Help! I hate cute freeloaders.

Saturday June 9, 2018

Dear Thomas,

I need your help. I hate freeloaders, especially when they’re cute and their children are even cuter. A groundhog and its baby is eating our radish tops and baby kale out in the IW garden.

We thought it was deer until our housekeeper Brittany saw what she thought was a beaver and her baby picking through the purple leaf buffet. I suspect you’d suggest we set up camp with a rifle and be done. There is no time and too many folks are coming and going.

Chef set up a humane trap, one that doesn’t kill the animal, put a little yummy kitchen goodness on the spring and waited. Come to find out, light-footed pesky chipmunks are eating the treats while the woodchucks continue to belly-up to the garden box. Maybe they're doing it at the same time, the squirrels eat while the woodchucks watch their forest mates feast on the bait, sort of like watching TV while eating dinner. Wait, you have no idea what a TV is and I don’t have time to explain.

Until next time, your house’s faithful caretaker,

Marilee