the "stuff" it was carrying looked really familiar, I saw my toolbox, and other equipment unique to the crew I worked on, it was our driver. She is a wonderful person and a hard worker, I was happy in that deserted spot I was the one to pull up, I-5 is also a dangerous road, especially for a lady stranded. Whatever was wrong with the truck I don't recall, it did not take long to repair, she had all of the tools in her truck, and I had the skill. Sherrie had passed the intersection I was broken down at just before I did, so she missed me, I followed her back to the shop and all ended up well.

Dust storms on I-5 are common and dangerous. 

I kept a kit in my vehicle at all times, a full set of tools primarily because I drove junk and had to make plenty of roadside repairs. I would joke with people that I have broken down on every road in California, and it isn't far from the truth. I keep a case of water, an ice chest with a sandwich or two, flashlights, and blankets, I have had to spend the night on the side of roads as well. We didn't call them emergency kits in those days, it was just the supplies we needed in case something were to happen.

A part of being prepared is realizing what conditions we may run up against in a remote place, I have been stranded by dust storms and high winds on I-5, stopping traffic for hours. I was on 198 on 9/11, in front of the Navy base in Lemoore, I was stopped and searched, and I helped a sheepherder on highway 41 at Kettleman hills round up his sheep blocking the road after his truck flipped over. He was Portuguese, I definitely did not understand him, nor did he know what I was saying, but we did a lot of laughing. The potential for long delays is increased the more remote we go, or so it seems to me.

The trick is to expect a disaster to happen and set up the vehicle for it with water, food, flashlights, and whatever tools you may think might be needed. When driving through the desert, (I've done plenty of that too), have lots of water, enough for you and someone you may have to give a ride to if they are stranded. Prepare for the flat tire, if your car is new check to be sure it came with a spare tire, one of our daughters currently bought a new Volvo, it did not come with one. A set of jumper cables, a cell phone charger, and basic tools may be items to include in a trunk kit. A tarp or other means to make shade to stay out of the heat, or a ceramic pot and a candle as a heater for warmth may be in order.

We don't know where we could become stranded while traveling so it is best to keep a few supplies at least in your trunk at all times, I actually think we all prepare for travel more than we realize. Our commutes to work may take longer than usual when faced with an unexpected event, rain normally is the culprit. I was on a job 1/2 hour from home in the rain, it had been raining for days and we were in it all day every day. One day in particular at quitting time the sky opened up, the entire town was flooded, the freeways were rivers and the side roads were impassable. I spent 3 hours driving home, soaking wet, I was happy I had a change of clothes, water, and a sandwich in my Suburban.

The flash floods can get us also.

I will never forget the guy's that helped me in Huron, I stopped at the labor camp but they were gone, most likely moved along to another Ranch. It would have been tough to prepare for the incident I had in that desolate spot and the rarity of the mechanical failure I was faced with. I did have my tools, and other gear with me, indicating being prepared for most events, my rule of thumb is if a person can take care of 80% of what may happen we're doing pretty good. My goal is always to be prepared enough to take care of the needs of my family, and be a responder versus a victim when the chips are down. That to me is the goal of being self-reliant, self-aware, and being personally responsible for my actions. I view those as the trinity of being prepared.

Thanks for reading and sharing this blog, have you given thought to how much "stuff" should be in your car in case of a car failure, natural event or another delay in your journeys? Give it some thought before leaving on a road trip, determine what weather, wildfires, blizzards, or dust storms that may put a dampener on your plans; it generally pays off. Thanks again for reading and sharing.

jacquesandkate  EmergencyKitsPlus.com

The wildfires are being controlled some have been extinguished we're still smoked in where is it coming from?

It was carried in the Jet Stream.

The sky was clear blue on Friday, August 16, 2018, I fixed my coffee and went out to sit on the riverside porch. The Diablo Range was easily within site for a change, no longer obscured (completely) by the haze, fog, and smoke that combines to create a sight barrier. It was a nice relief after longer than a month of breathing the smoke, I spent a week inside the house ill, the smoke makes it difficult for me to breathe, born and raised in the North I never have gotten used to the Western climate. At 10:30 am the situation changed, the haze moved in like a foggy shroud covering the valley, my visibility was reduced to 3 miles, and began coughing almost immediately. There wasn't a change in the wind or any other weather feature, the smoke just moved back in, where did it come from? Let's take a look.

Wildfires in the Western United States, here is a Link for a better view.

The Mendocino and Carr fires joined together to form the largest wildfire in California history, Northeast of Ukiah it burned 335,647 acres, it is now 100% contained. Last week it was the source of smoke infiltrating our area as the fire was contained the smoke reduced with the containment and was hardly noticeable Friday morning. These fires are not the source this weekend.

The Ferguson fire that was burning near Yosemite is 100% contained and is no longer under the scope of Cal Fire, it burned 96,901 acres. At its peak 3,000, firefighting personnel were engaged in extinguishing the infernal. Two deaths, 19 injuries, and 10 structures have been total losses. The fire is out, and the park has been re-opened to visitors. This fire is no longer the source of the smoke engulfing us, it was until yesterday.

The Holy fire in Orange County California has destroyed 22,887 acres and is 92% contained. 18 homes were lost, 12 in Orange County and 6 in Riverside County. All trails, campgrounds, and recreational areas remain closed as well. The Long Canyon Road loop will remain closed. The Holy fire never was a source of smoke affecting the Bay Area, it is way too far South, I am sure the residents of many areas of Southern California were affected, however. This fire was started by an arson who is in jail and in the legal process.

There are as of today 159 wildfires burning in the Western United States, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, and Alaska. Fifteen are burning in Alaska alone, there are too many to count in Idaho, and Washington states.

Montana West of Glacier National Park has burned 3500 acres, started by a lightning strike there is 78 firefighting personnel on the scene protecting people and structures. The Paola Ridge and Coal Ridge fires are burning close by and are being managed by the same firefighting crew. Glacier National Park remains open.

South Dakota's Vineyard fire was blessed with a heavy rainfall taking the worry out of the fire growing out of control, rain cannot completely extinguish a wildfire when trees are involved. Putting out the flaming trees and above ground vegetation, the roots of trees will smolder for days and in some cases much longer. It burned 560 acres, fully contained and the cause is being investigated.

Oregon's Taylor Creek and Klondike Fires were ignited by lightning July 15, 2018. As of this morning Aug. 19, 2018, the Taylor Creek fire has burned 52,588 acres and the fire is 61 percent contained by the 579 firefighters on the scene. The Klondike fire has destroyed 68,241 acres and is 15 percent contained as of this morning, 845 personnel are fighting it. The smoke is heavy, being pushed to the Southwest towards the Ocean.

All wildfire smoke ends up on the ground.

Wildfires are starting and being contained in a continuing battle, not only are the crews fighting existing infernals that are increasingly growing larger every day but they are attempting to catch small fires before they spread. 110 of the large fires have burned nearly 2 million acres, including all of the states. Eight of the big ones have been contained including the Ferguson, and Mendocino complex fires. A high-pressure area is hanging over the  West coast bringing light winds, and high temperatures to the region, it is also responsible for one other aspect of the fires and the theme of this blog, smoke.

The high-pressure area rotates in a clockwise direction, spanning several states picking up the smoke from the fires along with it. Lifting the smoke high into the sky it is carried out over the Pacific Ocean, still airborne it has not settled on the ground. When over the Ocean the Jet Stream picks it up and carries it back across the Western States. This is the source of the smoke that moved into the Bay Area last Friday and has decided to stay for a while. All smoke ends up on the ground, most of the gases are dissipated but the particulates still make up a substantial portion of it. Although diluted with air due to its journey through our near ground atmosphere it is little relief to those suffering from asthma and other pulmonary illnesses. I pay attention to the High-Pressure area when it forms off of the coast, especially when it hangs out over the Golden Gate, it means a weather change. It depends if one likes the heat or not because that is what it brings, no wind, high heat, drying conditions, and making the West ripe for wildfires during the summer. When it is dominant during the winter it generally means a dry spell with no rain, either way, summer or winter the High-Pressure zone spells trouble. This summer trouble is spelled "s-m-o-k-e", preceded by devastating wildfires. 

Both of my sisters, one in Duluth and the other south of Minneapolis, have told me they are affected by the smoke also. The Jet Stream carries all of the smoke throughout the entire country, as the heading above says it has spread all of the ways to New York state. Opposite of our problem they are experiencing abnormal rain, my brother in law in upstate New York told me tonight they are not suffering from the smoke but oh man the rain, it is to be contended with as are our fires. My friend is in Missouri for at least one week, he too filed a complaint about the rain, the humidity actually, I told both of them we could use all the rain they can spare. There is a touch of "luck" I suppose if you don't live in the smoke, the same can be said for the floods, its a matter of picking one's poison.

Duluth, we all pick our own poison I suppose.

I read part of an article online with a headline of "When will people start to leave California due to the Wildfires?" I remember when I was young in Minnesota my dad talked about the California wildfires and mudslides. His comment was that the fires take place every summer (this was the 1960's) burning down many homes, the people rebuild and a few years later it happens again, they keep burning and rebuilding. It's the same with mudslides he would say, later the same year when the Minnesota river flooded he had this to say. "The people on the river bottoms get flooded out every year, and every year they return, muck out their houses, clean out the corrals, and repair their homes, they then replant their strawberries, when will they ever learn?"

The same traits are exhibited everywhere, Oklahoma with the devastating Tornadoes they endure, Hurricanes in Florida, flooding on the Red River of the North, and Volcanos in Hawaii. It must be human nature, I am ready to leave personally, I can no longer breathe here during the summer. Therein lies part of the problem, where would a person relocate to? There are wildfires everywhere in the west, and smoke everywhere else, until one reaches the downpours and flooding, we can't win for the losing.

Thanks for reading and sharing my blog, I have not touched on what can be done to ease the strain of breathing smoke, I wrote a blog on that a few days ago, you can use this Link to read it. Thanks again for reading, leave a comment, I'd like to hear where you are and if the smoke is in your life or if you're dealing with something entirely different.

jacquesandkate  EmergencyKitsPlus.com 

Tomatoes squash peppers and cukes my garden is a mixed success, how is yours doing.

Gardening is in many ways a roll of the dice, some seeds sprout, some don't. It's the same with plants whether bought from a nursery or propagated at home. Such is the case with my garden this year, some successes, some not so successful: I've had plenty this year. In this blog, I share the lowlights and highlights of my container garden.

I spend a lot of time searching the garden for the dreaded "Horn Worm", I've removed 5 this year so far. We're on a shared well, 17 homeowners share 4 water wells, we pay one bill a year $250.00 which means it is run on a small budget. Part of the water commune is the maintenance of a governing body, yes and all of the politics that come with it. They are the rule makers, and they run it well. One of the rules is watering hours, not watering between 9 am and 7 pm is one, it doesn't matter to me when I water. Normally before 9 am is my time to do just that, early risers enjoy the morning in a garden. Drinking coffee while running the hose I search for the "Tomato Worm", I have no secret to finding them, in fact, I am not very good at it at all, my friend Mike has found many of them.

I have in two containers nine tomato plants, two Roma's, one Beefsteak, two Russian heirlooms, and four Heinze heirlooms; the Heinze was started in the kitchens "magic window". My wife starts them in the South facing window over the kitchen sink, she is very good at it, as she is growing Orchards. She is not as successful tending an outside garden, so that is my duty.

The Roma's struggled this year, not with bearing fruit, we have gotten an enormous amount of tomatoes already up to now August 18, 2018. Starting off with a bang they almost immediately put on fruit, a lot of it, so much that I was tempted to pluck all of them off to allow the plants to grow into a healthy bush. In hindsight, I should have done just that, we made two big pots of sauce before trouble set in. Looking weak and unwatered I removed two Hornworms from them, I suspected the worms were injecting some sort of venom into the plants. I had never heard of it happening, or even if Tomato worms could inject anything into them while munching on the vines. I belong to a gardening forum so I posted the question if they were capable of it. A seemingly knowledgeable person answered that no they do not have the ability to poison the plants; leading me to believe I had more than one problem. It ends up I did and the other problem I was facing is me if it looks weak water it is my motto. Actually, I had been water too much and blight set in, I should have known that but its one of those things I have to learn over and over. I stopped watering them two weeks ago, one week ago I started watering again every 3rd day which is my normal summer watering schedule. One week later, after two days of watering the Roma's are making a comeback, once again loaded with fruit, it may be cured.  My Beefsteak is right next to it.

Tomato Worm. Enough said. 

My Beefsteak plant is healthy and big, dominating the box it is an impressive plant not exhibiting any of the weakness displayed by its neighbor the two Roma's. The Beefsteak was planted under the objection of my wife, she thought we would be better served by another Russian heirloom instead, we decided to plant one. During the past two months, we have harvested a total of 5 of what is suppose to be my "One slice covers a piece of bread" tomato. Having great flavor, good size, and a healthy appearance I'm afraid that plant fell on its face in production. This morning it was loaded with green tomatoes, I noticed them all while hunting for the Green Worm, the fruit is taking forever to ripen. Displaying no brown spots, splitting, or other discoloration normally a by-product of overwatering, this is a healthy plant; it's merely an underperformer. Unlike the Russian heirlooms next to it.

Russian Heirlooms are an odd fruit, the only way I know if they are ripe is feeling them to determine how "soft" they are. When ripe they are a weird green, black, and red, about 2 inches in diameter. They are however the best-tasting tomatoes I have had in my memory, and they are great producers, I pick at least 6 every day.  These plants are looking good and healthy as well, they challenge the Beefsteak for dominance in the height and width competition. The plants are healthy also, no blight, brown spots, or split fruit, they are real workhorses in the garden. The jury is still out on the Heinze in the far box.

Four Heinze are sharing the space with two bell peppers, good looking plants all four of them, bearing a lot of fruit, zero have turned red. Something is happening in that raised bed, it is taking them forever to ripen, remaining a beautiful dark green. Two Hornworms have been removed from them, I would like to blame the lack of ripening to something, but the worms won't do. It's not overwatering, too much fertilizer, or not enough; I use worm castings only in tea and mixed in the soil. It's been hovering around 100 degrees F.
(38 C.), then dipping to 58-62 degrees F during the day, (15.5 C = 60 F) that is a 40-degree differential, it seems extreme to me. It appears that the temperature is just not stable enough or high enough to benefit the fruit, another cause I have dreamt up, but it's not the same with its box mate, Green Bell Peppers.

The Green Bell Peppers are not bolstering my confidence in gardening abilities, I have had a garden for the past 25 years at least, but maybe I have been doing it wrong all along and this year's failure with Bell Peppers is the litmus. I have at least two problems with them, I planted four and ended up with 1-1/2. Yes one and a half plants, how can that be you may be wondering, in a word, Possums, one to be exact. Eating the roots by digging a deep hole, one hole at each plant then munching away at what must be a delicacy to them. The growth on one plant is stunted to 1/2 the size of the other, but that one is not very successful either, it is stunted, but alas life finds a way. One Bell Pepper is on the vine, one, I build these little wire fences around them for protection but the sharp-toothed beast digs under them. Never give up I say, so I turn my back, look for a few more worms and turn my attention to the Cucumbers.

Cucumbers love the sunshine.

My Cucumbers are doing mediocre, wonderfully blossoming vines, I planted two of them and train them on a trellis, they now span 8 feet. It's an impressive plant, I have rarely had as much growth from two cucumber plants, many flowers, pollinators are working them and no sign of suffering from too much or too little water. This huge impressive plant is yielding an average of 3 cukes a week, I am disappointed in these plants as well, we live on cucumber/tomato salad all summer long. Not so this summer, we are either out of tomatoes or out of cukes, I should start a conversation with the plants I understand that may help. It would be nice if they were performing as well as one other nightshade.

The jalapenos are going nuts this year, I have harvested hundreds so far and there are more on the plants. Five of them were planted, I bought plants at a big box nursery against my original plans. I haven't had problems with big box plants when bought early in the year, later on, the plants are weak looking making me think twice before that purchase. But these worked out great, I planted them and within a month they were loaded with the peppers. I make my own chili seasoning, that is until my wife started making "poppers", my powder takes a backseat. I use it as a deterrent to the above-mentioned Possums, and other little furry creatures, it works wonders and it doesn't hurt the freeloaders. Now I have plenty of Jalapenos for both, and I am a happy camping in the field of these guy's. Next to them is a spreading bonanza, it may be that end of the garden.

My Acorn Squash has redefined what a squash vine looks like, this thing is huge and has countless squash on it with many flowers clinging on. I planted them in my onion box that never did really well, I got some onions but not the huge amount I was expecting. We had roasted some for dinner one night, I brought the seeds out to the garden and planted them in a trough down the middle of the 6-foot box. I had no idea every seed would sprout as they did, followed by an explosive growth I now have a 4 foot high 8-foot diameter plant. It's good we eat a lot of squash. I planted other squash as well.

My Honey Nut squash seeds were given to me by a friend, I have never eaten one but from what he says they are very tasty. Those vines are doing fine, but they also have a challenge in their box. I originally planned for the Honey Nut to occupy the entire box however low and behold up pops a volunteer Pumpkin. The rogue plant went wild as the Acorn Squash has, four pumpkins immediately started growing, I thought they were the Honey variety. Boy was I wrong, but these Pumpkins appear to be different from those I have grown in the past, these may be suitable for eating. I have talked my wife into cooking one later this week, these are about the size of those shot out of a Pumpkin cannon if you've watched the "Pumpkin Chuckin" on television you know what I mean. Ten inches in diameter, the strange thing is the four of them look identical, it may just be a Pumpkin Pie plant. Soon I will find out.

My wife and I usually eat a lot of garden vegetables during the summer, the squash normally lasts well into the winter, and I grow Potatoes all year round. I have questionable success with the tubers during the summer, I have planted spuds for the fall already and they should do well, being ready around Thanksgiving. I like the Jalapenos in late Autumn, they are Red and Green from Thanksgiving until Christmas, it's fun.

Christmas colors.

My fruit trees did nothing this year, no Cherries, no Peaches, and the Red Squirrels got all of the apples. I have another Peachtree growing, starting from a seed 1-1/2 year ago it is now transplanted to the ground and is about four feet high and full of leaves. It's actually two seeds that sprouted together, I thought maybe one would make it, well they both did. I twisted them together so when it gets full grown it will have a unique trunk, I am hoping.

Gardening is great, there is something about planting a seed and watching it grow into this big plant that produces food, all of those vegetables created by just one small seed, it truly is a miracle. Thanks for reading and sharing my blog, leave a comment or suggestion, just say Hi! Thanks again.

jacquesandkate  EmergencyKitsPlus.com

Don't mess with the raccoons, but what about Otters and Fox, how dangerous are these animals?

They know, they know. 

Last year one of my blog's subject was the diet of Urban Coyotes, it was enlightening to me mostly because I halfway believed the suspicions they hunted Domestic Pets, Cats and Dogs mostly. I discovered my initial ideas when I wrote that article was, in fact, incorrect, which lead me to another question. " How much of an impact on domestic animals do Raccoons, Fox, and Bobcats have on domestic pets?" The answer may be zero or it could be a tremendous amount, let's take a look at it.

My number rule of life is "Don't mess with the Raccoons." I have expanded that to include all of life, due to the fact they are everywhere, living in close proximity to us whether we live in the country or the city. When I was young my family was spending time in the North Woods of Minnesota, tent camping, we did that a lot, it was fun. I forget now where we were, my brothers and I caught a lot of Walleyes from our canoe and would lead people to where the fish were. We were happy to share our spot with anyone, we thought there was an endless supply of fish. One day we came back to camp to find my Mom feeding popcorn to two small furry cute engaging baby Raccoons, we heard Dad telling Mom, "Don't feed them, you will be sorry." Not only would she be sorry, all of us would be, but thankful for learning a life lesson about "Messin with the Racoons." Those two furry little ones turned into six small ones, then twelve larger ones showed up with them, pretty soon we were surrounded by large Raccoons, moving steadily forward. They all came to dinner, while my family retreated to the truck, rolled up the windows and enjoyed the show, we watched them tear the camp apart looking for food. We had a dog, he was in the truck with us, right where he belonged. Raccoons pick their battles carefully, most of the time running from larger opponents, dogs chase them, they never learn, most of the time the bandits run away. They do attack dogs, and cats, when cornered they are fearless and will fight to the death for their lives, but only under extreme stressful danger.

A number of years ago a neighbor told me about two large dogs that were chasing two Raccoons on the levee, they chased them into the water, the Raccoons backed into the slough. The dogs did not hesitate to continue charging them, the Raccoons grabbed onto the dog's necks with their front paws, holding their heads close to the dog's neck so as not to be bitten. They started kicking the dogs with their razor sharp rear claws, slicing the dogs stomachs to the point of an immense loss of blood, the stomach of each dog was exposed. Both of the dogs were found the next morning dead on the slope of the waterside levee, they were big tough country dogs, it's a lesson a dog learns once. The Raccoons can easily kill cats, and dogs, it is fairly rare for them to kill a very large dog, but they do accomplish that as well.

Raccoons will also attack humans, they are defiant, most people that encounter them will most likely agree with me, they stand their ground. I saw one up against a gate right at dusk, my neighbor was with me, it was his gate. He (Bob) pointed and I looked, this raccoon was on its hind legs with the front paws on the top of the four-foot gate, easily looking over the top between his paws. "Look at the size of that one," Bob said pointing. I met the same Raccoon one other time, he was getting ready to stir up my garbage cans, I attempted to haze him, he had a different idea. The big Raccoon turned to me and squared off, his eyes were very intense like daggers that could see my soul. That guy was not about to give me any ground at all. Do you want some of this? He seemed to be saying with his eyes, my eyes were replying, "Not me, Not me, wait here I'll go get someone to take you on." (Link to information on how to deal with them) They are tough, vicious animals, they can and will kill or injure pets and humans, however, they do not have a taste for either, we all are a bit too large, and not to there liking for a tasty dinner. In the event you are ever attacked and bitten by a Raccoon it's nothing to mess around with, they can carry numerous deadly diseases, one of which is rabies. If a Raccoon attacks you there is a very good possibility it has rabies, seek medical help immediately if you suffer a bite; assume it had rabies. The story I related to you is the only time I have heard of Raccoons attacking and killing large dogs, all of the requirements for a battle with a Raccoon were present. They were being pursued, they backed into the water for defense, and they felt cornered with no way out, a Raccoon will attack under those circumstances, and they did. No, they do not kill pets to eat them, they only fight in self-defense, preferring to run fast, far, and long before risking their lives.

Foxes, the original introverts. 

What about the Fox, how do they affect our domesticated pets? There are a lot of people that have concerns about Foxes, the three most common are:

1) Does a Fox pose a threat to my pets?

2) Are they a threat to my small children?

3) Do they carry dangerous diseases?

These questions are the reasons most people want the Fox removed after sighting them around their property. Generally, a Fox is not a threat to humans or some pets, but when cornered they will become very aggressive, people have a tendency to catch them with their bare hands. I have some experience with catching a Fox with bare hands, it happened when I was around 10 years old.

A neighborhood chum and I spotted a small Fox, I don't know if it was a Red Fox or a Kit Fox, I was too young to know the difference, we cornered the poor little animal, picked him up and put a leash and collar on him, we then took him to my friends house and tied him up. The small Fox was tethered to a tree with a rope and restricted to a space on his driveway, later in the day we started feeling sorry for him and decided to let him go. Somehow the decision was made that I was going to remove the collar, after all, it was fairly uneventful putting it on the little animal. My first mistake was backing him into a corner to make it easier to grab him, my second was grabbing him. That Fox tore me up, it was like an extremely mad cat, he wrapped all four of his limbs around my arm and began to chew, scratch, and bite me every spot he could reach. On my arm as he was it became harder and harder to get him off, my friend was no help standing with his mouth open watching as I was being mangled. Finally, somehow I worked the critter off and ran away from it until he could go no further due to the rope holding him back, I was scratched up pretty bad, not much blood though and no stitches were needed. His dad came home from work, he was totally bewildered, "what in the Sam Hill are you guy's up to?" he said, We told him we caught a Fox and intended to make him a pet but our plan kind of went haywire when we found out how terribly mean he was. I don't recall the entire exchange but his dad got some gloves and released the poor suffering animal, as he ran away he never even looked back. I don't know why we thought we could handle the animal as we wished but I suppose it had to do with being so young and inexperienced.

(Link to What to do about Foxes, by the humane society)

Yes, a Fox will attack a human, but only if it is rabid, or forced into a corner with no way out other than directly towards us. They stay away from humans as much as possible, they do not see us as "prey", in fact, they don't see us as anything other as something to be avoided. They co-exist with domestic and feral cats, both are nocturnal and cross each other's paths continuously all night long. Foxes do not see cats as prey, they are accepted and tolerated. It's safe to say that the threat of a Fox harming us or one of our pets is too remote to even be mentioned as a problem, as long as we don't attempt to pick them up, corner them, or otherwise abuse them they are not a threat.

A neighbor had a box of apples on her porch, one day upon awakening she noticed an apple core laying in the corner; it appeared as if a human had eaten it. She could not imagine what was going on. The next morning the same thing, and the next, and the next. On the fifth day, she arose a bit early and went directly to the window to look for the apple core. Sitting in a corner was a Red Fox munching away on an apple, happy as a clam.

Otters are large animals.

I've never thought of Otters as a threat to pets or humans, I've seen plenty of them in rivers, lakes, and ponds as well as some California Sea Otters. The individuals in our slough come in two different sizes, we have River Otters and Large full-size Otters.

March 8, 2018, a husband and wife were kayaking along with 8 other people on the Branden River. Thinking the Otter swimming and playing around their boats was "cute" until the cuddly animal leaped into the Kayak and began chewing, scratching, and biting the lady. This incident happened just days after a similar attack occurred in the same area. She suffered lacerations and bites needing stitches and treatment for possible rabies. This being just the most recent attack by an Otter towards a human.  Once again if any wild animal attacks, we must assume they are infected with rabies and receive the treatment.

Humans are not on their menu however, the five foot long 30 pound animals seem much larger than they are, they appear much heavier. They are carnivores with their diet consist mainly of fish, crayfish, frogs, and other amphibians. Once in a while, they will attack and make a meal out of a small alligator, it takes many hours for the Otter to wear down the reptile, but it does happen. They are extremely territorial and will attack humans and animals when they feel they are being threatened, but other than that they avoid us and our pets. When encountering an Otter, they appear to be cuddly, soft, and cute, and they very well may be, however approaching one is not advisable at all. If you do approach one don't expect an uneventful encounter, it will be an introduction to a set of sharp teeth, and bone-crushing molars, it is wise to keep our distance.

I caught one once while fishing, I caught a small fish and while reeling it in I felt a very hard tug on my fishing pole, I continued to reel in. I brought the line in until I was able to make out what was on the end, the Otter and I saw one another at exactly the same time, he was about 10 feet from shore. That's when he decided I was the cause of all of his problems and he decided to rectify the situation, he came at me as fast as he could. When I realized what was happening I tossed my fishing pole at him, now about five feet away, I turned and ran to my pickup truck, the animal did not chase me, my pole was in the water when I returned and the Otter had broken the line. He didn't seem to be any worse for the wear, he was extremely aggressive and I can't say as if I blame him, I'd most likely be the same if I were in his shoes. Otters will not eat us, at least they won't attack, kill, and eat us, I'm sure more than one could cause a humans demise, but there has never been a case of a human becoming a meal for one. They don't eat or attack our pets either, I would imagine like the Raccoon's that killed the two dogs at the beginning of this blog they could injure even large dogs when cornered, but cats, no. Cats cross the paths of the large River Otters all night long, much the same as their encounters with the Fox, there is an attitude of living and let live.

Of the three, Raccoons, Fox, and Otters, it is clear to me the biggest threat of them is the Otter, they will go after a human solely due to the human crossing a territorial boundary that we have no idea exists. I'm not sure how to avoid an attack as the lady in the kayak experienced after all the aquatic animal was freely swimming and the group of people certainly did not molest or harass it in any way they knew of. The Otter did become aggressive and went after the lady, she used the only defensive weapon she had, which was a kayak paddle. That animal most likely was rabid. Otter attacks are fairly common, we must exercise extreme caution when encountering one, simply giving them space may not be enough. Keep a watchful eye on them when they are encountered, do not turn your back on them and do not approach them. There are two that live in our slough, I see them from time to time, in fact just three days ago was one encounter. They are an obnoxious animal, searching boats, docks, and patios for bits of food, if none is found they will leave a calling card, normally in the center of a chair seat.

Dogs love Otter scat, I have never been able to figure out why they have an undeniable need to roll in it, every dog I have had has done it, I've seen other dogs roll in the scat as well. It is not a pleasant odor, it must be perfume to a dog, to me it stinks.

The one in the middle rolled in Otter scat, the others fell in love
at first sniff.

Thank you for reading and sharing my blog, as it ends up the fox, Otters, and Racoons do not make meals of our pets, actively avoiding them at all costs, if you are plagued with those animals a large dog may keep them away. Thanks again for reading, leave a comment about your encounters with these or any other wild animal, I'd like to hear about it. I posted this blog this past April 2018. I updated it.

jacquesandkate  EmergencyKitsPlus.com