I have never planted corn as I don't dare what with all the many racoons I have here. Every night there is a steam of them visiting. I have three "ponds" one 350 gallon that they leave alone and two 35 gallon that they play in. For the birds two birdbaths but they prefer the shallow pot saucer I put out for them. I see Catbirds splashing in them everyday and lots of birds go drink. So I think the trick is to keep them occopied with something they would rather have.

I keep water out for all the little creatures in various size bowls, saucers and I saw a new one the other day. We have a very limited amount of brown Thrashers so I usually notice them when they appear. I saw one land on the wheel barrow and watched. He looked around, up and down and in and then hopped into it. It had about 3" of water from the sprinkler and he was taking a bath in it. He splashed and shook and splashed some more for a while. After seeing him, I noticed a blue Jay and a Robin go in for a swim.

I get a whole lot of enjoyment out of our wild friends. I feel blessed by their presence.

We'll probably plant more next year. Atleast one of them got a treat!!

Rita's garden is awesome. WE only planted 7 tomatos and so far 3 have really flourished. I think we need to plant more so the birds can have some and leave a few for us!!!

Thank you Mona. I tend to go overboard on things I do. Have too many daylilies but I love them. So Of course I have to plant lots of tomatoes! But I really enloy having the birds and butterflies around here too. I can't imagine a garden without my feathered friends.

Rita, go overboard?

I filled my dogs kiddie pool the other day, and the next morning it was almost empty. I wonder if a herd of deer wandered up to my patio.

So I refilled it, and it was still full this morning. At least I know it isn't leaking

Read my posting today in July In Ritas Garden to see exactly how much I have gone overboard. There is no hope for me,

Jan, our dog Bailey told us that she was headed to your house since she found out that you filled the kiddie pool. She's the one who emptied it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

I think I've mentioned this one before, but we got pictures today. We feed our cats outside the front door(their choice not ours). We've lost 2 food bowls the last week and I told David I bet the racoons were getting the bowls. They stay around a big Oak by the front door, so I told David to look in the ivy under the tree for the bowls. Sure enough, that were they were, right at the base of the tree.

David called me to come see, and it appears that one of the half grown babies was watching him hunt the bowls. We have seen two this size and the mom is huge!!! We only found one today, but I'd bet the others were watching from one of the 100 or so other trees in our yard.

He's about 30 feet up in the tree.

We got his attention.

His poise after he got tired.

How cute. We have them hear but in all my life I have never seen one.

Adorable!

I think they are so cute but my husband hates them.

Yes, they are cute, but can be very destructive, especially when they steal most of the corn you are growing in your garden. Voice of experience here.

I would never DARE grow corn here. I have racoons here every night. You can hear them trilling and often squabbling. They like to play in the ponds. Often after dark all I need do is look out my kitchen door to see them.

I know from experience that they are destructive, that's why my husband hates them. They always tear down our birdfeeders.

Oh yes, they are the most destructive critters here, well except for the moles and voles.
We can't grow enough corn to feed them and us. They take it all. Hubby cages up the
sweet corn which does not grow so tall, and I do mean cage. Sides and top with the
bottom secured into the soil. It is the only way we can have any. They also climb
onto the house, up to the deck. I have no idea what they expect to find. No food
there.

The cute little devils ate all of our corn in one night, ALL OF IT!!! We were going to give most of it to the birds anyway, but darn, I would love to have had one good mess.

We didn't get upset about the corn. It was one of those --- Oh well--- moments. But if they ever start eating daylilies blooms, buds or pods, you will all see me on NBC nightly news. I'll be the one wearing a coon skin & tail hat doing a war dance in my back yard!

Well, I want my veggies, so I feel the same way about the veggie
garden as I do about my daylilies. The raccoons can go elsewhere
to feast, cause I don't want to share with something that takes all
and leaves me nothing.

I have to agree!

Mona, that was so funny!! We've got them here too, and they are huge. Scary huge. I wouldn't want to mess with them. They try to get into my neighbors chicken coop almost every night. Another friends cat was killed by them, so they aren't welcome in my yard. I used to keep bird feeders out, but they would come every night and eat all the seed, and then smash the flowers. So, I took down the feeders, and sat outside at night. When I saw them, I'd run and turn on the sprinkler, and it finally got rid of them.

I've also had terrible problems with quail. I adore them, but they love to use my flower beds as their bathtub. I've lost count of the number of plants I've had to replace because of them. When I planted my daylily seedlings last year, I had to put up a fence with bird netting around them, just to keep them safe! I feel it's my fault that we have so many quail here, but I'll save that story for another day.

The great news is that my invasive neighbor left for vacation yesterday, and will be gone a week!! I can enjoy my backyard in peace!!

We have 2 blue heelers and they love to get teh coons.... One time we heard a big squirmish and to my horror the next day, I went out to my hosta garden and there lay a mam racoon, dead (which was fine by me) but the destruction that they reeked on my garden was devistating.... tags everywhere, leaves and stems all over the place. Not a hosta was left standing -- although 4 weeks later new little leaves emerged!!