I simply meant to raise the window shades, open the drapes and windows, but squirrels with black walnuts in their mouths and tip-toeing into my yard to hide them for the winter always give me a reason to set a spell and watch the show.
While one hopped near my garden, another was in the walnut tree in my neighbor’s yard.
Plop! Roll. Thud. The squirrel in the tree lost a nut. It landed on the roof of my neighbor’s garage, rolled to the ground and landed in the grass. I think it was a ploy for me to watch in that direction and ignore where the squirrel, already in my yard, was headed.
Plop! Roll. Thud. Another lost walnut. I imagined the squirrel in the tree was planning to shake a few loose and then gather them from the ground later. That didn’t happen.
Meanwhile, the other squirrel buried its nut under my pine tree and went back to my neighbor’s yard for another. The squirrel from the tree made its way down the trunk and ducked under the fence. They usually go up and over. Under is funny, too. That squirrel buried its nut in the grass that runs along my driveway.
I think I watched for an hour! It was so entertaining. The squirrels would go back up the walnut tree and once in a while take a leap to the adjacent maple tree, which is where I think their nest is. They didn’t stay in the maple very long. Soon they were back on the ground looking for more nuts and more hiding places. The last squirrel I spotted had two walnuts in its mouth and was headed for another neighbor’s yard. It might be time to draw them a map of where they hid their nuts, like I did last year.
But first, I decided to follow their example and begin the preparations of my own nest for winter. I went to gather my own winter storage of . . . nuts! Filberts, Brazil nuts, cashews GN’s favorite), macadamias, walnuts, pecans, almonds, and peanuts (in the shell and shelled). I seldom bake with them. I usually take a few to work with some dried fruit and I prepare a little bag for Goodnight to toss in her backpack.
Thanks to the squirrels for an entertaining and motivational morning!
Our squirrels are quite cheeky rascals. They also enjoy a good chat. I had a five minute exchange with one just the other day on my way to the car. I chitter at them and they chitter right back at me.