Hey! You Forgot One!

   On my meanderings at dawn, there is plenty to see about the hillside.  Oftentimes, it seems that things change overnight...other times, it is as if nothing ever changes here.  This morning's hike was met with some drizzly rain which muffled the footsteps.  This muffling makes it easy to slide around without being heard so my critter friends are often surprised by their visitor.  I can view their comings and goings without much ado.

  As I came around the back grape arbor, I stopped to check the progress of the vines.  Sadly, it seems as if those same critter friends are being rascals.  The grapes were getting a mite scarce.  It was then that I felt something harder than a raindrop hit my head.  What???  I looked to the ground to find several chewed up pine cones and one perfectly intact one.  Even though I was beneath a hickory tree, I got pelted by a pine cone!  Thankfully, I got hit by a gnawed one.  That other one would have hurt!

  The squirrels are already gnawing the pine cones even though there is plenty to eat.  They may be sorry about this come later this year.  According to the almanac, we are to get some pretty cold and slushy weather.  While this will suit me just fine, the critters might feel otherwise.  It might be wise for them to be stashing a bit of their treats away for those colder days.  I studied the squirrel a bit longer and realized that this was a male squirrel.  Makes sense.  The males do very little in preparation for the winter.  On the other hand, the females work themselves to a frazzle storing food and remarkably can find at least 80% of what they stow.  They are smart as most of them can overwinter in their snug nests with food stored nearby.

  Folks, in view of the world today, it might be a good idea for all of us to stow in a few supplies.  The price of groceries keeps skyrocketing with no hint at lessening any time soon.  Plant a garden, stock up on a few staple foods, learn to cook, take a proactive stance against what is to come.  Be like a sensible squirrel and store food for the hard times.  Better to be prepared than to whine about it later.

Sometimes You Just Gotta Give

   With all of the property to our west being totally clear-cut, it leaves very little space for the animals that were dwelling there.  All of the dens and nests (some already containing little ones) have been destroyed and all any "slow moving" critters perished under the huge equipment.  Those that were able to escape have nowhere else to go except here.  It saddens me that greed can overtake commonsense.  Folks, we have to leave some green space for the critters of this world.  It is not our place to obliterate all of nature.

  That said, I am overrun with critters now.  They are literally starving and have taken to raiding the fruit trees and gardens.  If I learned one thing from Pop, it is important to share what foodstuffs you have so I guess that is what is happening.  It used to irk me that the squirrels would raid the birdseed that I put out each morning.  Sometimes up to ten squirrels would be squabbling over the sunflower seeds which left little for my bird friends.  I tried shooing the fluffy tailed rodents.  I tried fancy squirrel baffles.  I tried hot sauce laced birdseed.  Nothing worked...so, I embraced the little fluff-butts and ceded to their demands.  

  This afternoon, one squirrel was quite adamant about getting its belly full at my expense.  Even though I was working in the flower gardens just a few feet away, this squirrel kept coming to steal seeds.  It would grab a sunflower seed and hop up on the post to eat it.  Then, down to the seed again only to hop back up on the post.  The critter was too cute so I decided to help it out a bit.  A whole handful of seeds was placed on the post.  As soon as I started weeding again, the squirrel bounced back grabbed a seed and hopped to its post.  Imagine its surprise when it found about a cup of seeds laid out for it!  That squirrel hit the jackpot!

  If the friendly squirrel comes back again in the morning, I shall repeat the process.  Perhaps, if I feed it enough here, it will leave the tomatoes alone.  If not, I shall just have one fat squirrel on my hands!  

Mad Squirrels!

  Today found me working with concrete.  The nigh on sixty feet of drainage and the little holding pond were not doing their job so guess who tackled the job of concreting the whole nine yards?  Yep, me.  Tonight, I am sore.  My hands hurt.  My back hurts.  My wrist hurts.  I hurt.  But, the job is done!  

  While literally sitting in the drainage ditch pulling concrete, I was just feet from where I usually feed the birds.  The birds did not seem to mind and, quite often, I had to shoo the doves out of my way.  Birds are curious creatures but I did not want them getting in the way.  The squirrels, on the other hand, were mad.  They were just plain, ole mad!  I was too close to the birdseed for them to feel comfortable.

  One of the squirrels headed up in the pine tree and barked at me.  He was irritable and hungry.  I promise, I think he even threw a pine cone at me since suddenly one plopped down in the concrete.  Another squirrel was adventurous and came near enough to sit on the board path.  There, it held its little paw across its tummy as if to say "I am starving here, Lady!"  All of the others simply stayed far, far away.  They were having no part of sharing a meal with me being so close.  Silly squirrels.  Achy body! Owww!  I hurt!

Happy Eating, Mama Squirrel!

   Today, I watched as a very pregnant gray squirrel ate from the seeds that I put out for the birds.  Two thoughts went through my head.  The first was more about a ridiculous statement from the owner of the feed store where Mark bought the sunflower seeds.  The lady told him that "Squirrels won't eat shelled sunflower seeds!"   Either she is delusional or has weird squirrels.  I don't know about her squirrels but Bayou Squirrels eat just about anything they can find and shelled sunflower seeds makes them happier than a mouse in a cheese factory.  In fact, the squirrel left behind the table scraps of fruit and nuts and went straight for the sunflower seeds.  Methinks the feed store owner just wanted to make a sale for the more expensive type of seeds.

  Second thought was geared to the squirrel herself.  Since squirrels usually have their first litter of the season in February or March, this one was close to delivering.  My heart went out to the poor little lady.  Since we are in the midst of some pretty winter-like weather, she has to be fretful about her little ones being born in the midst of an ice storm.  While the female squirrel can make a pretty snug nest, it does leak at times.  Water gets between the twigs and freezes making the whole thing like one big ice cube!  Mama Squirrel will will often go days without eating or leaving the nest just to protect her babes.  The whole load of rearing the young falls upon her.  Nest-building, birthing, feeding and protecting, the mother squirrel does everything.  All the while, the jerk of a male does nothing but go around eating up her stashed food supply and will actually kill the young of competitor males.  Sad to say, I always cheer for the red-tailed hawk when it decides to go after a male squirrel.  Today, my heart went out to Little Mama so I literally made the offer for her to eat as much as she wanted and I would continue to put out more seeds for her.  

Sneaky Little Fluffbum!

  The squirrels and I continue our battle over the garden plots.  They are determined to eat us out of house and home and I am equally determined to salvage what I can.  This war has waged on ever since my "Big Mama" rat snake has either gone on to other areas or has met her untimely demise.  She kept things in check and I fully appreciated her efforts.  Of course, her hiding spot of the rose arbors has been demolished so perhaps she felt uncomfortable being so exposed. Whatever the cause, I miss her dearly.  The snake had become "one of the family" and fully did her part to help out around here.  Now, the squirrels have free rein to do as they please and that usually means raiding the garden.

  Recently, I decided that perhaps plying the fluffy rodents with an alternate source of food would deter them.  It has somewhat but they still steal figs and tomatoes occasionally.  The free food in the bird feeders has only made the squirrels bolder.  Now, they have no qualms about visiting even when I am in the gardens.  This was not the idea I had in mind as I have birdseed far down the hill where they can eat in peace and leave my garden in peace.  Nope, one glorified rat insists on eating out of the makeshift feeder at the front door. This is an overturned glass tabletop that works well at keeping the seeds from spilling on the ground.  One rascal will come down the oak tree next to the house and sneak to the feeder.  If he fills his belly, he will promptly lie down and take a snooze...ON THE FEEDER!   He keeps birds from eating all of the seeds by covering it with his sprawled out body! Smart but aggravating.

  This afternoon, I was sitting in a chair next to his usual route of the oak tree.  Even before I could see the squirrel, his little feet could be heard scritching along the bark.  The critter did not stop descending the tree until he was just three feet from me.  Then, he sat, looked at me and went no further.  After ten minutes of waiting for me to leave, the fluffbum decided that I needed scolding.  He did!  That did it!  I stood up and shooed the squirrel back up the tree with the water hose!  Silly critter!  I guess until another rat snake takes up residence in the garden, my war shall continue even though this is one cute villain!

The Brazen One

  One thing or another has taken out my bird feeders.  The raccoons literally stole the suet baskets, termites ate the box feeders and squirrels ruined the "squirrel-proof" hanging feeders.  Now, I have an old glass tabletop sitting upside-down on a wicker table.  It serves the purpose and can feed dozens at a time.  Birds flock to it even though I am working the gardens just a few feet away.  There is also one brazen squirrel that continually fights the birds for rights to the seeds.  This squirrel is not the only one that comes but it is the one that chases off the birds.  The others simply share the space and are happy to have breakfast.

  Today, the foul-tempered rodent was chased off numerous times within an hour but kept right on returning.  After about a dozen times of me shooing the rascal off of the table, he got a bit too insolent!  The squirrel would not even leave!  I shooed.  He stayed. I opened the garden gate and shooed.  He stayed.  Finally, I had enough and stomped my way to the table. The Brazen One hopped to the dead black gum tree, climbed about four feet off the ground and turned to bark at me! 

  Yes, this is the same squirrel that scolded me for breaking up the "bar brawl" a week ago but now he is not even making the effort to scamper out of reach!   All I can say is that this rascal better watch his step as I am just about to the point of getting a trap and relocating his sorry behind all the way to my daughter's house.  She has made the remark that there are no squirrels on the property where she lives.  That may change real soon!  (She probably will not appreciate my rodent donation, however!)

Lazybones!

  I was able to slip out for a much needed break this afternoon.  The old dog was in a sound sleep so a quick hike seemed logical.  His health requires an almost constant companion, as of late, and that companion is me.  My short, but sweet, hike took me along the marsh edge to behind the canebrake.  Being just after noon, there were not too many critters to be found.  Early morning and late afternoon hikes seem to be the best critter-tracking times.  A lone gray squirrel was my only find.

  I watched as this little female squirrel busied herself burying nuts and seeds.  She would scurry about to find an acorn, crack it open then bury her stash.  The cracking is done to keep the nut from sprouting.  The burying is done to give her a food supply come later this winter.  All in all, our little friend will stockpile close to 5000 nuts and seeds before the cold weather sets in.  Some, she will put in her cozy, leaf-lined nest but most she will bury.  The ones in the nest will be eaten only on days when she deems the weather is too inclement to venture out.  On those bad days, she can eat a few nuts or seeds and nibble on the twigs that complete her nest.  On good days, she will be found scurrying about the yard.  Her memory will lead her directly to the nuts she buried months prior.  

  Well, her memory will lead her to where she buried the nuts but sometimes those stockpiled goodies are missing!  While our sweet, little female was busy preparing for winter, a lazy male squirrel was following not too far behind her.  He was digging up the very same nuts that she so carefully buried.  By sitting and observing, I have come to the realization that most male squirrels are lazy and do not think ahead to the future.  They do not build the nest.  They do not stockpile as many foodstuffs.  They are not beyond stealing what their ladylove has worked so hard to gather!  If all the females stopped gathering, the whole lot of them would die of starvation!  No wonder she has to find 5000 acorns!  She is a workaholic and he is lazy to the bone!

What a pair!

  If you read at all, you will eventually come across tales of unusual friendships in the animal world.  Critters have a decent amount of love to share given a half of chance.  I don't care if it is a rhino that has befriended a sheep or a chicken that loves a cat, their friendships seem to flourish because there is no interruption by meddlers.  To my way of thinking, people are the only critters that show a bit of jealousy when it comes to other people and their friendships.  It is ridiculous!  But, that said, those in the critter world just don't care about all of the drama in the human world.  They just live the way they feel.  Pretty neat.

  The old dog, Mr. PJ, has been feeling a good bit better since his surgery.  He now actually looks forward to his daily walks.  While he was ill, his walking was more like trudging and at a tremendously slow pace.  I had time to observe a lot of things during these snail-paced meanderings.  One of the things that I noticed was that a juvenile gray squirrel seemed to be following us.  At first, it lingered in the treetops but was never too far from our path.  Later, the little squirrel would often come down from the tree and busy itself on the ground.  Now that the old dog is better, our hikes have sped up a bit.  He does his own thing off-leash.  He takes a walk down the lower part of the yard near the marsh.  That little squirrel seems elated that Mr. PJ is better as now the squirrel follows more closely.  As soon as we get down near the old oak in the front yard, the squirrel stays within a few feet of the dog.  The dog, however, seems oblivious to the friendship-offering critter.  He plods along unaware that he has a miniature shadow.  

  It amuses me that this unlikely pair take the daily walks together.  Normally, the dog would be chasing the squirrel and the squirrel would be high in the treetops but not with this duo!  They are buddies to the end!  I am supposing that as the weather chills and food gets hard to find, I had better stick a few dog treats in my pocket so Mr. PJ can share a snack with his little buddy.  That would be a nice gesture.

The Bottomless Pits!

  With every hike about the hillside, I seem to be finding more and more grey squirrels are moving in on us.  Since the property to our west has been clear cut, the animals there had no place to go...except here.  Now, I am overrun with every critter imaginable.  Most are skittish and are staying in the wooded area behind the house.  The squirrels, however, have decided that the yard is their preferred residence.  Perhaps since the family of bobcats, a dozen or so coyotes and just as many fox are in the back, the squirrels are staying in the front.  To be honest, those predators need to thin the crop of squirrels a bit.  They are obliterating my garden!

  Most folks have a huge misconception about the squirrels.  It seems that a lot of people think that squirrels are cute and cuddly.  They have this idea that squirrels are a lot like house cats but nicer since "they only eat nuts and won't catch birds".  Who are you trying to kid?  Granted a squirrel is not going to catch a full grown bird, but, face it, squirrels are omnivorous. They can and will eat anything they can overpower...and that includes birds.  Usually, they stick to raiding nests and robbing the eggs but, occasionally, that nest may have tiny birds so that changes things.  Yep, the squirrel will still devour what is in the nest but their appetite changes from eggs to nestlings.  

  Today as I was wandering the gardens, I thought of how squirrels will just about eat anything.  With the onslaught of critters, I have lost peaches, plums and tomatoes to the rascals.  They are eating the green (unopened) pine cones and a few of the hickory nuts.  It was this afternoon that I saw a young squirrel eating yet a different kind of meal.  This rascal had caught and was devouring a cicada.  I don't trust the squirrels.  They eat just about anything so it is best to not leave anything that is valued out in the garden!  They will have it in a heartbeat!

Better Hone Those Hiding Skills, Squirrel!

  Sometimes the critters of the Bayou tickle me.  Of course, I am easily amused (so says Son) but animals can do some of the cutest things.   The adorable antics are expected from our pets but when wild animals start putting on shows for you, there is an element of surprise.

  Both Mr. PJ and Ms. Nycto have the inability to "hide".  They have not mastered the art of playing hide and seek.  Mr. PJ has long played the game with me but still has not fined tuned his hiding skills.  The dog will hide his face behind a tree and expect me not to find him.  Well...he is a large dog.  Hiding the face does not hide the body.  The cat is the same way.  Yesterday, she hid her face behind a chair but her entire, fluffy body sat in the open.  Silly, Nycto!  I could NEVER find you like that!  Right...right.

  Then, there are the squirrels that do the exact same thing.  Several of the gray squirrels in the yard have no clue of stealth.  Their hiding abilities rate right along with the dog's and cat's.  It is amazing that they are still alive with the hawks that would love to dine on squirrel.  Just yesterday as I was cutting back some more of the roses, a young squirrel sat just above me on a branch in the old black gum tree.  It obviously had the idea that I could not see it since a tiny twig blocked its vision of me.  Goofy squirrel!  I could probably reach up and knock you off the branch if I so desired!  You are within arm's reach and that twig is not obscuring my vision...only yours!  The young squirrels should learn a few life lessons before the hawks become active in feeding their young.   It could be a matter of life or death.

The Thatching

  Desperate times call for desperate measures...as the old saying goes.  I never really thought how this might hold true in the critter world until this morning.  While out walking the old dog at daybreak, I noticed something in the marsh.  Some small critter was scampering about as if hunting for something it lost.  At first, the thought of a rice rat crossed my mind since this thing was too small to be a nutria or otter.  Then, a clear view made me realize that it was a squirrel.  I literally laughed out loud at the critter and truly asked it what it was doing down in the marsh.  Of course, the squirrel gave no answer but continued its search.  After a few moments, it came out of the marsh, passed between the dog and me and headed up into the nearby oak tree.  In its mouth, the squirrel was carrying a long tuft of marsh grass.  I watched as she (and I now knew this was a female since she was nest-building) carefully tucked the marsh grass into her nest.  That sweet squirrel was lining her nest to make it more secure against the weather.  She was smart.  Even though that Groundhog Day has come and gone, the squirrel knows weather and she was making preparations for what is to come.  I have never seen a squirrel harvesting marsh grass as they usually stick to the more convenient grasses around the hillside. The thatching process was in full swing, however.  

  This afternoon, that same little squirrel was still busy.  This time, however, she was harvesting a different crop.  Clippings from one of the shrubby bay trees was her plant of choice.  The small tree was quite leafy just yesterday but was nigh on devoid of leaves today.  The little squirrel gnawed through four different branches while I was standing not ten feet from her.  These, she nibbled on for a few moments then toted them up to her cozy nest.  I am not sure if these were intended as a food supply or more nesting material but she was intent with her work.  Perhaps the recent cold spell made her realize that her nest needs attention and she is making good use of today's warm temperature. 

  I am thinking this little squirrel is preparing her nest in time for the March birthing season.  Most squirrels have two breeding seasons with the first little ones being born in early spring (March here).  There will still be cold nights then so Little Mama is padding the nest well. She will also have to stay near her little ones for a while so a food supply will come in handy.  Even if it is twigs to nibble, she will be able to survive.   

He's Not Doing His Job

  Mr. PJ, the old dog that we are fostering for our son and daughter-in-law has made it clear that he is NOT a working dog.  He merely wants to lounge on his bed, be fed and be doted on for his every whim.  He does not want to help out around the place.  This bit of laziness comes from not being raised on the Bayou.  Here, it is understood that everyone pulls their own weight in one way or another.  This has always applied to even the animal residents so I am not used to the apathy shown by the dog.  Cats have always had the chore of keeping the gardens and Little Bayou House free of rats and mice.  Dogs were to protect the fruit trees and gardens from marauding critters and, of course, they had full charge of protecting the Little Bayou House from intruders. Ms. Ez would even help out by bringing us tools on command, guarding the bird feeders and tending to any of the other animals that were ill.  It was second nature to her to be helpful.  She was a working member of the family.  Mr. PJ seems to be in full charge of....sleep.  That's it.  He does nothing else.  The only time the dog moves fast at all is when food is involved. Then, suddenly he comes to life and is full of vim and vigor until the food bowl is empty.  After which, he falls back on his bed for a nap. Granted, he is old but still....a little effort on his part would be appreciated.

  For the past week or so, the bird feeder has been positioned just outside of the front doors,  This was done to discourage the hawk from making a daily meal out of one of the fatter birds each day.  So far, that has worked but it has not deterred the squirrels from trying to raid the feeder.  Each day, six or more squirrels try their best to figure out how to obtain the sunflower seeds that are just out of their reach.  The feeder dangles precariously from a shepherd's hook that has a nicely greased pole.  The squirrels try to climb the skinny, slippery pole but slide back to the ground.  It works rather well but the squirrels are diligent in their efforts.  They have taken to climbing the screen doors in search of a way into the feeder.  

  All of this is taking place just inches away from Mr. PJ and his nice, comfy bed.  Not once has he tried to guard the feeder.  Not once has he even noticed the squirrels.  Not a growl, bark or even a whimper.  He sleeps.  Ms. Ez, on the other hand, would have had conniption fits at the very sight of a squirrel!  She knew that it was one of her jobs to chase the squirrels from the yard.  It was the highlight of her day.  Mr. PJ's highlight is a nap.  He is slacking on the job and the squirrels have already figured out that he is not a threat.  Even when he goes out the door, the squirrels just step to the side and let him pass.  Slacker!!! 

Too many squirrels!

  The squirrels are taking over the place.  Those confounded critters do whatever they please...whenever they please!  Nothing is safe!  Between the squirrels and coons, the garden and fruit trees are kept devoid of fruit and veggies. That is not even enough to sate their appetites either. The birds cannot get a bite to eat and the cats' bowls stay empty.  

  The brazen antics of the squirrels are getting a bit too much.  This afternoon, the old cat slept peacefully on the lawn chair.  While she was dozing, a gray squirrel came down the oak tree next to her and chattered up a storm.  He fussed at the cat for being in his path.  Since Ms. Put is almost deaf now, she never awoke.  As I watched, the squirrel could not leave well enough alone.  Instead of sneaking around the cat and going on his merry way, he edged closer and closer to her.  I thought sure that the rascal was going to pounce on her at any moment.  If it had not been for a sneeze that I could not contain, there is no telling how close the pesky squirrel would have gotten to the cat.  I sneezed, the squirrel ran and the cat just kept sleeping.  

  The squirrel did not scamper far, though.  A sneeze is just not enough of a threat, I suppose.  It merely shimmied up the driftwood "tree" that holds a bird feeder.  There that rascal started scolding me.  The feeders are empty, he was hungry and I imagine he just thought I was lazy.  

Band of Thieves

  While I love the critters that inhabit the Bayou, Creek and wooded area around here, I have to admit that occasionally I get a tad irritated at some of them.  Just last week, I observed the squirrels munching the peaches. Three of them would slip into the garden, each grab a peach and scoot up the nearby Black Gum Tree.  There, they would gnaw the peach and toss down the pit.  Five nights ago, it was different critters in the same tree.  The coons riddled the peach crop.  It would not be so bad if they helped themselves to a few and then were so kind as to leave a few for us, but...NOOOO....they have to taste-test each and every peach on the tree.  What they do not eat, they simply bit and dropped.  One night and about half of the peaches were lost.  Son and I went out the next day and picked the remaining fruit even though they were not quite ripe.  Better to get what we could before those were ruined.  Peach jam can be very forgiving when it come to ripeness.  

  Three nights later, the same thing happened to the plums.  Two trees of fruit were eliminated by the same process.  Bite and drop seems to be the norm for coons.  We got six plums.  Those were thrown in the pot with some of those green peaches.  Jam is good.

  Now I have had it with raccoons!  I am so over their thieving ways.  Between those and the birds stealing the Boysenberries, it is amazing that we have any fruit whatsoever.  Then...yesterday morning....while I sat drinking my coffee. I noticed a wiggle outside the window in the tomato patch. A Redheaded Woodpecker was hammering away at my nice red tomato!  Geez!  I grabbed a bucket, picked every tomato that was remotely changing color and brought them inside.  There, bird! Take that!  I made gallons of tomato sauce today.  Tomorrow will be the same as I shall pick more in the morning.  It is hard to believe that this pretty bird would stoop so low as to be a tomato thief!  Then again....he does have sneaky eyes....just look at him!  Thief!!!

  It seems as if the critters are thinking my gardens are there for their pleasure.  I would not mind so much if they lent a helping hand...errr...paw, talon, claw or whatever...but for them just to take is totally uncalled for.  Pops always used to say that we just had to plant more the next year to make up for what the critters (and unscrupulous people) stole from his fields.  I never remember him becoming upset over the thefts.  Maybe I just need a bigger garden.....or high fences.....or a pack of large watchdogs...or maybe I should just count my blessings and forget about it.

Its a Mom Thing

  Every now and again, even the best moms need a break.  A little "Me Time" is in order just so we can get things in perspective.  This does not mean that we do not adore our roles as mothers nor does it mean that we are not coping well.  It just means that occasionally we have to do something for ourselves so we can be on top of things.  A bit of a break makes us all better mothers than before.  After even a few minutes, we can focus more clearly on our duties.

  I was out near the marsh edge by the old, dead pine tree when I noticed a poor mama doing just that.  She obviously was a good mother but had just been ragged about to wit's end.  She needed a break.  A nice outing was in order so she escaped far enough away to be by herself, yet near enough to be available if the need arose.  

  Mama Squirrel eased her way out of the hole in the dead tree and made her way to one of the only limbs left on the tree.  Here she spread out on the limb to soak in a bit of the bright sunshine.  I watched as she actually dosed a bit.  Poor dear, she must be exhausted.  Since the female squirrel is the sole caregiver for her litter of up to eight babies, it has to be tiring.  She not only has to nurse and clean the little ones, she has to be on constant guard against the many predators that could raid the nest.  This mama was smart.  She had her little ones in an old woodpecker hole high up in the dead tree.  At least here, it would be difficult for a snake, fox, bobcat or even a large hawk or owl to get the babies.  

  I smiled as I thought about Mama Squirrel.  She needed this break....as we all do occasionally.  Then....another thought.  Happy Mother's Day, Mama Squirrel.  I hope you can sneak out for another nap in the warm sunshine tomorrow!

Evil Squirrels!!

 Since Ms. Ez, the old Bayou Dog, is no longer with us, the squirrels are having a grand old time.  They have no fear of stealing food from the once well-guarded bird feeders nor do they scamper away when they hear the door open.  Before when I would fling open the screen door, they knew that big dog would be barreling down the hill to chase them. Not any more.  Now they just keep on doing what they are doing and never even pay attention.  All of this is fine and dandy in the midst of winter but come spring, something will have to be done.  I cannot have these rascals feasting upon the peaches, pears and plums.  They cannot dine upon the tomatoes, radishes and carrots.  They shall not dig the flower bulbs!  Yep, something will have to be done to safeguard my crops.

  As before, the squirrels are aggravating Son.  A couple of them are bound and determined to make an entry into the attic of the Little Bayou House.  It just so happens that the attic is also Son's bedroom.  He likes it up there in his "man cave" and is not about to share it with a few rodents. Every evening, he hears the familiar thump as a squirrel leaps from the nearby oak tree and lands just inches away from his window. Then vigorous gnawing and scratching begins.  At first, we did not think it was squirrels since they always attempted entry at night but he caught them in the act!  Several times, he has gone up to repair damage done by the critters but these things are persistent! 

  To say the squirrels are a mere nuisance is an understatement.  They wreak havoc on the place.  With their relentless raiding of the gardens, destructive gnawing on the house and dangerous chewing of wires, the squirrels are almost wicked!  Admittedly, they are cute...but wicked!

The Gourmet

   Back before I tossed the television from the Little Bayou House, I would  occasionally try to find some show to watch.  Since I consider most of the current shows a bore or simply not worth watching, more oft than not, I would tune to a cooking channel.  At least there, I might learn something.  I have to admit that I was impressed more with the presentation of the foodstuffs than the actual chef's ability to cook.   Most everybody can at least prepare a dish but to make it look gorgeous as well, takes talent.  My food looks like food.  It is edible but rarely beautiful.  Lately, I have taken an interest in preparing "pretty" foodstuffs.  I want things that taste and look incredible!   I have a long ways to go before I can say I have reached my goal but I did, indeed, come across a budding gourmet that has talent in this area!

  While out and about the hillside, Mark and I happened upon something that made us both stop, stare and smile.  On one of the pier posts, a squirrel had obviously been preparing its meal.  What a gourmet chef this squirrel was!  The "table" had been set in a delightfully artistic manner.  The menu included "Nuts from the pine cone topped with the aromatic hip of the Cherokee Rose".  The squirrel had gnawed the pine cone down to just a stub and then decided that dessert should be a rose hip.  Our arrival on the scene must have interrupted the squirrel's dinner as the rose hip was left untouched...for the moment anyway.

  We continued our hike forgetting about our fancy squirrel. By the time we made our way back to the post, the dessert had been eaten or perhaps the squirrel requested a doggy bag and took his rose hip back home to enjoy later!  I figure if a squirrel can make his dinner look so pretty, then I should be able to achieve my lofty goal of prettier food.  (And, yes, I am easily amused!)

  

They did a study for this?

  Sometimes I worry about the logic behind all of the money spent in the name of research. Sure, it can be a good thing if it is meaningful but some of these studies are a tad ridiculous!  I mean, think about it here, why not save a heap of cash and just ask some "old-timer".  Or better yet, give that same person the money you spent for months of research and save a heap of time!  I am quite sure that the person would delight in getting a few cool millions to answer a silly question.  Take for instance, speaking of cool, the recent, earthshaking discovery about koalas.  Yep, we all needed to know that koalas hug trees to stay cool.  Not one of us is going to run out during the next heat wave and hug a tree, now are we?  Nope...thought not.  

  Anyway, why didn't these brilliant researchers just ask me? I am not some scientist or not even highly educated but I do qualify as an old-timer and Pop told me a long time ago why critters "hug" things during summer. I could have given them the same answer that took months of study, millions of dollars in thermal imaging equipment and a lot of head-scratching discussions.   Duh, anyone who has casually observed local wildlife would know the simple answer.  Yep, critters find the coolest place to spend the hottest part of the summer.  Take gray squirrels, for instance.  They do the same thing.  This is common knowledge.  (At least among people who pay attention to their surroundings.) They "hug" tree branches as a method of cooling.  Of course, they hug smaller branches since their little front legs are a lot smaller than those of a koala! Or they go all out "spread eagle" and flatten themselves against a larger branch. But still, come on, did that take a "team of researchers" to discover?  I think not. Hey, and guess what?  Critters, also, have a tendency to seek out a shady spot during the heat of the day! It is called commonsense.

  There are far too many over-funded "studies" done on everything from koala cooling methods to housefly mating habits.  Who cares?  Why not take those same millions to help the needy?  To fund college educations? To care for the elderly?  To clean the planet?  To rebuild cities ravished by natural disasters?  Ok, so you get the idea.  I do honestly believe that koalas are smart critters but no smarter than my lowly gray squirrels. Now the researchers, on the other hand, don't even ask me what I think about their intelligence if it took a "study" to figure out the obvious answer to the question of why koalas hug trees.  (Ok, you researchers! Here is another tidbit of information for you!  Critters also seek out the warmest places to ride out cold winters!  Duh!  That should be worth a few millions, don't you think?)

Making a comeback?

  Sometimes things get a tad confusing around here.  Ms. Ez loves to chase the squirrels out of the bird feeders and will occasionally come close to catching one of the varmints.  I am sure if that ever does happen, she will be at a loss of what to do with her prize.  The long legs of the dog do a good job of outrunning the squirrels if she ever gets them in an open area.  Their only hope for escape lies in the nearness of a tree or in the confusion that they can stir up by clustering together in groups.  Ms. Ez has a terrible time deciding which squirrel to chase if there are three or more running in all different directions.  This confusion can make for an amusing sight.  The big, ole dog lumbering around after small, agile squirrels is like a scene out of a comedy.

  Ms. Ez's main nemesis of late is a rather peculiar looking squirrel. Although it is much larger, the body of the critter looks like any other gray squirrel. Its tail and belly are a reddish which is something that differs it from the gray squirrels.  I had made the comment that the squirrel looked different and then realized that it was, indeed, different. This was not a gray squirrel at all.  I am thinking this was a fox squirrel! After making that realization, I started watching the squirrel a bit closer. Aha!  So there were two of the critters!  Obviously, a pair of these squirrels have decided that the Bayou is a grand place to settle down and raise a family!  This makes me happy!  I still have not gotten a close enough view of the pair to make a positive identification but hopefully that will come soon.

  If these are indeed fox squirrels and they do decide to stay on the Bayou, I will put out extra food for them.  Back in the day when I was young, Pop used to talk about seeing the fox squirrels occasionally but it has been years since any have been around here.  Maybe this is a start of a new population or maybe this is just a gray squirrel with a reddish tint.   Either way,  I will be able to watch them often and Ms. Ez can have fun chasing them!