Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road

Stinkin’ to high heaven! (Louden Wainwright III)



For a residential area, I'm surprised at how much wildlife we see. (Not the human, champagne-poppin’, livin’ it up kind of wild life), but the “Aw, isn’t that cute!” kind. More rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs and skunks than I’ve seen even on my in-laws farm. I looked out my door one evening when the motion detector turned the light on in my carport to see a skunk there checking things out. I was going to open the inside door, leaving the outside door as a barrier between us just to get a better look, when I realized he wasn’t alone. He had a date! I decided not to interrupt.


Well, I’m not sure if it’s mating season now for them or not, but if it is, they’ve been lookin’ for love in all the wrong places. The middle of a well-traveled highway isn’t it. My son and I passed 3 of the deceased just on our travels to work. I see the little remains on the side of the road and think “Someone lost their poor loved pet kitty-cat” until I get close and that telltale odor tells you “Uh-uh – not a kitty-cat”.

I'm sure skunks have their place in the food chain and are beneficial in their own way, Needless to say, I’m all for people slowing down on the highways and giving nature a fair chance.

Strange post today, I know. I’m in a loopy mood, I think.

We’re in for some more snow on the weekend again. If it must snow, I wish they’d get the timing right. I want a snowstorm that keeps me out of work! We got about an inch of light fluffy snow last night – just enough to make the drive to work sort of Christmas-y, with an occasional scent of eau-du-skunk instead of bayberry and gingerbread. It's gone already...

Speaking of gingerbread, I had to trash a lot of my Christmas cookies this year – no one ate them. I figured the afore-mentioned wildlife would enjoy them, even though my family did not. I should have known not to bake the store-bought slice and bake kind of cookies. My internet friend Tina is always baking and her creations look wonderful. Check out Beansieleigh’s blog. My oven sees dessert action once in a while at Christmas time, and I buy birthday cakes {GASP}! Shame on me. I’ve never been much of a baker though.

Well, I think I’ll make plans to do my grocery shopping on Thursday. Saturday the stores will be crowded with people looking for bread, milk and eggs. Why does everyone want to make French toast when it snows?????