Squirrel Truce

I awoke to the squirrels yelling at my window. I hadn't fed them since they vandalized my screen door in January. I used to feed them regularly with my leftover granola bits and broken pieces of nuts. Honestly, I gave them whole, perfect nuts too. I like sharing with animals. They run and hop about the back yard and are so cute. It is fun to watch. They like my treats and I appreciate their entertaining show. I kept a ziplock bag full of these treats in the freezer and fed them all in the morning. That was until they started acting like wild animals.

The last time I fed them I left the bag with all the treats out in the Florida room. I went about my business not thinking about the nutty goodness. The next day when I went outside to say good morning to the squirrels, it was as if I entered a crime scene. There was a perfectly round squirrel-sized hole nibbled out of the screen and it was pushed slightly out. Little nibble-sized bits of the black screen lay like a jigsaw puzzle pieces scattered across the floor. It was then that I remembered that I left the bag of treats outside and looked for the bag.

Where was it? It wasn't where I left it! I looked all around the little Florida room. I found it dragged off of the coffee table and sitting chewed open near the door. It had been chewed through with the same little bite marks and most of its contents missing.

Thieves.

I looked around to see if there were a bloated, unconscious squirrel laying somewhere close by, blissed out from binging on organic nuts and oats. Think Homer Simpson. Sadly, no. My cartoon imagination, once again, is so much better than real life.

It was then that I broke off relations with the squirrel community. I know, kinda cruel, but they could have bit the hand that fed them..I know, I know, they are just little animals doing their little animal thing. But what if the door had been left open and the kitties were outside? My thoughts raced to all sorts of kitty/squirrel diseases and fears about the rodents. What if one of them had harness Little Man and rode him like a horse? Or the beautiful Puff? What if one of them cornered her while smoking a cigarette , drinking a beer and she couldn't get away? She is so tiny and perfect and the squirrels have a pretty raucous reputation. No. Too risky.

No more squirrels.

Yesterday, while writing outside, I noticed how skinny the squirrels had gotten and there were some little babies now and I could see one of the mommas was nursing and they were still looking around in my little backyard zone for nuts and oats. They had communicated with me. I saw their family grow and they were hungry. I mean, how can a squirrel eat a coconut? I know they like nuts and all, but rolling that big thing back to the nest, cracking it open...hell, it's hard for a human! How can a little squirrel do it?

And then I remembered how one of their clan was taken away last week by the Hawk. So when I heard them calling me this morning I didn't think twice about rummaging through the freezer to see what kinda of nuts and granola I had laying around.

I had plenty. Plus I have all this food I either have to eat or get rid of or pack in a short period of time. This is the part I hate with moving. Looking at all the food I buy that I think I will eat but never do...like refried beans. Who do I think I am? I don't even eat them when in Mexican restaurants. I prefer whole beans, not mushed up ones with lard.

So I called a truce. I cleaned out my freezer this morning (just the nuts and granola part) and made a new bag of treats for the squirrels. I'll be feeding them until I leave plus I added some flax seeds...good fiber for the little guys and babies...high in Omega 3 which will keep their spirits lifted while I am gone.

I'm going to miss this little place. It has been a good slice of nature for me to heal.

So much love,
All the way from here...
Linda