Late Night Dining!

  Yesterday evening seemed unusually warm.  So much so that I reached over and raised one of the living room windows just a crack.  The night air was refreshing.   As I sat there pondering all of the sounds that could be heard more clearly though the open window, one stood out above the others.  Hmmm?  It sounded a lot like some critter was dining just outside the window.  Scritch, scritch, scritch.  I had to listen carefully to be sure that I even heard the slight noise.  Whatever was having dinner this evening must be small.  A large animal would have surely made a heavier gnawing sound.  I pondered and pondered and just when I was about to gather a flashlight to investigate, I had my answer.  A wee squeak joined the scritching sound.  Ahhh, yes!  The flying squirrels that live in the dead Black Gum Tree must have come down to dine on the acorns that littered the ground.  Other squirrels have not dared to venture so close to the house as these acorns are literally under the front steps.  

  As I listened to the munching sound, a thought occurred to me.  Flying squirrels seldom stay on the ground long.  The little one must have found some "table" on which to enjoy its supper.  This...this, I would have to investigate come morning.  I would leave the tiny critter to enjoy his meal for now.  I even went so far as to not close the window in case I startled the squirrel.  The blind and curtain were soundlessly closed instead.

  This morning, I found the diner where the little squirrel munched.  The gatepost top sufficed as fine tabletop.  With the arbor overhead, the little rascal was protected from owls and the gatepost allowed the little one a good view of ground based predators.  Hopefully, the little one can dine in peace from this day forward.

  All of this reminds me of a tale that I told a few years back.  My sweet daughter-in-law and her adorable friend came to spend the night at the Little Bayou House.  It was the day after Halloween and, of course, I still had candy sitting about the buffet.  At this same time, the house had another visitor.  I had seen a flying squirrel swoop across the dining room from the shelf to the china cabinet.  This did not bother me as I am sort of used to having critters visit but during the night, the squirrel decided to eat the nuts out of one of the candy bars.  I guess when you are hungry, anything will suffice.  Anyway, I showed the girls the gnawed upon candy and explained that there was a squirrel somewhere in the house.  I did not want them to be upset if they were suddenly on the receiving end of a dive-bombing experience.  All went well but I could not leave well enough alone.  I sort of stretched the story to lead Joanna's guest to believe that all houses this far south kept flying squirrels.  "On the Bayou, we get an awful lot of bugs so a flying squirrel or two inside keeps the house pretty much bug-free!" I told her.  At first she was very skeptical but after a lengthy (and obviously convincing) speech, she seemed sure that she would awake during the night with a squirrel in her bed. Oh, that would never do!  I could not fib to Sweet Amy.  I had to confess!  The tale about all houses having flying squirrels was totally fictitious,,,,the part about a squirrel being in the house....totally true.  I am not sure that poor Amy felt any better about sharing her sleeping quarters with a squirrel but I sure felt better about not giving her a line of bull!  That visit was most delightful!  I love those two young ladies!