The Craftiest Workshop

We have been very accommodating to two guests that have decided to move in on our property. Each of the guests has their own building with plenty of storage space and room for a bed. Unfortunately, when I check up on them, I find a mess everywhere. There is shredded paper strewn all over the place, grass and mud brought in from outside and these guests really like mushrooms.

Meet my first guest who has been living in our insulated shed near the firepit. He has been there at least two years now and has really made himself at home…at least I think it is a “he”.

This guy has turned the old “cat shed” into its bachelor pad. He has pulled the insulation out of one corner, added some grass and made himself a cosy nest. In every nook and cranny of the inside and outside cubby of the shed I found mushrooms, mushrooms and more mushrooms. I decided to clean up the shed the other day but put the mushrooms in pails so that he wouldn’t freak out. I checked the larger pail the next day and I am pretty sure he had taken quite a few and hid them in the walls.

Th smaller pail of mushrooms is now in where we store the smaller wood for camp fires. He seems to be leaving that pail alone. Before I cleaned up, most of the mushrooms were shoved under, in between and behind this wood.

Our other freeloader has taken over the garden shed.
He sits at the peak of the roof when he thinks we are going to visit and chatters away.

He is a new boarder that just started squatting this summer. We cleared out his bed three times before giving up. He managed to recreate his nest within a day or two in the same spot each time. The first photo was taken before we took out the snow shovel and the other taken after. I really don’t know where he finds all the moss.

This second squirrel also collects mushrooms. It hides them amongst the folds of camping chairs, in plant pots and in the space between the outer and inner wall.

Both of the squirrels steal peanuts by watching when I put them out for the Blue Jays. They also scavenge below the bird feeder for sunflower seeds that get dropped. Between the nuts, seeds and mushrooms, they are well set for winter. I suppose that is why they have set up camp where they have and I doubt they have any plans to move out. So far our eviction notices have gone unheeded. Our unwanted houseguests are here to stay.