I often just sit in my lounger in the ‘Backyard’, surrounded by the flowers that I have planted and the ones that I talk to, water, weed, and mostly wonder, ‘Why did/do I bother’. Frequently I am visited by the momma squirrel and sometimes by the male squirrel. Rarely by both at the same time cause momma is still trying to figure out how did those little squirrels end up in the nest. Until she figures it out I suspect she will continue to chase him off, well, at least until the next time she gets to feeling amorous. Then the cycle will start all over again.

I am reminded of the time many yrs back when while camped for three days in an RV park high in the Cascade Mountains I was being scolded by a little Pine Squirrel, I suspect because I had invaded his territory. As a piece offering I threw him a peanut, which he promptly picked up and scampered off to either eat it or hide it. I, while sitting at the picnic table soon learned that his scolding now sounded a bit more like “give me another one”. Long story short in just a few tries I had him jumping up on the picnic table, and picking his next peanut out of my breast pocket. He had diligently watched each time I had previously pulled one from that pocket.

On the fourth day after helping this little Pine Squirrel out with more peanuts than he could possibly need for the whole winter, I was preparing the RV to travel on to our next destination and with much loud scolding and foot stomping on the picnic table from my new friend I was aware that he was not happy with my leaving. I bid him a fond farewell and thanked him for the friendship as we drove away.

Now today in the ‘Backyard’ I am slowly working with this momma squirrel on the little feeding station to accept my offerings of peanuts and perhaps one day I will make a new friend.