"How Sweet It Is...!"

For a couple of months I've come home to a bone-dry hummingbird feeder, knowing that some nocturnal critter was to blame. I work such weird hours that I go to sleep when the Hummers are still feeding, and by the time I wake up the 'damage' has already been done.

And so Sunday evening there arose a chorus of barks that instantly smelled of either a UPS delivery, a cat out the front window, or a squirrel on the back deck sucking down sunflower seeds. Ruling out the first two given the day and time, it left me with the back deck option... Lo and behold, there was my sugar-thief at 730 PM instead of the dark of night! I had to shoot pics through window glass to capture the 'Coon, so didn't use the flash for fear of reflections...but there was enough light to get it at ISO 1600 okay...thus putting a 'face' to the sugar heists!!!

That ol' rascal knew exactly what he was doing...and tapping on the glass as I may, NOTHING swayed it from the finger lickin' good task at hand except opening the door and letting Mercy go say hello. I know enough to know that that is not always advisable, but the 'Coon had a quick escape route that it took every time, and the two never even got close.

Ah, and so the temporary 'mystery' was solved, not to my surprise, though. I know what excess sugar does to us 2-leggeds...and I only cringe when I think what this does to the masked ranger...sure hope it has a good dental plan, as well!
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Absolutely no developments per the Pyrenees post yesterday. No surprises there, though Monday I did walk a school official through the parameters I observed. It's in their hands from here on out.
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And now the Tropics are hinting at blossoming...as well they normally do in late August. Still looking for a good sized 'Cane to be in the Gulf August 22/23, per long-range models. 'Bout that time to start sleeping with one eye open, as they say. The red marker is for Tropical Depression #4 that if it intensifies will be named "Dean"...still a good 1500 miles east of the Lesser Antilles. The circled yellow area is being watched for development, and may well become Tropical Depression #5 later today.

We desperately need rain, and tropical systems are a major seasonal conduit for the Southeast's water supply in general. This week's prospects for 'liquid sunshine' are minimal at best, with hotter than average temperatures bathing us yet again this week, pressing the 100 degree mark. 'Scuse me while I go pour another mug of joy... ;-)