By Ben Vitale
My wife is a world class cook; Italian food is her specialty. On every holiday the family enjoys one of many specialty dishes, that contain secret ingredients. Unfortunately there is another, that anticipates and enjoy Marie's delicious Italian food. Our local Raccoon, who we call "Leo," also partakes in delicious meals that are served every holiday.
I have always followed the local rules which mandate that I have a cover secured to my "trash cans." Unfortunately my local Raccoon, Leo, has found a way to render these covers, useless. Leo eats the plastic covers (see photo)! How else would he get to the remnants of my wife's wonderful cooking. Leo is smart enough to know that he must chew through the rim of the cover in order to get at the food scraps. There are other times where he was very impatient and decided to bite through the top of the cover. Leo would stop at nothing to get to our delicious food. I don't blame him; if I were a Raccoon I would do the same thing.
The local Sanitation Department was ready to give me "tickets," because my trash cans are all damaged. Honestly, I can't buy "Garbage Cans" fast enough! In a desperate attempt to figure out what I could do to stop my Raccoon from eating my Trash Cans; I thought about my Mother. My mother used Vinegar on almost everything that she cooked; that was her style of Italian cooking. I did not like Vinegar on my food. Humm... I don't like vinegar; is it possible that Leo does not like vinegar? We never had problems with animals raiding our trash Cans, when I lived with my Mother!
OK!.... I mixed 1/3 White Vinegar and 2/3 water in a spray bottle. Every time my wife made a "World Class," Italian dish, I would spray the trash cans that contain the delicious food scraps, with the Vinegar mixture. The mixture caused Leo to move away from my Trash Cans. This may not be such a bad thing for Leo; like me, he may really enjoy some Irish or Spanish food. Wow Leo and I have something in common.
I'm sure that all of you have heard the "Chipmunk Song," made popular by Chipmunks, Alvin, Theodore, and Simon. I am sure that Leo is a distant relative. I could swear that I heard Leo singing a few words from an old Italian song called "Tony the Ice Man," while he was devouring my trash can. Leo the Raccoon has been looking over our shoulders for so long, that he may have actually learned a few things from us! Ha! Ha! LOL!
I was unable to record Leo, but I have provided a link to a YouTube Video, of a person who will sing this song. Listen to the words carefully.
As I have been told, my Raccoon has a relative that lives in Westhampton Subway System. This East End Raccoon weighs 160 pounds; but is not as smart as my Raccoon!
Have Fun! That's what life is all about! LOL!
Comments? (Left click "Comments," below) * Our Thanks to Google/ Blogger for Hosting Our Site.
"Leo" has been down at my end of the block
ReplyDeleteas well. Same M.O., chewed up garbarge can covers and all.
May I ask, what kind of food is Leo now enjoying? I know he loves Italian food! LOL
ReplyDeleteI've been making the vinegar mix as well, but for flies that come during the summer and buzz around my dogs. We use apple cider vinegar and a little pinesol or skin so soft from avon. Works great. They do not like the smell at all. I can see why Leo doesn't like it. Those are some crazy claw marks and holes. We have some heavy duty cans with thick plastic, we don't have any problems with coons thankfully...
ReplyDelete