Ratatouille

Florida it is said, only has two seasons. Sweltering hot, humid summer, and something called winter that incorporates an occasional few, sweltering hot, humid, days interspersed with some pleasantly cool days. I say there are far more seasons than that here in Florida. You might call them sub-seasons, like hurricane season, and the rainy season. We also have a dry season, which is dry only if you compare it to the Amazon rain forest.

My next door neighbor and I were talking the other day and he mentioned that he had put up a bird feeder in the tree between his house and mine. Then he told me that the birds weren't the only ones using it. When he looked out the window, he saw two rats feasting at his expense. Yes folks, it's rat season again here in South Florida. Sure, rats are here all year around, but for some reason, late winter in Florida makes them more active. Walt Disney made rodents cute and lovable, from Mickey Mouse to Chip 'n Dale, but there is nothing cute about the sound of rat feet scampering around in your attic. I have found that it doesn't matter how good you seal up the attic, they still manage to find a way in.

In past years I have let the problem get out of control, but this time I am being pro-active by putting the rat poison out before I hear them. The thing that creeps me out is that the trays of rat poison I put up last year are all empty. That means that I have had rat activity up in the attic already. I've also put kitty Carlotta on short rations, and she now has that hunger for rat in her eyes. She really does enjoy a good rat hunt. Nothing like a cat chasing a rat all around the house to spice things up. After all we need something to do until mosquito season starts.