Forest Charles

He’s back: the enormous woodchuck we named Forest Charles because his bulk suggested the need for a more distinguished handle.

We spotted him first a few years ago, when he fell from a tree he was climbing. The earth trembled.

He’s a canny fellow, munching watchfully in the early morning. I’m convinced he can see me through the window when I point the camera at him, because he’s over the bank on a flash. How he stayed this large while hibernating I don’t know, but he’s making up for lost time among the weeds at the back edge of the yard. He seems to prefer weeds to garden fare, and he’s more than welcome to them.