April 6, 2015

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

Due to an item on my Bucket List I will be traveling with my daughter and granddaughter in Europe.  I am reusing an article that was first published in 2009

“SKUNK”

by Sylvia Moran

Pippy, my trustworthy bodyguard dog was barking very loud and excitedly about something.  I looked at my clock, 4:00 AM-DARN! She barked at nearly every deer, dog or darned thing that dared come within a seeing or smelling distance of the fenced-in Yard.  But this was more; she was really excited about something.  So I stuck my toes into my flip flops, grabbed a flash light and stared out to see what it was that grabbed Kayla, the quiet dog that I was keeping for a friend and who was also very excited and woofing her deep bay from her inside-the-house vigil point. Phew!!  Soon as I stepped out the back door onto the porch, I knew what the darned thing was-a skunk! 

Though it was dark the high outside light illuminated enough for me to make out a small black and white critter just outside the fence that Pippy was barking at ferociously.  I called Pippy into me and watched as the critter walked along the outside of the fence until a few feet from the house; it squeezed its head through the chain link fence and then wriggled its body on through.  Pippy was frantic and broke away to confront the little guy, who gave no ground at all, nor did it even turn to spray its defensive weapon at the dog.  I screeched at Pippy to get back here and she, good dog that she is, obliged me though reluctantly.  Kayla had now joined us as I closed the porch screen door and we watched as this cute little guy pranced and mince footed hurriedly all around the yard and under the porch we were on, which was enclosed with lattice panels.  Oh no, I hoped it wouldn’t stay under there.  It did not, but then proceeded to make its way up the ramp to the porch’s screen door.  I yelled at it and jabbed at the screen; with a heavy walking stick.  It actually bit at the screen! WOW! This was not normal skunk behavior.

For the next several hours as it got lighter and lighter and finally full day light, the dogs and I watched this cheeky little skunk scamper around our fenced in yard, under the porch and even leaving the yard on 3 different times only to come back in again after being gone each time for 10 to15 minutes.  The last time it came up the ramp and started back down I took my walking stick and followed it down.  On the way down I knocked one of Pippy’s rubber toys and it rolled down behind the skunk.  It grabbed the toy and for 2 or 3 minutes chewed and shook and bit at it like a dog or cat playing with a toy.  By this time I was convinced it wasn’t going to leave, that it wasn’t “right” and I would have to kill it.  It finally left the toy and walked out a ways into the yard.  While still standing on the ramp, I began to hit it on the head with my stick.  As I kept hitting it on the head, it never tried to run but made low sort of growling, spitting noises.  After about three whacks, I think, it, for the first time, turned and lifted its tail to spray.  As I hit it again it turned back around facing me, and I continued hitting it again and again screaming at it, “Please die! Please die!”  It finally crumpled down and stopped moving. 

After a while I got an old pair of my husband’s overalls and with a shovel put the skunk onto them wrapping and placing the body into 3 plastic bags which I buried away from the house in the trees. 

Later that day as I was telling my neighbor about it she said her daughter when leaving for work that morning around eight had noticed in her side mirror a skunk chasing after her car!  On one of its so –journs out of my yard, the brazen little devil had tried taking on an even bigger fore.  We decided I should let the authorities know about this.  It was after hours, so aside from the police I wasn’t able to make contact with anyone but left messages.  The next day Environmental Services contacted me and after listening to my story said, they were sorry to ask but I needed to dig up the darned thing and take it to a vet where they would remove its head and send it for analysis; I did and a day later got a call that it did test positive for rabies.  Well, ya think?!

Reminders:

April 17-19: Wonderful Weekend in Ward

May 16: Magnolia Ridge Antique and Art Gathering

Ridge Spring Library hours: Mon/Tues 8:30 am - 12 pm; Wed., 12:30 – 4:30; Thurs 8:30 am - 12:00 pm; Fri 12:30 pm -4:30 pm, Saturday from 9:00 until noon,

Every 2^nd & 4^th Monday:  Kids' Corner Story Time 10:30-11:30 a.m., at the Ridge Spring Library. 

Every 2^nd Monday:  RSM Elem PTO meets at 6:30 pm in the media center. 

Every Friday & Saturday:  AARS hours 10 – 4 or by appt, free admission RS NEWS