Scarecrows

Running:
Today was a scheduled off day from running. I had hoped to make it to the workout room today, but today was one of those days at work that wouldn't allow it. This past weekend was the first Saturday holiday we've had since 1/1/05 and the first July 4th that's fallen on a Saturday since 1998. This created some interesting problems to work through. There will be more tomorrow, so maybe I'll try to get out in the morning.

Hunting:
No thoughts today except my crow story that's down below. That in itself is news.

Gardening:
Today my thoughts were on scarecrows. And even more general just things to keep animals away. Crows have to be about the most annoying pest there is. Besides the noise they make early in the morning, I've had them destroy entire rows of corn by pulling out the germinating seed, eating the kernel and leaving the small shoot to die. I can't hang suet for the woodpeckers because the crows will eat it all in one morning of hanging it. Lately they have been all over my cherry trees, breaking branches and eating their fill. I've tried making a variety of different scarecrows. Some of them have worked for a while, but crows are pretty smart and they figure it out. About a week ago I read that the best scarecrow is hanging a dead crow from a post or tree near where you want them to leave. Well yesterday I shot one of the pests and hung it up near the cherry tree. Guess what I had none there today. Along this same line, while I want deer to come around at certain times of the year, I don't need them now to munch on corn or sunflower seedlings. Hanging socks that have been worn and smelly t-shirts around the area has worked well. So far no damage. Now to find a way to keep raccoons out of the tomato's and corn later in the year. I read that they don't like the smell of vinegar so I'll have to see if I can find a way to use that. I do know that you can't put vinegar directly on plants or it will kill them. In fact this is one of the best ways I've ever found to kill thistle's.