Autumn Hearth Send Message

I wasn’t planning on trying this one today but had need for it. As I was taking my used tea leaves and watermelon rinds out to the compost I heard rumbling in our garbage can. Now I had spotted a groundhog in this morning in our backyard and poking around the garage. It seemed unlikely that such a large bodied small legged creature could find its way into a garbage can still upright, but I knew it was also unlikely it could find its way out.

But what I found when I peered into the bin was a small raccoon. I backed up and told him it was okay to come out, he didn’t. I walked around to the driveway and tilted the can over away from me, still he didn’t come out, I walked round the fence and saw he was stuck in the top corner of the bin so I again walked around carefully and reoriented the can. He was slow getting out and once he emerged I thought he was injured he dragged his body with his front legs and layed down under the front of my car and there he stayed while I called animal control and got voicemail.

We watched each other and I talked to him. He refused a dish of water and watermelon rind (I was careful not to get close). Luckily my sister and brother-in-law were five minutes away when I called them. Brian accessed the situation cautiously, moved around things in the garage, giving the raccoon a chance to bolt, he nudged him with a mop, he was breathing but didn’t move. He had me moved my car, told me to take everyone inside, my sister started crying. The raccoon took its last breaths and Brian scooped him up in a snow shovel and took him behind the garage. He suspects a local raccoon disease as there were no obvious wounds, but who knows.

My sister was still shaken up and I offered everyone tea. I was out of Chocolate Chamomile Curiosity Brew and knew lavender wouldn’t go over well, this seemed to fit the bill. We all found it very soothing and tasty. I think I prefer the Temple Green a bit, but the coriander and cardamon are very well behaved and the creamy green base comes through wonderfully well. Will have to try this iced. Sorry if that was depressing, but I needed to vent.