Buck-A-Burger Bash -Big Success

Did you hear the sounds of Elvis and Pat Boone crooning through the air? Did you smell the aroma (yum!) of beef on the BBQ? On August 3rd there was a party with a 50s flair on the deck of Bette and Ed Arnold, and 45 of your neighbors were there having a great time. Burgers cost a dollar each, and everybody brought a dish to share from the 50s theme. Oh my, did we have good food; potato salad, baked beans, lemon tarts, frog-eye salad, scalloped potatoes, macaroni & cheese, deviled eggs and pineapple up-side down cake. All homemade and very delish. Jim Banman came in his original, authentic letter sweater (with a 50-something numeral!) and Winnie Kortz was adorable in a poodle skirt. It was a perfect night under the stars for dining and socializing with good folks. Cool!

We extend a big THANK YOU to Ed and Bette Arnold for sharing their patio and home with us, and for providing beer and wine for the party. Also to Anne Jeffries and Beth Schutt for planning this fun event and for all the extras that made it so successful. We are wondering - whatcha got planned for next year?!!

Chipmunks

Although we have a tendency to relate the chipmunk to the Prairie Dog, there is little comparison other than their burrowing habit. They are harmless, will not eat the root structure of trees and shrubs, nor destroy flowers or plants. There is no repellent for chipmunks since they don't do any significant damage to warrant one.

They live in burrows. The digging, however is rarely, if ever extensive enough to cause any damage. If serious damage is being done to your landscaping, it is most likely not the work of chipmunks. They may favor edges of sidewalk, patios, etc. Constructing an "L" shaped footer along these areas may discourage habitation.

Chipmunks are members of the same family as the tree squirrel. Western chipmunks have a broad stripe across their back and can be nearly 10" long. They are active during the day and typically forage along the ground but can climb trees. Their diet consists of seeds, berries and nuts. They will eat an occasional insect. Most active in Fall, they gather food to store over the winter. They sleep during the winter, awaking periodically to eat the food they have stored. They adapt well to suburban gardens, which is why we are seeing them more frequently in our community, given our proximity to the park. As they sometimes dig up bulbs, you may want to plant bulbs under a wire or plastic screen with 1" mesh so the bulbs can sprout through but digging will be discouraged.

Should they become such a nuisance or appear in such large numbers that you want to get rid of them, you can use any of the commercially available traps so they can be relocated. They should be relocated at least 5 miles from the spot where trapped. Suggested baits are prune pits, un-roasted peanuts, corn, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, cereal, grains or popcorn.

Mating typically begins in early Spring when they emerge from their winter sleep in late February and then again in early summer. The litters are normally four to five each time. As you can imagine, they have many predators, including Hawks and Falcons of all varieties, Fox and Coyote, to name the most obvious. Our plans for the bird sanctuary include several Kestrel Hawk boxes which should also help to control the chipmunk population.
Submitted by Jim Murlin.