The Autumn crop of acorns seems to be arriving pre-baked! Perhaps our unrelenting heat, with many, many days above 100 degrees, stoked the stove and took it's toll on Nature's fruits and seeds. They look so different this year - hardly a touch of green, mostly golden to deep rusty brown, expanded in girth..........ready-to-eat.
I have a zillion squirrels in the garden. I've always wondered why I never see a tiny baby one, they are always fully grown. Glancing out the kitchen window this past week I did catch this little guy though. It was definitely teeny, perhaps half the size of the usual ones sitting and munching on the deck rail.
I fell in love immediately, grabbed the camera, and quietly raised the window blind to get better shots. He saw me, but didn't jump on the oak tree and skitter up the trunk like the older squirrels do. He sat chewing on a piece of bread...........
............maybe pre-baked, ready-to-eat acorns were unappealing to a youngster with baby teeth. He made eye contact with me.
I loved the 'littleness' of him, the tiny ears and paws, long whiskers, the beautiful very bushy tail gently balancing and then curling around him.................but what made him perfect was that bright and wonderful sparkle in his eyes. In fact, he was so adorable I know I'll easily forgive him if and when I spy him on the bird feeders gobbling up the seed!!!
Do you enjoy watching squirrels in your garden or a park? They are smart animals and always fun to watch at play.
Here in the UK Mary grey squirrels are regarded as something of a pest as they seem to drive away our native red squirrels. However I do agree this little chap is lovely and on the rare occasions that I see one in my garden I always watch him with delight.
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy them, now that we have squirrel proof bird feeders -lol. They used to eat all of the food before the birds could get any. Now they patiently wait under the feeder for the birds to drop seeds. When we lived at our previous home we had a white squirrel that hung out around our house. Don't know if you saw this post about it:
ReplyDeletehttp://thecomfortsofhome.blogspot.com/2009/03/meeting-blog-friend-today.html
xo
Penny
He's is a cutie! However, I have to admit to a love/hate relationship with squirrels. We have 40 almond trees, and I don't mind sharing. But, last year we were overtaken by both gray squirrels and ground squirrels (nasty little demons), who got most of our almonds and all of our garden produce! This year, the weather took care of the almonds, and we did not plant a garden, so it appears that most of them have moved on!
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the acorns...
"My" squirrels annoy the devil out of my husband and pup. But I adore watching them. I did find the perfect bird feed (at Whole Foods) that squirrels will not eat and the birds love. I have at least two squirrel nests in the back and one in the front.
ReplyDeleteMy acorns are teeny, tiny this year as well. Hope your Sunday is going well!
Our squirrels come closer to the house in the autumn.. probably looking for last minute food to store away for the winter season. My pups chase them away....they are critter busters. LOL
ReplyDeleteI love your little squirl! I do not have too many at this house but in Florida we had a ton of them and we ended up with a lot more after we raised two babies that fell out of a tree after their mother was run over. Needless to say, our two squirls, Pecan and Paris started to act like teens and "inviting" their friends to parties on our screen porch. One day we had 20 squirrels eating nuts! That was a bit scary.
ReplyDeleteI love those acorns! They look beautiful!
How are the trip preparations?
What a cutie! We don't see many squirrels here, perhaps because of all the flying predators - but we enjoy the many birds that are feasting on the berries these days.
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy watching the squirrels in my yard.... however.... they plant their nuts and seeds in strange places and I have trees coming up in my flower beds!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute little guy. Still hot at home too. Happy Autumn! ~ Sarah
ReplyDeleteHe's so cute! :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Penny I like squirrels more now that I have a squirrel proof feeder.
ReplyDeleteMary,
ReplyDeleteThe photographs are wonderful. When ever I see squirrels they are darting off quickly up a tree or along a wall and out of sight. I was collecting acorns last week. We went for a walk and I filled my pockets weith green acorns, to draw but not found the time, one of my favourite subjects.
Your trip sounds wonderful, wellies and waterproofs, thermals will no doubt play their part. Can't wait to see your photographs when you get back and share the adventure with us.
Had a sunny day today, still cool and you could see how I need to wrap up on the shore. Dark nights here, seems a long time till next summer.
I am starting some knitting, some socks now the cooler weather is on the way. Your humid weather is another world, I do love our British climate, the views always changing and we never know what we are going to get, it is certainly interesting.
Lovely to hear from you. Eileenx
Cute little one, he is. We have them scampering in out yard also. They do love the bird feeders. We have some birds that sit under the feeder and wait for the squirrels to knock the seeds on the ground. Then sometimes the doves will try to scare the squirrels away from the seeds on the ground. It is funny to watch.
ReplyDeleteThere are a ton of squirrels and acorns this year. I could do with less as they like to get into my flower boxes!
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