A couple of weeks ago, I went out to sit on the front porch and enjoy the evening breezes. There on one of my chairs were cracked acorns and some assorted shells -- what a mess! I couldn't figure out how these shells got there. As I looked around the porch expecting to find the answer, my eyes rose up to a wreath I had hung on the wall beside the front door. It is an old pinecone wreath that I bought at the Bindertwine Festival in Kleinburg probably over 25 years ago. Not only was the wreath very old, it was sprayed with a shellac of some type to keep it looking fresh. As I looked at the wreath closely, I saw there was one or two acorns on the wreath at the top, but lower down there were old pieces of glue where obviously acorns had once been. So this solved my problem as to where the shells had come from. Obviously, a squirrel found the acorns and decided I had placed them on the wreath for the sole purpose of providing food for him. So I moved the chair farther away from the wall in an effort to save the rest of my wreath -- but now I will have to find some more acorns to repair the wreath.
In the past few weeks, I have watched the squirrels run across the front porch. They come up the front stairs, look in the front window, and then run around to the side of the porch where I cannot see them. This seems to be a game with them. Well, the other day, a squirrel ran up the stairs with what looked like a small green apple in his mouth. I tapped on the window as I didn't want him sitting on my pretty cushions while eating his apple. So he ran around the side of the porch and I went back to my reading.
The next day I went out to sit on the front porch and enjoy watching the swans and the dragon boat racers practicing for the upcoming festival races. I watched the squirrels frolick in the trees and running across the lawn. As I got up to come in the house, I looked at the wreath to see if any more acorns had been removed. But to my surprise, I found a present -- a small green apple tucked in the bottom of the wreath. I pointed out the apple to my Mom and we had a good laugh about it. Maybe the squirrel was storing it for winter, or maybe he was showing me that he was replacing my acorns with his little apples. Regardless, I threw the apple onto the front lawn so that the squirrel wouldn't come back to have a snack of apples and old acorns.
The next day I went out to sit on the front porch and enjoy watching the swans and the dragon boat racers practicing for the upcoming festival races. I watched the squirrels frolick in the trees and running across the lawn. As I got up to come in the house, I looked at the wreath to see if any more acorns had been removed. But to my surprise, I found a present -- a small green apple tucked in the bottom of the wreath. I pointed out the apple to my Mom and we had a good laugh about it. Maybe the squirrel was storing it for winter, or maybe he was showing me that he was replacing my acorns with his little apples. Regardless, I threw the apple onto the front lawn so that the squirrel wouldn't come back to have a snack of apples and old acorns.
Yesterday, I once again saw the squirrel scampering across the front porch, with an apple in his mouth, he stopped in front of the window as if to show me what he had, and then continued on around the porch. Last night we went out to sit on the front porch -- and guess what we found! Another green apple -- but this time it was tucked in between some brochures on Perth County in our magazine rack. Maybe he was leaving it there so later on he would have a snack when he was going through our brochures -- perhaps looking for a new supply of apples in the County!
For some reason that I don't understand, the squirrels in Stratford act very differently than I have ever seen before. The squirrels typically don't run down the trees, but they kind of slither. They stretch out their little bodies and lie flat and kind of slide down the trees. When you look at them up in the limbs of the tall trees, they are again lying flat -- perhaps they are afraid of heights and think they won't fall off if they lie flat. Anywyas, it's a hoot to watch them slither and lay down, then slither on to their next resting place. I remember in Kleinburg that the squirrels would climb up the apple tree, find a great apple at the top of the tree and then sit there and chomp away.
Kleinburg Squirrels Eating atop the Apple Tree
Stratford squirrels are a kind all of their own! I have yet to see a local squirrel eat up in a tree. They always eat at the bottom of the tree (perhaps hiding from the other squirrels while they chomp down on their new find) or, apparently, on my front porch.
Take a look at the hands and especially the feet of this Stratford squirrel -- his feet look so big compared to his tiny stature. I'm not sure what he is eating here in front of the house, but he is definitely not letting my picture-taking deter him from his meal.
Take a look at the hands and especially the feet of this Stratford squirrel -- his feet look so big compared to his tiny stature. I'm not sure what he is eating here in front of the house, but he is definitely not letting my picture-taking deter him from his meal.
So we all have fun with the squirrels! The squirrels even tease our dog, Maggey, as soon as she goes out in the backyard with Dawna. The squirrels hear the back door open and they run to the base of the big trees in the yard. As soon as they make eye contact with Maggey, they scramble up about 5' with their bellies laying flat against the trunk and turn around. Maggey takes a few steps closer to them, and they take a few steps down the trunk, then they run up a few feet, always keeping their eyes on her. This goes on for a few minutes and then Maggey decides enough is enough and off she goes to find something else to amuse her. It is like they want to tease her so that she will come and play with them.
Today, as I was finishing this blog, I went to sit out on the porch for a bit of fresh air. I was thinking about how crazy these squirrels are and how much enjoyment I get watching them. I also thought I probably shouldn't have moved the apple from the wreath -- though I really don't want the squirrels eating my wreath. I got up to go inside and stopped in my tracks. Yes -- the green apple was back in the wreath! I laughed and asked everyone "Who put the apple back?" but everyone denied it! So now they probably think I am a little nutty over this apple! I decided to leave the apple for now -- perhaps when I fix the damage to the wreath, then I will get rid of the apple. But for now, I don't mind sharing my front porch with my new furry friends!
Today, as I was finishing this blog, I went to sit out on the porch for a bit of fresh air. I was thinking about how crazy these squirrels are and how much enjoyment I get watching them. I also thought I probably shouldn't have moved the apple from the wreath -- though I really don't want the squirrels eating my wreath. I got up to go inside and stopped in my tracks. Yes -- the green apple was back in the wreath! I laughed and asked everyone "Who put the apple back?" but everyone denied it! So now they probably think I am a little nutty over this apple! I decided to leave the apple for now -- perhaps when I fix the damage to the wreath, then I will get rid of the apple. But for now, I don't mind sharing my front porch with my new furry friends!
Cheers for now!
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