August Nature Notes and a tough nut to crack!

 Yes, I know, it's a love/hate thing when it comes to squirrels in your garden.

Personally I love them because they are incredibly smart little guys who

 don't scare me. 

As long as they have food available, thanks to nut bearing trees, bird feeding people,
 and fruit, seed, and berry growing gardeners, they don't really cause a problem.

They don't hurt the garden birds, just chase them around a bit, and do a good

 clean up job under the feeders. If you really don't want squirrels near your 

house just discontinue feeding the birds - but to me that's sad because every 

garden needs beautiful songbirds.

Yesterday morning, on opening the blinds, who did I see but this messy guy. 

He/she was well into what looked like a lengthy feast on a hickory nut breakfast,

 and leaving a real mess. Stayed such a long time and didn't mind me snapping

 away through the kitchen window allowing me to get some nice closeup shots.

Not long after I took these photos I saw a young fox trot across the back garden. 

My little chipmunk has been showing up to nibble under the bird feeders so I'm a bit

 nervous for 'Chippy'. Fortunately he runs a mile a minute!  

Circling above is the screeching red-tailed hawk, and the accompanying crows

 cawing at him. Some birds who seemed to disappear during the heatwave,

 such as chickadees, are showing up again. Sadly, butterflies are few but there is

 a beautiful Black Swallowtail laying eggs on my dill plants. . . . . . . .and, always a thrill, 

two ruby-throated humming birds are showing up at their feeder on the front porch.

What's up in your garden?  

Are you, like me, awaiting cooler weather so the garden becomes more hospitable

 to work in and enjoy?  For me that really doesn't begin until after the first frost

 (a long way off, usually around first week of November here). Then, thankfully, we will

 see an end to mosquitoes as Autumn leaves start to fall. . . . . . and spending time

raking will be pleasant in cool temperatures.

My thoughts and prayers continue for all in Texas who are impacted
by the continuing effects of Hurricane Harvey, a truly devastating storm.

How can you not. . . . . . . . .

LOVE them?

And, when you have a slew of nuts left from the holidays what do you do?  Despite two nutcrackers in the kitchen drawer I, like most people, find cracking iron-hard nuts a real pain/tough job, so what do you do but share with the Eastern Grey Squirrels - or whichever version you have in your area - who are eating your birdseed like there's no tomorrow! 

We watched from the kitchen windows, thinking that if a squirrel can gnaw through a hard hickory nut, as they do, it could manage an almond easily. I lined up four on the deck rail and before I was back in the house, this chubby, bushy tailed, sparkle in the eye guy showed up! Long story short, he/she picked up each one, tossed it around in it's little sharp claws, sniffed, licked, then jumped down and went and buried each one in the garden! It was quite funny to watch and at least I managed to get some photos through the window.

Of course once the nut burying was over, this cute rodent was back at the bird feeders. . . . . and, just like their busy acorn burying back in the Fall, it's said by people who know the ways of our wildlife friends, they never actually find them again, or dig them up and prepare them for a springtime luncheon or a summer night party!  

~~~ Almond trees do have lovely blossoms I believe ~~~