Every squirrel I know has a bad reputation. Perhaps it is just those that live around the Bayou but here, they are thieving, destructive little critters. They swipe the fruit from the trees, steal my tomatoes before they are ripe and can gnaw their way through just about any surface. More than once has Son had to repair the roof, siding and doors just because a squirrel has decided our house is its house. And don't think they are not sneaky enough to try entry in the middle of the night! Son and I were out on the rooftop at 2am because one persistent rascal was ripping the siding off the upstairs walls! Bird feeders, gardens, kitchens...none of these are safe. We have had our battles in each case. Squirrels...the evil ones of the rodent family. Well, rats are not nice either...nor are shrews! Shrews are downright wicked! They are quite feisty!
Now that it is settled that squirrels can do a lot of damage, I want to repair the damage done to their reputation by the previous statements. Squirrels are not complete fiends bent on driving humans mad with their antics. In fact, some squirrels are helpful! Yes, you read that right and, yes, that did come from me. Squirrels can be helpful! Just today, an example of their good deeds came to light. I was overjoyed to be the recipient of their kindness! Oh, lucky me!
While I was out doing a bit of yard work, it occurred to me that I should gather a few "fire sticks" (as my sweet granddaughter calls them) or twigs. We are to have a bit of cold weather here for the next few days and the old woodstoves will need stoking. Twigs are a great fire starter and in the enclosed iron stoves, they last a good while. It is my custom to gather a handful or two on each outing so it is not a big chore to get them when needed. I found just what I needed in the lane. There are several large squirrels' nests in the hickory trees that line the lane and beneath those, there were dozens of fire sticks. It seems that the ideal size to gnaw a twig for use in nest-building is also the perfect size for my woodstoves. It took only a few moments to gather a nice bundle of the 14 to 15 inch sticks. Squirrels are great at measuring and gnawing the limbs but, apparently, not so great at holding on to each one they cut. The lane was filled with lovely fire sticks...or nesting supplies...whichever. So, a big shout out to the gray squirrels that live down the lane! Your help is greatly appreciated and your status has gone up a few points in my book. (At least, until you steal my plums come this spring.)
It was instilled in me as a child back on the farm to rise early in the morn, jump right into chores and then kick back a bit in the heat of the day. Even now, my day starts long before the sun rises. As the coffee is brewing, laundry is done, cat fed, dog fed and breakfast is made. Then, as the dog takes his hike down the hill, I go to the pier to watch the sun rise above the pines. Twenty minutes later, it is back to the house to complete the inside chores before heading to the gardens for a few moments and then on to the major task of redoing the Little Bayou House. Carpentry work is tiring to me but if I want it done, I need to help. So goes the day. Then about 1pm, when the heat of the day starts to get so stifling that it is hard to breathe, I grab my lemonade, iced herbed tea or sweet tea and head to the yard. There, in the shade of the big black gum tree, I can find a bit of respite in the cooling bay breezes.
This downtime also gives me time to observe the happenings of the Bayou and surrounding wooded areas. Critters don't seem to mind the heat as much and keep on their daily tasks. This afternoon, a small, female gray squirrel was one busy little camper. She was building a nest where an oak limb wrapped around a pine tree. The nest was basically complete but obviously needed a bit of interior design work. She would scamper up the large oak branch, gnaw off a few twigs, stuff them in her mouth then hustle back to her dwelling. Inside, she meticulously lined the nest with strips of the leaves. This is only one layer of the abode. It all started with some rather large branches that were bent to form a dome. Then, small but long twigs were woven into a thatched roof. The sides were filled in with yet other branches. Two doors were left. One to be used as the main entrance and the other (a hidden door) as an escape route. Now that the nest was sturdy and enclosed, she gathered leaves to line the inner walls. Each single leaf is tucked into place until the entire inner chamber is covered. This step is much like shingling a roof but she does the entire inside of her nest. The last step is to be completed tomorrow as she will gather soft grasses to make a bed. Here, she will give birth to her young and nurse them until they are strong enough to venture out of the nest. For twelve weeks after giving birth, she will take total responsibility for raising her little family.
The female squirrel does it all. She builds the nest and cares for the young. She, also, gathers and stores nuts, seeds and fruits to tide the little family over during the winter months. The male...does nothing. He will even go so far as to steal her stash of winter supplies if she is not careful. As I watched the little pregnant squirrel build her nest, I gained a new appreciation for her. She is one hard-working little mama unlike that deadbeat dad. I guess I had better put out an extra helping of sunflower seeds for her enjoyment. She deserves it. She was working hard to get her chores done and she has a pretty important deadline looming ahead of her!
In the critter world, it is more common that one ignores the other unless one is larger and is hungry. Then, both become quite aware of the other's presence. Most critters are not busybodies that have to be prying in their neighbor's business. They just go their separate ways and live life. However, there is a network of "Neighborhood Watch" participants that keep everyone informed of the happenings of the Bayou.
The other afternoon, a cacophony of bird calls led me to believe that something was amiss. I eased my self out the front door and listened intently to the calls. By now, a few squirrels had joined in on the party. The center of interest was a tall black gum tree near the edge of the property. A mama squirrel had made a rather large nest in the tree and had her little ones safe and secure...or so she thought. Since this nest is far up in the tree, the intruder was one of two things...a hawk or a snake. I was betting on the latter. By the time I made my way to the base of the tree, neither could be found. Only a dozen or so assorted birds were curiously eyeing the squirrel's nest. The onlookers were still yelling at the snake but it was too late. Mama Squirrel was frozen in fear and was not even attempting to give battle to the serpent that was performing the foul deed.
Lately, we have a lot of rat snakes living in the area. They are making a clean sweep of the squirrels' nests and even a few of the birds' nests, as well. While I hate to think of the little ones becoming prey, Son reminds me that I should let "nature take its course". I love having the rat snakes in the yard to keep the mice, rats and voles in check so I have to turn a deaf ear to the "Neighborhood Watch" team when they send out the alarm. There is no filtering out what is fair game for the snakes.
