New Neighbours and Uninvited Guests
After Carl passed away the house next door was eventually sold. The first thing the new neighbours did was to cut down a number of the trees including the endangered Gary Oak. Needless to say this was not a great introduction to the neighbourhood.
One Sunday I had just made a cranberry orange loaf and was sitting at the computer working on a dreaded chemistry lab. Dreaded because at the time I was very new to the computer and the two of us were not getting along. I went back out to the kitchen to turn the loaf on its other side to cool, when I noticed bits of cranberry all over the counter and I'm thinking, "Disgusting, didn't I clean?" I flip the loaf and the entire back had been eaten away. I freaked! Rats! I have rats! &$%^&*@# Rats are a problem in Victoria although that is something we tend to leave off the tourist brochures.
As I'm standing there screaming and swearing, a monster sized squirrel with its fluffy tail ran across my kitchen floor and dove into the minuscule crack between the fridge and wall. Oh, thank goodness. Squirrels are horrid things to be invaded by but they sure as heck beat being invaded by rats. I called my landlord and he said, "Now, when you signed the lease it was specifically for a single dwelling!" Hahaha. Ok, forget the stupid jokes just come here and get rid of the damn things.
The next few weeks were unbelievable. Turns out that with all the cutting down of trees and with noisy workmen with saws tramping through their house and woods there were suddenly hundreds of squirrels left homeless and they turned their attention to our house! Everyone in my building was being overrun by squirrels. They started to get real bold before we finally got rid of them. They would skitter across the living room floor look you in the eye and keep on going. They would run up in the inside of the walls and those things could get through the smallest of openings.
As many of you probably already know I teach out of my own home. It was pretty hard to hide the fact that I was suddenly being invaded by squirrels. I can only imagine with horror the squirrel stories my students went home with. It wasn't long before my phone started ringing with parents calling to give advice on how to get rid of the unwanted guests. I felt like crawling down one of those holes with the squirrels.
One night I was sleeping when I awoke to some strange sounds coming from the kitchen. When I walked in what do I find? Mice. Two mice playing in the flour having themselves a right grand time with my cat watching from the kitchen counter with a look of utter boredom. I swear that stupid cat had to open the damn cupboard and help the mice get the flour out of the cupboard and onto the floor.
As soon I come in the mice scurry off and my fluff bunny of a cat with complete nonchalance jumps from the cupboard onto the floor, stretches his back, yawns and rolls on his back wanting a tummy rub! "Are you kidding me?" Agh! "What kind of cat are you? Sheesh, a tummy rub now, I don't think so!" Grrr!
Just as suddenly as the whole rodent thing happened it thankfully stopped. I have never had another rodent since. Well, of course I'm not counting the sometimes dead or half dead
"gifts" my cat likes to bring home.
These pictures are for Whitenoise. Architecture is an interest of his and he asked me to post the pictures so here they are. I can't really get onto the property anymore so that is why all the shots are of rather odd angles. Whitenoise you might also want to have a look here on their homepage. Take a look at their photo album. the inside is amazing and at times definitely scary in that some of the rooms are so fussy. I noticed it won an award in 2005 but we once again have new owners and to be honest I think maybe the project is a little too large for them. The grounds are not being kept up even close to what they were before. Everything is starting to show signs of neglect.
The house was originally built in 1885 for D.W. Higgins of San Francisco. Originally the house was on a ten acre parcel of land called Regents Park.
It's a little difficult to see but the building just behind is the old carriage house and the large window you see is an absolutely stunning stained glass window.
12 comments:
Beautiful! Thanks, Toccata. I love the detail in the brackets and window surrounds.
I sometimes stay at the Grand Pacific in YYJ, would the historic neighbourhood be within walking distance?
Are you kidding me? Of course it is. Actually I just realized I should maybe be a bit careful when I say that. I walk everywhere and a lot but I certainly think so. I will draw you a map.
This may upset a few but my hatred towards squirrels runs too deep...I believe they are evil and I don't care what happens to them, I wish they would vanish.
Those are very nice pictures, and calmed down my rant on the squirrels to a mild hiss.
That cat of yours has you twisted around his little paw, I think!
Those must have been enormous trees to displace that many squirrels. I hate it when trees get cut down but never considered the impact on the resident wildlife.
I have a squirrel around here that's getting a little too nosey. He doesn't scare easily, I think he put up his dukes the other day. I'm with Allison on this one.
That house is awesome...I love everything about it.
I love squirrels and my mother lives near a park full of them. A few years ago upon visiting, I stupidly showed off my 'affinity with animals' to a friend and fed a grey nuts from my hand. It was fine for the first three or four guest, but the fifth had a good bite of my hand. Serves me right.
But I tell you what: those bastards who made the decision to cut down their 'home' should get a taste of their own medicine. It'd be good if Giant Squirrels From Hell came and sliced their habitat in half.
Squirrel Fan.
Allison, I don't mind them in the backyard but that's where I want them to stay.
Barabara, when it comes to cats and dogs I have SUCKER written all over me. I suspect some of the trees were probably close to 100 years old. When I moved in here I couldn't see the house from my bedroom window because of the trees.
Deb, I'll have to take a picture of this place sometime because the difference between the two is quite comical.
Danny tagalog aka squirrel fan. I don't think if a squirrel bit my hand I would still be a fan!
Having squirrels in the house would be disconcerting. I would rather have mice. In the town where I come from you need permission from the town and a very good reason to cut down a tree on your property. I do feel sorry for homeless squirrels but I would not invite them in to my home.
Oh and that house is very cool. Just the kind I like.
Barbara, we actually have the same bylaw here but of course there's not much you can do once the trees are cut. I had heard the neighbours had to pay a fine but I don't think they worried about that too much. You can have your mice I think I would like to stay rodent free!
Fantastic house! It would be a shame for the new owners to let it go... on second thought... if it gets to be too much for them let me know... I just might have to consider moving * with a glint in her eye*.
Squirrels are unbelievably bold. We have red squirrels here and they rank in the demonic category... kind of like your average squirrel but with a college degree and taking steroids.
E
E....your comment was priceless.
Ethel, keep those genetically modified squirrels away from here!
Deb, I think all of us on the West Coast we need to do an anti-rain dance!
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