Year of the Wildlife

Never before has our backyard been such a hub for all things wild! First came the carpenter bees, attracted to our wooden swingset. Completely unwelcome guests. What felt like hundreds (and maybe there were) came surrounding the set, drilling into the wood and dive bombing anyone who came close. A ton of bug spray and some surprisingly fun take-downs with a tennis racket seems to have dispatched all but a couple of diehards.

Then came the woodpecker, creating some pretty substantial damage in said swingset in its desperate attempts to get at the carpenter bee eggs. Still attempting to figure out a good way to dispatch the woodpecker (short of death, which I have since discovered that it is illegal to kill a woodpecker--but after seeing what the blasted bird has done to the swingset, I like to think of that as more of a "guideline").

Then came the baby rabbit. Cute, but decided our garden was its own personal salad bar. After chasing the rabbit out of the yard (on a Sunday night in our pajamas, no less!) and patching a few areas in the fence, the rabbit appears to have found a new location outside our yard.

Today, as John was mowing the lawn, he discovered our first welcome guest in the yard:  a box turtle. Teddy the Turtle was relocated to a wet patch of the yard (what has been deemed as his own personal swamp), but is scared to death of two very over-zealous boys fascinated by the turtle. Poor Teddy may end up getting relocated to the front flower beds where he can either make his home or have a chance at some freedom.

 Owen with Teddy. Poor Teddy is fearfully encased in his shell, not sure what to think about this little boy's loving and curiosity!

Teddy in the VERY wet patch of our yard, which now may need to be renamed "Teddy's Swamp"

Speaking of all things wild...Brennan has finally learned how to pump his legs on the swings! It was a long time coming, but he is so proud of this accomplishment--and we are too!