Porcupines

There are at least two porcupines that live near our cottage.  These large nocturnal spiny beasts waddle, grunt, and are unbothered by flashlights our pounding on the glass windows.  They are also in love.  A few nights ago Abra, Erik, Jess and I all witnessed extended porcupine foreplay.  The larger male pursuing his lover, slowly, awkwardly.  This all culminated with him standing up and well, it was like a nature documentary, right outside our window.  Read about the whole and unusual process of porcupine mating here: http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/732/how-do-porcupines-mate . 

We are going to move the ducks and geese out of the bathtub today and into their coop.  They'll have a heat light for the next couple of weeks though to fend off the cold.  And it has been cold.  We had a hard freeze the last two nights.  Killed a lot of our radish seedlings and arugula.  But we have plenty of time to replant.  Not so lucky for all the cherry farmers in the area - many of the cherries are in full bloom right now -- the stage where they are most vulnerable to frost.