Could have been hand raised. Lots of raccoons that are hand raised don't make it in the wild. For one thing, they are usually released where there are already plenty of raccoons living, and they are chased away. No place for them to go, and always on the run. Some people start to raise a baby raccoon and find out how much trouble it is, or it bites them, and they take it out in the woods and let it go. They think because it is a wild animal, it will do okay, but they don't. It is like dumping out a puppy. They have no idea where to go or where to find food. Some rehabbers will release them where they can leave food out for them....that's called a "soft release". They need that while they try to make an adjustment. Raccoons stay with their siblings or sometimes close to their mothers for the first year of their life, so it is always best that they be released with another one that they have a bond with. I have a short tailed raccoon here too. I call him "Puff". I have been trying to get a picture of him, but can't tell him from the others unless he has his backside turned to me. All I know about him is that he is a member of the "gang" that arrive every evening about 6 and commandeers the cat food bowls...before moving on to the other food that I leave out for them. There was also a big armadillo here that was missing part of his tail, but I haven't seen him for quite awhile. One of the armadillos that I raised last year is still here every night tho. I don't know if it is Henry or Edsel, but it's one of them. He is working on re-landscaping my yard. I finally got the soil improved here by adding lots of mulch, and it is full of earthworms. It was rock hard clay when I started. It seems to be to his liking. I raised him on nightcrawlers that I had to buy by the dozen.

I've been to both of those places. I didn't pay a lot of attention to Nelson's because I don't have water features. The selection of plants I would actually buy was low because their business was geared differently than what I plant. I bought some mint there. The quality was good. I like Enchanted Gardens. They are a little pricey, but the plants are good quality and they have a decent selection. I like places where I can ask questions and get a good answer. They carry more than plants. They have a couple of buildings with other decorative things to sell. I know one sells a lot of fairy gardening supplies. One may have pottery. I've bought live lady bugs and a praying mantis egg there. They also teach classes.

Raven, this place isn't even listed yet. I have had someone here almost every day helping me go through all the junk I have and finally got all the hurricane debris cleaned up that was all over the pastures, plus tore down and burned all my old possum cages. Washed and packed up all the dishes except for about 4 plates and a couple of bowls. Jody says I have more dishes than Martha Stewart....and I probably do.) Actually, there are more dishes in the sun porch and in the other building....hopefully they all didn't break........or maybe I should hope that they did. ;) The realtor was out a week or so ago, and she really loved this old house. I didn't think anyone would want it but she thinks they might. A friend of mine was here yesterday and I gave away all my old iron chairs and tables, and started on the furniture in the other building...my mission oak settle, and a blanket chest. . I also gave her a very nice old cypress door. She is my rehab partner. I didn't tell her we were leaving. She won't be very happy about me leaving, but I will still take baby possums. They aren't any trouble to raise, but right now I don't have any of my equipment, like heating pads, etc. She is 20 years younger than me and she will have to understand that we are old and Jody's health isn't what it used to be. I need a place that is easier for me to take care of. If this one had about $200,000 worth of improvements, I could do it here, but I don't want to stay here any more. Three hundred and twenty five new houses are going in about 3 miles from here. That figures about 650 more cars...and the traffic between here and town is already bumper to bumper every evening. I live in the country and if I wanted to deal with that, I'd move to town. Anyway, she can understand or not....I really don't care. If I wasn't leaving, I wouldn't be giving her all of this nifty stuff that she will sell in her shop. :)) When we get everything else taken care of, will go through and get rid of just about everything. I am keeping only a kitchen table and a few of the cupboards. You can't even walk in that building because it completely filled up with water and everything is piled up. Such a mess. I will get to that after everything in the house is taken care of and all the pastures cleared because she wants to do a drone picture. By the time we get all this finished, I am sure that house I like in Centerville will be sold. I have looked at every place for sale from here to wherever and that is the only one that I Iike everything about. I am afraid I am going to end up selling this place and not being able to find another one I like. I can find lots of nice land but not any with a house already. I don't want to go thru the stress of building a house. In a lot of ways, this is more stressful than the flood. So much uncertainty. At least the mud is all dried up and the trees are leafing out. Wish me luck! (Sorry this is so long).

Thank you everyone. I think we are getting out of here at a good time. The loop 610 goes around Houston. Beltway 8 goes around that, and way out beyond that loop is the Grand Parkway. It isn't completely finished, but a part of it is being built a few miles from where we live. It then goes through Kemah and Seabrook, which is on the bay, where Jody keeps his boat. It eventually ties up with part built in Baytown, and continues on around Houston. There is a bridge between Kemah and Seabrook, and it is going to be replaced with a 6 lane bridge. We went to a funeral today and came back that way to check the boat. The traffic was backed up for miles. On weekends, it is worse. It is a nightmare. Makes me really want to go live somewhere that has a much slower pace. Jody is thinking about moving his boat closer to the Louisiana border, and shrimping out of there.