how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

What place could be more fitting for a woodchuck than in our stack of wood? Remember meeting Chuck last year? I guess Chuck was really Chuckette.This baby woodchuck found a safe place away from the dogs—thank goodness. But if it weren’t for the dogs I would never have known it was even around.

Yesterday Hailey was acting crazy, going from window to window panting and in a state of extreme agitation. She jumped up on the love seat that doubles as a dog bed here in the office and whined and stared out the window. I had a feeling I knew what it was because we went through the same routine last week. Sure enough when I looked out the window I saw a baby woodchuck ambling around the back yard near our firewood stack. Forget about it, I told her, no way am I letting you outside!

You see, last week the same thing happened, only in the front of the house. Hailey and Bella kept going to the window and looking down into the hedges at the front windows. I kept looking out the window and saw nothing. Finally they convinced me that something was there that was very interesting, so out the front door I went. I started down the steps and this little head popped out of the marigolds.

So cute! I did not let the dogs out because I knew they would chase it down like they do with the squirrels and chipmunks. I waited a while but finally had to let the dogs out. I went out first and found it still walking around in the back yard. I scared it under the deck and figured it was safe. I fed the dogs and let them outside. After about ten minutes my brain registered that they had been out longer than usual without wanting to come inside and I went outside to see what they were up to. Well ... I’m afraid that adorable baby woodchuck met its demise that day. I cried buckets of tears and felt so badly for it. But, really, what can you do? They are dogs after all and prey drive runs in their veins. I have no idea exactly who was involved in the woodchuck’s demise and I don’t want to know.

So ... I don’t know whether to be thrilled that there is another baby chuck or worried that it may meet the same fate as the other one. When it grows up and is eating all my flowers, ask me again!

I think it has the cutest ears!