Midnight Marauders.

It happens every night now. We wake to find a new section of the lawn torn up.  We know who's doing it.

And then the other morning we caught them still malingering.

 These photos are cropped from zoomed photos taken through the window, but I think you can find the culprits. 

They are attracted by water and by shiny things. Ours is the only yard around that is kept watered during the summer, so they come to play and to forage and to drink. This kit below is climbing up a glass tower to get to the sprinkler water in the top bowl. 

Mama has two kits with her, although earlier in the summer there were three. 

 Caught in the act, they were on the move. 

 And this is what they leave behind. 

 We try to patch the rolled sod back in place, but it usually dries out. We put fencing wire over the dug sections, but we can't cover the whole lawn. 

 Where they don't roll back the sod, they dig holes - lots of them. 

They also have favorite places where they just roll around and play, smashing plants beneath them. 

This little bird bath is popular with small birds and big crows, but each time I refresh it, it is muddied by raccoons the next morning. They wash, drink and use it as a play pool. 

The garden is looking tired, and the lawn is beat up, but there are some bright spots.

The asters are blooming.

 So are the sunflowers. 

 And there are still lots of dahlias, zinnias and marigolds.

 Plenty for colorful bouquets all over. 

And LOTS of tomatoes!