Slimeball

Saw a new creature at the pond today. I think it is a muskrat. I've seen them a few times before, but generally they won't sit still enough for a picture. He was coming up out of the water, and onto the ice to get the rejected plants that the swans left behind.

I sang to him...hoping to bring him in closer. "Muskrat Susie or Muskrat Sam...swim over here for a pictogram!" He covered his ears, and dove back into the drink.

I used to deliver mail to a guy named Bud Stewart. Half of his mail would be addressed to "Bud Stewart-the Rat Man." He was quite famous for making homemade fishing lures. But, he got his nickname for trapping muskrats. He used to get a lot of COD's (cash on delivery.) I would knock on the door of his workplace/shed, and he would welcome me in. Always... hanging on both sidewalls...would be 10-12 dead muskrats...in varying degrees of being dried out. After getting the rats just "right"...Bud would ship them out to all parts of the country. PETA never protested outside of his shed.

Maybe they couldn't take the smell. In the dog days of August...it would make your eyes water, and tempt your lunch to make a second appearance. Even in the winter, he would have a space heater going, and the stench would be overwhelming. It was so bad...I would go back to my truck, and spray myself and my clothes with bee and hornet spray. (Not really.)

Bought a new camera yesterday. Debated a long time between a Nikon d5100, and a Canon t2i, and decided to stick with Canon. Also got a couple new lenses. 18-135, and 70-300. I had to swear to my wife that it would be the last camera I will ever buy.