Now that's one tasty cable

Our satellite internet has been out for the past several days.  Thankfully, the HughesNet dude has finally come to our rescue and is diligently working on reconnecting us to the outside world.  He discovered that the power supply to our modem has shorted out...it's totally fried and must be replaced.  Now what could be the cause of that?  Upon further investigation, he found that one or more toothy critters have been chewing on the cable that runs 100 feet from the satellite dish into the house and to the modem.  The cable is wet inside, full of water...it too is totally fried and must be replaced.  Apparently, said cable should always be buried, which will (hopefully) prevent our many groundhogs, squirrels and raccoons from nibbling it to death.  And speaking of nibbling, we have had a mouse (or squirrel, I don't know) go to work on our cedar trim.  What's with all this chewing?!

I'll let the wildlife have 99% of our property.  I'll pay the taxes, I'll keep the woods healthy, and I'll go to great effort and expense to remove anything that doesn't belong here (like European Starlings and Multiflora Rose).  All I ask is that I get to live undisturbed within the four walls of my den.  Is that too much to ask? 

Rocky and friends

Like a groundhog tentatively emerging from my winter den, I ventured out yesterday to enjoy our first official day of Spring.

The first stop on my trek was the big old garage out by the oil well.  My first major discovery was a family of Southern Flying Squirrels nesting in our woodshed.  Although Flying Squirrels are Ohio's most common squirrel, they often go unnoticed because they are nocturnal.  Contrary to their name, they don't actually fly, but rather glide from tree to tree using flaps of skin that connect their front and hind legs.  I've only seen them in action once, a few years ago, during an evening campfire.  These little guys are a sight to behold, speedy and energetic and utterly adorable.

My next stop took me down to the pond where I noticed that the Wood Ducks have returned, right on schedule.  Like last year, there are five...two females and three males.  Each day this season, they will arrive at daybreak to lay a single egg in the nest box, then spend the next couple of hours working their way around the pond shore eating invertebrates and other pondly delicacies.

Next, I headed into the woods to see what, if anything, might be in bloom.  It's still too early for the dogwoods or redbuds, but I could see some Tulip Poplar buds way up high in the canopy.  In a few weeks, the woods will be filled with their fragrant smell as the buds open into huge, beautiful yellow-orange flowers.  Tulip Poplars are actually members of the Magnolia family, and they are one of Ohio's most ancient trees, having been in our woods since the time of the Wooly Mammoths. 

While hiking up the aptly-named Morel Trail (not yet - they won't be out until May),  I heard some of our earliest Spring arrivals including the Eastern Phoebes.  And even though the Cardinals, American Robins, Eastern Towhees and Carolina Wrens have been around all winter, they get more vocal and active during mating season, which offered audible reminders that Spring is officially here. 

So....thirty degree temps and a few flurries notwithstanding, I'm happy to report that everyone - even me - is moving forward with their various Springtime responsibilities.
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About the photos: 

• Southern Flying Squirrel - Copied from the Ohio Wildlife Center's website
• Wood Duck - mine
• Tulip Poplar buds - Copied from flikr
• Eastern Phoebe - Bill's, summer of 2009