A Smelly Story

God's amazing creatures come in all sorts of colors, shapes and sizes.... and smells.

A week or two ago we were "fortunate" enough (okay well maybe fortunate is not quite the right word:) to run into one of God's more, umm, shall we say, scented little mammals.  You see, Josiah had set out a couple of live traps when he had his meat chickens out in the meadow, and one morning we were eating breakfast and noticed an unidentified object stuck in one of Josiah's traps.  Josiah and Dad headed out, ready to dispatch the troublesome animal, but soon had to call for reinforcements.  It was a skunk!!

Armed with my camera (to document the story) and a pitchfork (to help open the trap) I trotted off to assist in the stinky rescue.  After many futile attempts, and amid the stomping of the little fellows feet, we managed to open and prop up the front door.  Problem solved right?!  Wrong.  He wouldn't leave.  We tried to persuade him out (picture three adults calling and whistling to a skunk as if it was a disobedient puppy) and we tried to intimidate him out.  It was during one of these maneuvers when he released his back up plan.  Dad and I were South of him, Josiah was North of him, and the wind.... You guessed it, was coming from the North right towards Dad and I!  Wow! He certainly was equipped with a very powerful defense system.

When the smell had died down a bit we began our rescue efforts again.  We just about had the back door open, when.... He walked out!!  Just like that - he waddled his way to freedom.  Suddenly, to our rising horror, he turned, looked at us, then ignoring our shouts and pleading cries of "No NO! Don't go back, PLEASE!!!!" he proceeded to reenter his happy little home, also known as our trap.

Uhuh.  Pitiful isn't it.  So we left him there.  He wasn't going to come out if he didn't want to anyways, so after wasting an hour or so of our morning (besides the adorable pictures of course:) we finally did what he wanted us to do.  We left him to his own devices with both doors open just in case he ever decided to go in search of a more suitable abode.  And he did, but not until lunch time, and of course he left in secret silence, not even saying goodbye or leaving a thank you note. 

So much for the gratitude of animals.

~Chs