| December 1, 2025 NEWSLETTER |
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If you put very few things on the page,
you leave lots of room for the imagination. ~Dick Bruna |
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"Here Comes Trouble!"
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Hello Subscriber!
Here Comes Trouble (above) was painted in 2015, shortly after I attended a workshop with Bev Jozwiak (you may see the style influence!). When I first spotted raccoons visiting my bird feeders a decade ago, I found it novel and humorous.
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The problem. No, I'm not talking about people dropping in for Thanksgiving dinner, but about all the raccoons who have overstepped!
The raccoons have gone from being cute and entertaining — like when we saw them drinking from our pondless waterfall fountains at night — to destructive and dangerous.
My husband says the only reason these critters have become a problem is because I can review the ring camera footage each morning and see their comings and goings (which is not entirely true since the the evidence is in the destruction). I've reviewed the footage of the raccoons: - Washing their hands and drinking from the fountains
- Crawling in and out from under the deck
- Digging in the flowerbed and grass
- Chewing on my pumpkin decoration
- Knocking over the heated birdbath (twice) — ok, it was cute seeing three raccoons with glowing white eyes, standing upright and holding onto the edge of the bath ... until they toppled it over!
- Attempting access into the nesting boxes
- Somehow climbing up and over the largest baffle and onto our backyard bird feeder setup, destroying the feeder tray and emptying the feeders.
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Don't be fooled! He's not as sweet and innocent as he looks! (Photo from my backyard, 2019)
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About these masked bandits.
"Raccoons are omnivores, meaning they will eat both meat and vegetables. They like grasshoppers, nuts, berries, mice, squirrels, and bird eggs. They are nocturnal and search for food at night. Raccoons ... have nimble, almost handlike paws that can grasp at tree branches, nuts, fruits, and even the lids of garbage cans." ~National Wildlife Federation
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"In residential and other developed areas, raccoons are attracted to bird seed, garbage, pet foods, some garden crops, and fruits. They can damage lawns when feeding on insects and earthworms.
"Raccoons are nocturnal and relatively silent. They den for the winter in tree cavities, rock crevices, and brush piles. However, in developed areas they also will den in attics, chimneys, sheds, buildings, decks, and crawl spaces where they can threaten the health and safety of people and pets. Raccoons carry rabies and raccoon roundworm." ~Wildlife Help
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Drastic measures.
Something had to be done. Obviously, raccoons were drawn to our yard by the ever-present food supply: seed dropped below the bird feeders. (I took down the big, four-pronged feeder with tray and baffle that they conquered, but there are still nightly leftovers from the other feeders which we now bring in at night.) There is also a constant water source (I saw a black cat drinking from the pondless a few nights ago). Not to mention the dark, cozy space below our deck.
I was seeing up to five raccoons several times each week on our backyard ring camera. The ruination of my great "raccoon-proof" birdfeeder station was the last straw (It lasted for two years.) We hired a guy. Wildlife Control Solutions to the rescue! |
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Look at the size of that raccoon! |
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As an aside, we knew we had an opossum or two in the area. We had also seen a beautiful skunk walk past the studio one night. And I recently found a mouse that drowned in my watering can. Apparently, feeding the birds is not just for the birds! So far we haven't had any problems with these nocturnal animals, and they have remained outside the home.
The raccoons have also stayed outside, and I'd like to keep it that way. |
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So for seven days, we had four baited traps set up in our backyard. A total of three very large raccoons and three opossums were caught. (I really liked our opossums, so I asked the man to deliver them all to the same location for reunification.) The raccoons I was just happy to be rid of.
The day after the traps were removed (for the Thanksgiving holiday week) I was shocked to see four raccoons on one segment of our ring camera footage! Obviously there are more than the five raccoons I was aware of.
We still have some work to do. We had planned to have the traps set out again this week, but I'm wondering if the snow and frigid temps will have postponed our "relocation project." I did some last-minute research: |
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"Since raccoons go into their dens in fall (usually in tree hollows) very well fed, if they leave their den and snow is on the ground, they immediately return to their dens for more lethargic sleep from which they are quite easily aroused and thus awakened when necessary. Raccoons are not true hibernators as are woodchucks.
"According to Leonard Lee Rue III, in his book, 'The World of the Raccoon': 'The temperature, more than anything else, is the controlling factor in a raccoon's denning up to be 26 to 28 degrees Fahrenheit. As long as the bulk of the weather remains above this point, the raccoon will range about all winter. When the temperature drops below this point, the raccoon retires until the weather moderates. If there is deep snow on the ground, the raccoon stays in its den even though the temperature rises above freezing. Being comparatively short-legged, the raccoon would soon bog down and be at a disadvantage if it attempted to negotiate the soft, deep snow.'"
~Stacey Cole, New Hampshire Union Leader |
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One more thing.
We've also contracted someone to come and put wire fencing below the deck (deck trenching) to stop pests from getting underneath. The last thing I need is a family of skunks under my deck!
(I still might need to paint that cute raccoon photo from 2019, though.) Paint. Love. Repeat. PS. Scroll down for gift-giving ideas! 'Tis the season! |
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2026 Bird Lover's Calendars |
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My 2026 Bird Lover's Calendars are available! Don't wait - supplies are running low. Each month highlighting a different bird, these small (11.5" x 8") top bound wall calendars are filled with reproductions of some of my most recent original watercolor paintings.
Perfect for that small wall space in your kitchen or office; they also make great gifts for the bird lovers in your life! Click the link below for more information. |
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For budget-friendly gift giving ideas for yourself or someone you love, click the links below.
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Click the buttons below if you'd like information regarding my in-studio Next Level Watercolor classes, One-On-One Mentorship program, or to schedule a Studio Visit. |
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NEW! Pre-recorded online portrait workshops now available. |
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NEW! In person portrait workshop coming in March 2026! Click the button for details. |
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Your friend in art and life,
Janine ©2025 Janine Helton - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED |
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