I don't know if you have marmots wherever you are, but these oversized chipmunks are damn destruction to anything green and/or leafy. It my case, it happens to be a new strip of lawn, trying to grow from seed...

We live close to an area that seems to have a thriving population of these voracious vegetarians. And they do seem to favor fresh greens in their diet, most specifically my struggling new lawn.

As I watched a couple yesterday chewing my grass to the root, I thought about how popular those old raccoon-skin caps were, when I was a kid. Made famous by TV shows like Daniel Boone, and some other western legend whose name escapes me at this moment, thousands of kids everywhere sported those furry caps, with the raccoon tails hanging down over their shoulders... I could never figure out how the manufacturers were able to find so many raccoons that had died of natural causes, to use for those trendy chapeaus...

Marmots have tails. Nowhere near as distinct as a raccoon tail, but still something. And being as fat as they are, one size could literally fit any head. Looking at the bare patches in my lawn, I wouldn't be inclined to wait for any to die of natural causes...

Now, these are the postings that generally tend to make me worry about PETA repercussions, but as I watch these destructive wild animals at work, I have to believe that this would be one situation that should allow a little wiggle room, regarding a bit of herd-thinning. Doesn't an innocent patch of grass deserve a chance to live?? Does every animal need to proliferate, if it may serve a greater purpose as a fashion accessory?? May be that's why they're even there, in the first place?

By the way, it is a wee bit ironic that when you do a Spell-Check for marmot, the word that comes up as a replacement is "marinates"...

Just sayin...

Chow for now!!