We've got an old metal building across the little road from our garden spot that's wired with electricity so all we do is string wire from the circuit box-thing on the side of the building, across the road, & all around the garden. We have it up on a cedar pole so you can still drive a car or tractor without hitting the wire. Neither my husband or I know anything about electricity or wiring stuff up - this is what the old man who sold us the house did & how he showed us so that's how we do it. Our vegetable garden is about a square mile in size. On two sides & part of a third there is old barbed-wire fencing. The fourth side borders the neighbor's property where he has horses & that has a good fence. We bought the metal rods that you push in the ground & the yellow things you loop the wire around. These we go all around the garden with, or around whatever part of the garden we've got stuff planted. We bought from the feed store but I'm sure other places sell them. The rods were $1.00 or $1.50 each & the yellow things (clamps or whatever they're called) came in this big bag with like 20 in the bag for $5.00 or $10.00. My neighbor down the road has this spring hook-thing that has a rubber handle on it & all she does is touch the rubber handle & lifts up the latch, like a gate. I think there's something called a fence charger that you can get but I don't know how much one runs. Squirrels, voles, & mice - Although we are surrounded by woods & have lots of trees in the yard, this year is the first time we've seen squirrels near us. I've inherited cats from people dropping them off so I guess they keep mice, moles, & voles down. Until about a year ago we had this Catahoula-looking dog & he hunted down every mole & vole he could smell, but he came up missing so now I'll have to figure out what to do about them. I don't like the catch & release stuff for possums & the like because it's my personal opinion (& everyone has one) that they breed so quickly that it's not like I'm going to wipe them out.

Yeah, maybe I should have just beaten it to death with my shovel instead of trying to help it survive? One day it 'could' grow up to disturb my bulbs.....oh nooo! I'm not trying to lecture or point a finger at anyone, but these are my beliefs and what I base my decisions on as to how I personally try to treat animals: Proverbs 12:10 "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast.." We are given dominion over animals. That means also that we are given responsibility. Part or responsibility is having respect for God's creation. We need to practice respect for the animals. "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Protect the rights of all who are helpless." Proverbs 31:8 I would be very sad if one day there were no possums or raccoons left in this world.

Hi MJ, Thank you for posting a follow up on the ETLD. She sure is a beauty and your new trees are just gorgeous. I really like the shape of both trees. You did a fine job rooting these and showing us that "it" can be done. I really thought that the huge stem would make it and have lots of new branches.. Im so sorry you lost it. Are you going to keep these in containers? Did you ever find out what really happened to this tree? As i read this post again, i didn't really see the date and my heart sank again as i saw this break... The same awful feeling as i had before. Like Jen mentioned.. It is a very happy ending.. I am so happy for you that you have two wonderful healthy looking trees. ETLD is a stunning tree. Jen... makes me think of your beauty!!! : ) My ETLD has three inflos and is about three feet tall and has maybe four branches... This one is a keeper!! Congratulation MJ!!! Take Care, Laura

Not all possums get the "we play dead" memo, and in fact some will fight like a coon, and I have the scars on my foot to prove it. Years ago I heard a commotion out by my collie's doghouse. I slipped on my rubber boots, grabbed a flashlight, and headed out to see what was going on. There was a standoff in progress between my dog and a very respectably sized possum. My dog is fairly smart when it comes to anything but cats ( he really has a hard time tolerating a strange cat in the yard) and has never been skunked, stomped by a doe with a fawn or taught some respect by a coon. He is a barker but a chicken. Still, I decided it was best to put some distance between the two and slipped my hand into his collar to lead him away (not something to do with just any dog in any situation...it's not uncommon for an excited dog to bite, even someone he knows) and just about that time the possum lunged forward and latched onto...my foot. Bit right through the boot (brand new pair of Northerns, ruined them on the spot) and into the top of my foot, that arched place on top there, where's there's not much meat but apparently plenty of pain sensors. I gave a big shout of pain and surprise, jerked my foot back, and then he /she marched off, hissing and snarling and drooling. I tied the dog, went back in the house, and pulled my ruined boot off to inspect the damage. Plenty of blood, two nice puncture wounds, and a husband who kept shouting "You let WHAT bite you???!" I called the ER to casually inquire about possums and rabies, and scrubbed up with peroxide while I listened to EMTS laugh at me from on the other end. Whoever answered the phone at the ER congratulated me, telling me I was the most interesting call he'd had all night since things had so far been pretty slow. In short, I got a tetanus shot the next day to be safe, but the strangest thing is, that set of holes healed up within a few weeks and never so much as even suggested a hint of infection. I have had more aggravation with getting a tick bite to heal than what that possum gave me. go figure. but don't assume all possums will curl up and die.