OPINION? Everybody Has One!!

— The rats ran like, well, like rats, yesterday as I brush hogged two small traps close to the barn. Old Dog had his work cut out for him as he scampered around trying to catch one of the little fat furry varmints. I guess the feed being close and water trough available makes the vermin happy and they move in.

Not only do we have rats living around the feed rooms but the raccoons are real plentiful. A possum or two sure like the neighborhood and I have removed several from the bins of feed. The thing I hate worse than all the spore mess is the torn up feed sacks. They always start on the bottom sacks, tear the ends out and let the feed spill all over the floor.That may be a plan for them but it is a terrible aggravation for me!

Leaving out poison for rats is not a good idea around the feed room because old Dog and some of the barn cats are interested in anything edible. My close relative is also afraid some of the Grands might eat or touch it and then put their fingers in their mouths. Can’t let that happen so we resolve to trap and snap the vicious bunch.

What is meant by snap, you ask. Simple, you snap your fingers, point and holler for Dog! That isn’t a scientific maneuver but it works part of the time. I have also been known to whack a few thieves with a club but you gotta be fast to accomplish that.

My close relative is fussing about the mice in the well house. She said they are thick in there; she can smell them! Dang it, why do I have to do all the work to dispose of the vermin? Well, I put an even dozen new mousetraps around in there this morning andif the mice are of a mind to have cheese we will have a trap line full by evening.

This is the perfect weather for creatures to look for a winter nest. I notice the squirrels working overtime to buy nuts and prepare. Who could blame the rats and mice for looking for a nice warm place to winter? I am doing the same. Been cutting wood and stacking it in the shed for a couple of days. Have to wait for dry weather and I am not complaining about the rain but I am too old and stiff to try to haul wet wood.

This month slipped in on me and now we are well into fall. The pumpkins are starting to line up around the county and old corn stalks are for sale. Wish I’d thought of that. I don’t even have any bales of straw to sell for five or six dollars a bale. Remember when we could get fifty cents a bale for good wheat straw? Yeah, I know, wages were about five dollars a day back then too.

It is my opinion, and everyone has one. I am very thankful I live out here in the sticks and my rat problem is what it is. I can deal with my rats, coons, possums and the mice but traffic, neighbors living a foot from you, sirens all day and night are some of the problems we who are so blessed do not have to contend with. Gravel roads, snakes in the yard and skunks fouling the air are just slight irritations compared with the grievances of living in towns and cities.

And one more thing, aren’t we glad we are all different? There is just not enough space for all of us to live in the country. And besides that, the crickets are just too loud!

News, Pages 4 on 10/14/2009