I've never really liked squirrels. When I was a kid we had a next-door neighbor who fed the squirrels in her yard. She fed them Dubuque, Iowa's very fine Betty Jane candies. I can see her out there in her flowered housecoat with a box of chocolates, a squirrel eating out her hand. It seemed like things could take a turn at any moment, and I didn't want to witness it.
My very first house in L.A. had a pecan tree. We never harvested a single pecan. My daughters, however did enjoy watching the squirrels strip it bare. They'd sit at our kitchen table and laugh out loud at the squirrels' ridiculous gymnastics. I was less than thrilled. I wanted to make something with those homegrown pecans.
Post divorce, the very first place I ever owned by myself, I had an apricot tree. That first apricot I harvested was the best apricot I've ever eaten. It was the last apricot I enjoyed from that tree. The squirrels also ate my lovely ruffled pink hibiscus.
I tried everything. Bird netting. Cayenne. Nothing worked.
When it came time to move my mother in with me, I sold that place and bought a house that fit her needs. There were no squirrels there by the ocean. Until after DJT was elected. Then things changed. I gave those interlopers names--Evil Bannon and Kelly Ann. They pigged out on the bird seed and destroyed my geraniums.
Minneapolis is overrun with squirrels. Last year I saw a pure white one. On my walk the other day I watched the fat one at the top of this post for quite awhile. Do you know why he/she is fat? Because they're planning for the future. That's right. The future. That squirrel knows it's going to get cold. There'll be less to eat in our snowy landscape. Calories will harder to find. So the squirrels are chowing down. So they'll survive. Because they think there will be a future to survive for. I love that squirrel and all of their fat friends. I love the idea of planning for the future.
3 comments:
We have many squirrels here, too, and yes, they strip my pecan trees bare. Little effers.
But they are part of the landscape, part of the whole. They chase each other up and down trees, across branches. They amuse me. We let them be to live their futures. Why not?
On the days I don't get out of bed, even to take my dog for a walk, chasing the squirrels away from the bird feeder is the only exercise he gets. Its cheaper than hiring a dog walker and way more fun for my dog. I guess it's ok if they score some bird seed from the feeders, but I am determined to keep them away from digging up my spring bulbs!
Ha, Found you. Speaking of white squirrels: Recently read of the many many white ones in Bevard, NC. Then told brother; ah! He'd seen the the very many when passing through the town. Amazing! Read about them. Wish I could travel to Bevard , so to see.
Also would like to know more about your bookmaking. I made one small hardback - took much time.
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