A new little one - - - - - -

 A big question for us has always been "why do we never see any baby squirrels in

 our garden?". 

We have dozens of these furry creatures who nest in our big oaks, then appear

 at the feeders, chase one another up, down and around tree trunks, sit on our

 deck rails gnawing through iron-hard hickory nuts, bury acorns hither and thither, 

drink from the birdbaths, clatter across the cottage roof etc. . . . . . but they're 
always fully grown, some very old with battle scars and sometimes even
 open wounds. . . . . . we've just never seen a cute little new one. . . . . 
 . . . . . UNTIL ABOUT A WEEK AGO!

It's hard to show a size comparison because this little guy always comes to eat

 alone - no parents, siblings or buddies apparently.  He/she is about half the

 size of the adults so I'm presuming perhaps several months old. I can walk up

 close while it nibbles on bird seed and crumbled suet cake (have not seen it try

 to tackle the feeders yet!), then it runs to this tree trunk and hangs out until I 

move away, then back to nibble the seeds. Talking to it doesn't scare it away

 either, it seems to listen intently to all I say!

This cutie is the perfect little bright-eyed grey squirrel - no cuts, scrapes, 

missing chunks of fur . . . . . . . and sports a beautiful bushy tail.

Of course I know it will grow larger and look just like all the other squirrels out
 there - but I do hope I can continue to recognize it and that it will stay in our garden.

I'm scattering a few tasty nuts under the feeder - perhaps it will then
know it's very welcome.

I'm thinking of a name for this new visitor - any suggestions?