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Category: The back yard | Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 3:33 pm

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For most homeowners the second thing a person sees as they near your home is the lawn. Even living in the same place many years is no guarantee that the green patch in front of your house has the desired look. The fact that the lawn fertilizer people have not gone out of business may be some indication that a lot of us are still trying. The spring of last year was no exception. Armed with a pile of quality soil from the local nursery, lots of grass seed and a springtime "go get em" attitude, we tackled the bare spots in the backyard. Soon the spots were covered with soil and seed. Water was liberally applied. And we waited with anticipation. Well not quite, as watching grass grow has its drawbacks. Nothing else gets done. Time passed and the seeds sprouted. Green "fuzz " had appeared. Closer inspection of the newly greening lawn also revealed a hole. Nothing in the design of the lawn indicated that there was suppose to be a hole. The hole was filled in and seeded. The next day the hole was back. Chipmunk holes have an interesting quality about them, they are neat. From 20 feet away they are hard to spot on a lawn. O.K. Mr. chipmunk, I'll fix you! Out came the garden hose with an appropriate measure of dirt and water the hole was again filled in. Next day, Mr Chipmunk had re- excavated the hole with unerring precision. This time rocks were added to the slurry of mud. Next day? Yep, a new hole next to the rocks occupying the old hole. New strategy, give excavation Ed what he wants....a new hole. Just one that is unseen.
From an old plumbing project I had a few pieces of PVC pipe about 3 feet long and just the right diameter for the furry excavator. I made a trench from the new hole to a flower bed and buried the pipe with a 90 degree fitting aimed down into the newest hole. The pipe was covered with dirt and seeded with new grass seed. The entrance was hidden with a garden accent rock. A feature we would both like. Next day:) No new hole. Excavation Ed had the chipmunk equivalent of a High-Tech tunnel much to the envy of his neighbors. The setting sun brought the quiet shadows of evening and we were serenaded with the "chit chit chit" of Excavation Ed sitting next to his new hole.

Now were did I put those other pieces of pipe? I don't see them anywhere.


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Palm Tree wrote on Mon Nov 29, 2010 6:48 pm:

Chuckle - watching the lawn grow... hehehe
Sometimes I am guilty of that myself.

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