Giant Pumpkin Contest

The Woodpile has been closely following the efforts to promote climate resiliency. In the past decades we have become dependent on a mono-culture (i.e. sunflower seeds). Our forecritters used to harvest a wider range of seeds and nuts. Although sunflowers can grow just about anywhere and under harsh conditions, it would only take a sunflower disease to wipe out our food supply.

We sometimes plant other seed producing plants like squash and pumpkins but they tend to be small and don’t produce a ton of seeds. We thought we would have a contest to find the biggest pumpkins and squashes and then use those seeds to plant next year’s crops and thus improve the yield of seeds.

I called the humans who run the Topsfield Fair and they were all excited about opening up a critter exhibit hall. They even offered to find us a load of wood to build our own Woodpile hall. I will have more on that aspect next week. Word spread through the paw network about the contest. We got calls from as far away as Canada.

The Woodpile’s very own Tomato Bob was chosen to represent the Woodpile in the contest. He managed to grow three huge pumpkins in his patch. Everyone was sure he would win the contest. Once all the excitement died down, reality set in: how was Tomato Bob going to get his pumpkin to the fair which was twenty miles away? The Woodpile DPW crew saved the day by offering the use of the city's backhoe and dump truck.

A DPW crew member hops on the backhoe

A lift rope is tied on to the stem of the pumpkin.

“Are you sure those knots were tied tightly?”

“Slowly, lets take the slack out of the line.”

After lifting the pumpkin up, the tractor operator heard a loud explosion from direction of the tractor engine and turned to see what the problem. It turned out to be some kid setting off fire crackers.

In the meantime, he accidentally hit the control to lower the tractor arm and the pumpkin ended up in wrong place on the truck!!!

“Ooops … sorry about that. Lets try again.”

The pumpkin is carefully guided into place.

An overly enthusiast Tomato Bob wants to drive the truck away before they even remove the lift rope!

He turned around and asked the tractor operator to get a move on.

Tractor operator checks to see if the pumpkin is properly balanced in the truck.

 Satisfied, he stretches out to reach the rope to untie it.

The driver is concerned the truck is over its legal weight limit.

After off loading a few pounds of sunflower snacks for the trip, they just barely got under the limit.

Tomato Bob climbs on for a photo opportunity and yells “Topsfield Fair or bust!!”

Job Hunting Mis-Adventures

On the second Friday of the month, Merry holds a game night at his place. There was quite a crowd playing Scrabble, card games, and Monopoly with real cash. There were plenty of snacks and fresh cider. The topic of conversation was the hot job market. The competition between employers was really heating up. There has been a 50% jump in starting hourly rates. A number of critters have been shopping around for higher paying work. I heard a number of success stories. Two job interviews stood out and I thought I would share them.

Archie the Grasshopper hasn’t had good luck in the job market. Merry has been helping with  potential job leads. Recently, Merry found a really exciting job posting – lighthouse keeper at the Plum Island station. The job pays $50 an hour and includes an employee life insurance plan (which I thought was a bit odd). They went out for an interview.

The lighthouse looked almost brand new when they arrived. It  must be well maintained.

Archie and Merry arrived an hour early for the interview. No one was around so they peaked in the windows.

After looking inside, Archie looked a bit worried, so Merry asked what was wrong.

Archie pointed out all the stairs you needed to climb just to get to the job. Merry laughed it off and suggested that Archie think about it as an employee health club built into the job. The power of positive thinking. 

 

To pass the time before the interview, Archie and Merry wandered down to the beach and were chatting up the locals. They asked one of the locals, a gull, if she had known the previous lighthouse keeper and she answered in the affirmative. Archie asked how the previous keeper was enjoying retirement. The gull replied, the last keeper didn’t retire, he was blown away along with the light house in the winter nor’easter of December 2020 to some place named the Emerald City. They just got a postcard from him recently. Suffice to say, Archie took a pass on this job opportunity. 

 

Joey who has aspirations of becoming a super model saw an advertisement in the human newspaper looking for a critter who could strike a pose. Some rich guy was offering a 1000 seeds per hour plus benefits. Here is Joey arriving for the interview.

He had never been to an interview in which they offered snacks!

There was a photographer at the interview and he was asked to do several different poses. “No, no, no, I need you facing the other direction” yelled the photographer.

“Right direction, wrong pose … I need something more aerodynamic.”

Perfection!

 Now just hold that pose while I turn on the car. I needed a new hood ornament to replace the one I lost doing 75 mph on the highway.

Joey was heard saying as he left the interview in a hurry “you can’t pay me enough seeds to do this job, I’m out of here!!!!”

The Woodpile Geyser

The pesky alarm clock went off on Friday morning and I got up. Half awake, I jumped into the shower and turned the dial but nothing happened. I tried again and still no water. I checked the other faucets in the burrow and the same thing happened, no water. I double checked my bank account via my smartphone and verified I paid my water bill on time.

I thought I would check with my neighbor and see if she was having problems. I stepped out of the burrow and found the ground was quite wet. This was strange since it hadn’t rain in a week. Looking around I spotted a geyser in the middle of the Woodpile! A water main break. The DPW crew was just arriving on the scene.

After 110 years of faithful service the pipe failed spectacularly! I wonder if it is still under warranty?

The supervisor directs the crew to move these logs out of the way.

“We need to get this backhoe closer to the logs.”

 “Okay, now lift me up in the bucket to the top log.”

Just as they got the tractor into position, it sputtered and stopped working. The mechanic arrived to take a look. He checked the engine and that looked fine.

So, he starting checking with the rest of the tractor.

 Here he is consulting with his assistant. They think it is a hydraulics problems.

The mechanics think they fixed it. One of crew hops on to start it up.

Looks like they got it running again, phew!

 “Boss, are we ready to dig up the old pipe?”

In order to run the excavator on the back of the tractor he needs to flip the seat back.

The dump truck has arrived with the replacement parts.

 

 

The parts are heavy and takes a lot of effort to unload them.

 After a hard day's work fixing the water main, the crew enjoys a well deserved beer.

 

Market Basket Boutique Seedmart

Mom has been observing all the successful new businesses that have popped up at the Woodpile. She shrewdly predicted after everyone got their outrageous credit cards bills from the seed vending machine, they would be looking for an alternative place to shop. She opened up two boutique seedmarts called the “Market Basket.” In keeping with this theme the stores were actual baskets. The marketing strategy is to sell high quality specialty seeds for reasonable prices.

One basket was established at the old stump for the four legged critter population. The brightly colored basket immediately drew lots of attention. The second basket was hung on the pole that once held a bird feeder. It had a more tradition look and feel to it. The birds told me it reminded them of an oversized nest, a very comfy feeling.

On opening day both stores were busy especially the one for critters. Mom sold 25 pounds of seed. Word of the new stores went viral over social media. The next day she sold 50 pounds of seeds. While standing in line for an hour to get into the critter basket, I noticed that the bird basket wasn’t nearly as crowded. Birds would swoop in and out quickly. Mom intentionally put it up on the pole so us ‘munks couldn’t get into it. There must be a way to get in. Let me brainstorm some ideas and get back to you.

With great effort a workmunk moves the basket into position on the old stump.

Mrs. Black-Cap, Mom’s store manager, arrived to find that the workmunks had at mixed up the baskets.

The delivery company supervisor arrived to sort things out.

Mrs. Black-Cap points to the delivery instructions taped to the inside of the basket which stated “Deliver to the bird feeder pole.” 

 

After climbing into read the instructions for himself, the supervisor muttered something about what he planned to do when he got his paws on whoever messed it up.

The proper basket was moved onto the old stump.

After a final check, Mrs. Black-Cap declared the Critter Basket open for business.

The cashier was surprised by the huge line that had formed.

There was a mad dash to purchase the best seeds.

The Bird Basket was a lot less crowded. Each bird would only buy one seed at a time so they were in and out quickly. (Unlike ‘munks that insist on filling both cheek pouches.)

The store attracted a discerning class of seed customers

There must be a way to get to the bird basket.I strained my neck trying to look up.

The pole is really tall and there are no claw holds on it.

Here goes nothing … just don’t look down.

I climbed the pole … now how to do I reach the basket?

It isn’t that far of a leap (?) I see those superheroes in the movies do it all the time.

I can’t believe I actually made it.

This is so much better. I prefer to shop without the crowds.

I bought my groceries, okay, now how do I get down? I hadn’t thought about that. I was so focused on climbing up here.

 Best viewed in full screen mode