• The evidence and sightings of groundhogs have been plentiful this year and one dog owner was concerned what would happen if her feisty little dog caught up with one. He loved to chase squirrels and chipmunks and even geese when they flew low over his garden. What would happen if he caught up with and attacked a groundhog which might well be the same size as him? As it turned out, her fears were, in this case, unfounded. The dog ran towards a large furry object happily eating an apple in the backyard. However, he stopped dead in his tracks. The two animals surveyed each other and shortly, the groundhog, without letting go of its apple, calmly ambled off and retreated under the fence. The supposedly “killer” dog was obviously smart enough to realize that this was a battle he might not win and so why not quit while he was ahead. 

• A man found a deer carcass in the wooded lot beside his house and was unsure how to dispose of it. None of the usual authorities seemed keen to speedily remove it and so the corpse remained in place for a couple of days, and it soon became evident that it was gradually being devoured. Curious to know what manner of beast was the gourmand, he snuck out with his flashlight and discovered a dapper-looking skunk having his evening meal. It seems that coyotes have competition. 

• When you have a Labrador as part of your household, you quickly learn not to leave appetizing food unattended on a counter. A platter of cheese was being allowed to reach room temperature when the lady of the house was called away to answer the telephone. By the time she returned, she found the Labrador with a full round of camembert cheese stuck between her jaws. Being a gentle and well brought up pooch, she obediently opened her mouth and the cheese was extricated. It resembled a denture mold that you might f ind in a dentist’s office. We never did f ind out if the guests were served this unusual piece of cheese.