Armadillo Soup...

Well, I think this must be one of the most prehistoric looking critters roaming the earth...

Mr. Armadillo in my Ajuga ground cover.
See the dirt dug up by his tail,
 that was from a previous evening of digging... aaarrrggghhh!

Close up of the little varmit's face...

Recently, I noticed my yard all scratched up under the bird feeder and then within a few days the front yard was dug up, as well as other places in the yard.  I really didn't get too upset because I have been watering during this drought.   I knew the armadillo was looking for grub worms or such in my freshly watered yard; but when he began digging in my flowerbeds, I knew we were not going to be friends!   He really had not done too much damage, just scratching around up until this point.  But one morning I went out on the back patio area and saw this small flowerbed dug up with the plants laying over and dirt all over the patio... that was not a good move for my intruder!   Mr. Dillo had to go!

This is the flowerbed... and of course,
this picture is after replanting the flowers

Granted it is a very small garden tucked in the corner of the patio, and thankfully he didn't destroy the plants.  I replanted everything and told Dennis the armadillo just roamed in the wrong place at my house.  Since they are nocturnal, Dennis went out that night with his flashlight and gun, but Mr. Armadillo was no where in sight.

The next morning the flowerbed was completely dug up... yes, the one I just replanted!  The first time he dug up the four plants on the left... but this time, he dug all those up again plus the two plants to the right that are separated to a higher level... he dug up everything!!  Wished I had taken a picture of it all tumbled up... but I didn't.  Being the gardener that I am, I replanted the Dragon-Wing Begonias once again.  They are beginning to look a little ragged at this point.  They are pretty fragil anyway, easily breaking off stems and leaves.  To say the least, I am not happy with Mr. Armadillo!

After looking around, I also noticed he had dug all under the wisteria bush only a few feet away, so I reluctantly went to look at the other flowerbeds up against the house... yes he had been there too!  Okay, this is a serious mission now, but Dennis assured me he would get him.  Again, he walked the property around the house that night before going to bed, but still no armadillo!  I understand Dennis could not scout all night... he does have a job!

While Dennis went on to bed, I was still up.  Ten minutes before midnight, I took the flashlight out to see if I could find him.  Ah-haaa, he was there!!!  Yes, in that same exact flowerbed.  I did not see him at first, but I noticed dirt on the patio... so I approached closer and I then actually saw him digging!!!  ...he had only dug one plant up thus far but he had dug down six inches in that lush potting soil!

I wanted to bang on the bedroom patio door (knowing it was locked) to wake Dennis up... but I knew I would scare the armadillo.  So I ran back around to the breezeway door, into the house, then ran all the way to the other end of the house to the bedroom.  Of course Dennis was asleep.  He is normally a light sleeper, but after calling his name three times, he did not budge!  So I nudged him at which point he then just about jumped out of bed.  I told him "he's out there!!"  He asked, "what?"  I told him the armadillo, he is out there!  He said, "oh, okay;" he got up, put on his sandals, got his flashlight, and his trusty rifle and out the breezeway door we went.

We walked around to the back flowerbed and of course the armadillo was gone!!!!  I'm thinking "oh no!!!"  It was pitch dark with no moon in sight!  I told Dennis he could not be far and we were going to find him!  I looked under the wisteria bush, not there; I headed towards the next flowerbed when I then noticed him sauntering down the sidewalk into the center flowerbed as if we were not even there... perfect spot for him to stop!

Within seconds and one shot... he went from his feet to his back
and never moved again!

Anyone who has read or follows my blog knows I like my critters for the most part, but I also like my gardens and my gardens will win!  Here is one more picture of this prehistoric creature.

He's resting... from all that digging!

Now for the caption "Armadillo Soup" ... no, I did not make soup, but it certainly brought back memories from a trip we took to Belize several years ago.  Four of us had taken a night-time guided jungle tour with flashlights.  After the tour we were all sitting talking with our guide, Fallet Young, and a couple of other locals who lived there.  During our conversation, some dogs started barking in the distance and Fallet immediately jumped up with excitement and said "they've got one!"  We're asking... "got one what?"  Fallet explained, the dogs have an armadillo cornered!  He and the other guys took off running towards the sound of the barking dogs.  After just a short time Fallet and the others came back and he was holding the armadillo by the tail.  We HAD to ask what they were going to do with it!  He explained it was a delicacy there and they would eat it and make soup!  I will tell you-- that is one delicacy we did not try while on our journey!

We later found out that Fallet has since passed away in April 2009, but we had the privilege of him giving us tours while on two different trips to Belize.  He knew his animals, birds, and plants and we enjoyed his wisdom.   One day after our first trip I was watching the Discovery Channel and there was Fallet, he was doing a documentary of the Community Baboon Sanctuary in Bermudian Landing, Belize; which is where we stayed for one night while on each trip. They call the Howler Monkeys "Baboons"... we could hear the monkeys howling throughout the day and night.

On the first trip, Ben, our fearless leader had asked around for someone who could take us on a jungle birding tour and Fallet was the person recommended.  We really had no idea how much Fallet really knew or how he was involved in trying to save the animals in his country at the time;  but after the birding tour -- Ben said, "this guy knows his birds and bird calls!"  Ben, who was an avid birder, was impressed.

On our second trip to Belize we went to the Community Baboon Sanctuary again and stopped at a little market in the area and specifically asked if Fallet was around.  One little boy said he knew where Fallet lived and he would run and get him.  Sure enough, Fallet showed up shortly.  He was excited to see us, and we were more excited to see him.  It was so fun to share our story about seeing him on the Discovery Channel which eventually led us to doing the night-time jungle tour.  He told us if we were lucky we might see a possum... and indeed we did!  We all thought that was hysterical... we traveled all the way to Belize to see a possum in the jungle!

The next day he took us on another jungle tour and he called a Howler Monkey family down out of the trees with their howler call.  He brought some bananas and we did actually feed this whole family from our hands to their little hands... it was a fabulous experience to feel the texture of their hands!!  There was a mama, daddy and baby.   Fallet said this was the only family they do that with.  They strive to keep the animals in the wild.

Here is a link to a YouTube video where someone did a tribute to Fallet.  The song is in fun, but towards the end it shows him calling to the monkeys and you can hear the loud howling sound the Howler Monkey makes.  They established a foundation in honor of Fallet.  His last wish was for them to continue their education and preservation in their country.

If you want to read more about the area of Belize we visited, here is a random blog that I found.  This guy also talks about Fallet Young and their experience in the area.  I was not blogging at the time of our trips to Belize, but we experienced many of these same things he refers to, with the exception of the ant.  We did see many of the leaf cutter ants at work, but to our happiness we did not experience any of their bites.  Belize was a great adventure!

Okay, I've gotten a bit off the subject of our armadillo intruder, but I sure wish we could have given Fallet the armadillo Dennis had just shot!  ...so who knew the great memories Mr. Armadillo would bring back to me.  You just have to look for something good in everything!

I could not find a recipe for Armadillo Soup, but here are other recipes for Armadillo, if anyone is brave enough to try them!  Haaa!  Some people would say-- eating armadillo is just wrong!  ...and I am one of those people!