There have been quite a few mysterious findings in the yard this spring and summer...exploratory excavations, strange scat, yellow jackets starting a new nest. I did have to dust the raised strawberry bed with Sevin to discourage the yellow jackets...
This morning, I went out earlier than usual to have coffee by the pond. Just starting to get light. Walking slowly so's not to spill my coffee. Got about ten feet from the pear tree when I saw something white moving beneath the tree....OH! Those are white stripes! Went back to garage, turned on the outside light and made some noise so the skunk high-tailed it to go under the shed. Now, my experience and logic tell me that the critters who squeeze in between the gate and the fence don't feel obliged to squeeze back out if they can find their favorite snacks here. So I'll just leave the gates open to let them know they are free to leave. Might do something to get rid of grubs next year, but they haven't been a big bother. There is a feral cat that knows where the rabbits are in the neighbor's yard.
My friends are starting to send me frogs to put in the pond, but they won't stay. Don't know where they hide, but got some nice, thick shrubs around the pond where I've seen the big bullfrog go. I'm sure a heron will stop in sometime; don't mind if one takes one or two koi.