Unexpected Groundhog

[rusty_armour]

I was at Edwards Gardens this afternoon when I had an expected encounter with a groundhog. I had managed to find a rather secluded bench (because I always go to public places to get away from people) and had just pulled out my notebook and pen when -- BOOM! GROUNDHOG! Okay, there wasn't actually a "BOOM" involved. The groundhog was silent and stealthy. One second, I'm all on my lonesome and then, suddenly, there's this groundhog staring up at me. I mean, he was right by my leg and I think he was seriously considering whether it might be worthwhile to climb up on the bench beside me. He looked a lot like this:





I stared down at the little fellow in surprise and trepidation because I was afraid he might really climb up on the bench beside me. Our exchange went something like this:


rusty_armour: Whoa...

groundhog: Hiya!

rusty_armour: You're...whoa...

groundhog: You realize I'm looking for food, right?

rusty_armour:

groundhog: So, do you have any?


As it turned out, I had some broken vegetable thins. I was saving them in case I came across a friendly chipmunk or squirrel. I never expected to be feeding them to a groundhog. I threw a couple of pieces on the ground, wondering if he would even like them. He sniffed one cracker before quickly wolfing it down. Then he looked back up at me expectantly, so I threw some more vegetable thins at him. He ate those too and then seemed torn between taking his leave or asking me for more. As I'm a total sap, I gave him some more. After that, he left. However, that wasn't the last I saw of him.

There are these rocky ledges throughout the bottom level of Edwards Gardens. People often stop to sit on them, but they also provide a kind of animal network. Chipmunks will pop up through cracks or disappear down holes. From my bench, I could see a group of sparrows hanging out on top of a higher set of rocks. It wasn't long before Mr. Groundhog joined them. I watched in amusement and disbelief as he chewed on a crab apple. I could only see his head, but the rest of his body appeared when the apple rolled away and he had to reach out to grab it. Unfortunately, he took off when a group of people walked past, but I saw him one last time in the undergrowth near my bench. He had a huge carrot in his mouth. I have no idea where he got it. It didn't have the leafy green top, and I think it might have been peeled, so maybe someone having a picnic dropped it. In any case, he seemed very satisfied with his prize.

Despite all the distractions, I did manage to get a tiny bit of writing done. However, I have a feeling I might do better with the writing session I have planned for tomorrow morning. The closest thing I have to a groundhog in my apartment is a Vancouver Island Marmot. He's a stuffed animal, so he should be safe.

Comments

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Awwww. What an awesome experience!

Thank you! It was a pretty awesome experience! :-D Ironically, I always keep my eyes peeled for groundhogs when I go to Edwards Gardens as I've seen them there before. However, I was only expecting to see one from a distance. I never imagined that one would come up to me!

At least you weren't afraid of the cute little critter and fed him some treats. :)

Well, I have to admit that I was a little nervous about it climbing up on the bench with me. I'm not sure why. I guess it's because groundhogs are bigger than chipmunks and squirrels, and I wasn't sure what to expect from him.

This guy that I used to work with was so afraid of ground hogs that he wouldn't walk by one on the side of the road! I told him they are mainly herbivores, but he was still scared. Granted, the one we had living in the industrial park where I work was a pretty big one, but I thought it was hilarious that a grown man was scared of a large chubby rodent. XD

Okay, that is pretty funny. I mean, I can understand being a bit scared as I've seen some pretty big groundhogs myself, but crossing the road to avoid one is a bit much. They are herbivores and, from what little I've seen, they usually run when they're frightened. They don't attack. Of course, I'm guessing that groundhog had no reason to be afraid of that man. *g*