Chipmunks!

It's finally starting to be warm on a regular basis around here. About a week ago, I started leaving my seedlings outside all night. They're hardening off fine. In fact, they're doing much better since they've been outside. It could have something to do with the MASSIVE amounts of rain we've been having, or the fact that they're getting a lot more sun out there. Probably both. But there's a chipmunk.

I knew the little guy was around. He ran lightning-quick across the patio last summer and sent Hazel into a frenzy of shrill barks. It's not often she sees something smaller than she is! But I was not deterred from my dreams of a container veggie garden. However, he may indeed pose a problem.

So far, he has not touched my plants. But he did decide to eat the starter cells down to the soil. I'm not entirely sure what they're made of, and threw the container away long ago. But whatever it is, chipmunks apparently like to snack on it. I caught the little squirt in the act.

He was working on this when I saw him from the sliding glass door. Thankfully, I just knocked on the door and he took off.

Soon enough, the boxes will be built and he won't have this to chew on.  I bought some marigolds, which I heard are supposed to repel such critters.  Hopefully they do the trick.  Either way, this will certainly be a summer of learning!