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We’ve had a banner crop of grey squirrels this year.
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I know people hate them because they eat the bird seed, but I love watching their acrobatics.
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And they can shimmy up a pole faster than any stripper.
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Our guys are well fed.
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And don’t even bother burying anything for winter.
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😊
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It’s been squirrel central at Casa River lately.
Our beef feeder pole is out in the open, and with our resident hawk patrolling the skies we usually only have a single squirrel show up to nosh.
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Seven is a record.
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But after something scared the others away one brave little guy took advantage.
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I know people hate squirrels because they eat the bird seed, but we’re equal opportunity feeders here and all critters are welcome.
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I enjoy watching their gymnastic performances.
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Rats with bushy tails?
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Maybe.
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But they’re still sweeties.
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While the red squirrels are a constant unwelcome chewing, gnawing, destructive menace… our gray visitors provide hours of entertainment.
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I know we’re in the minority here, but we don’t mind squirrels eating from our feeders.
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They’re usually content to perch in the flat ones and happily munch away, but the other day this fellow was determined to get the last few seeds out of the carriage feeder and that proved more challenging.
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Gravity be damned.
And just when he figured it out?
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Squirrel #2 arrived and kicked him off.
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Undeterred… our intrepid acrobat regrouped and moved on to the suet.
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Gray squirrels….
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Ya gotta love them.
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Our farming neighbor across the street has a sense of humor.
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Winter can be long in Maine.
It helps to laugh.
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What is it they say…
Necessity is the mother of invention.
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A squirrel, on a squirrel statue.
It’s not often you find that kind of symmetry in life.
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Anyone else old enough to remember these little torture chamber boxes?
Research was time consuming when I was young.
🤣
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I read an article the other day that has me a bit worried.
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Long time readers will know we have had intense battles over the years with a certain female squirrel we call the Red B*tch.
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But after reading this…
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We may have to rethink our strategy.
😳
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Just a few things that made me chuckle.
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Dan…
I think you need to invest in one of these.
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Vegetarian Vampires?
If you don’t think that’s odd enough, check out their 4 legged rooster pets.
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I never doubted this.
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This is news?
Heck, I think we’ve all kissed a pig or two in our dating days.
And speaking of pigs…
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I’ve never really thought about a vacation in the Bahamas, but if you can swim with wild pigs…. Why not?
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Let’s start with my candy cane dianthus.
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It may not taste like peppermint, but it always puts on a show.
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My lovely line of what once were bushy, thick and healthy marigolds has been nibbled to shreds. Don’t listen to gardeners who tell you nothing will eat them. The woodchucks are dining al fresco as we speak.
I realize I haven’t done an update on my husband’s sister lately. There’s never anything good to report, but life goes on.
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Here’s a sad picture… my husband cutting up the food his sister won’t eat at the nursing home. Hard to believe she’s the younger sibling of the two. There’s no good news here, she’s terminal and hanging on even though she doesn’t want to. Her breathing is labored and painful and yet she tries to bum cigarettes from nurses and other patients. We visit once or twice a week and try to be cheerful but making conversation with someone who’s every other sentence is about wanting to die is heartbreaking. It’s such a sad situation and at this point, though I hate to admit it… her passing will almost be a blessing.
On a happier note I bring you squirrel splooting.
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Yes, that’s what it’s called when squirrels lay flat on their bellies to cool off.
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In other news our local pub has a bartender who experiments with alcohol infusions. I’m happy to say the strawberry mint rum was a winner and makes a fabulous mojito.
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I should know, I had three… alongside some wonderful warm pretzel bites with beer cheese.
👍
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Now that the apple tree (I didn’t plant but grows better than those I do) is spreading it’s branches we have more squirrels coming to visit our feeders.
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We have a wide open backyard and they prefer tree cover for safety. Like this hefty momma hanging out on the garden bed border.
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What a chonk!
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This my friend, is the perfect bowl of chowder. Found at the Freeport Cafe, an unassuming little place on Route 1.
Thick, rich, creamy and loaded with clammy goodness. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Driving along Maine’s back roads you never have to wonder where the rednecks live.
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They tend to leave their calling card.
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Smaller than the pileated, but still pretty.
He’s called the Red Bellied Woodpecker. Though I never have figured out why.
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She’s still here, and still teasing my boy.
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Her presence on the deck drives His Lordship positively bonkers.
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She knows he can’t reach her and seems to take perverse pleasure at his agitation.
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What a witch.
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Is it me, or does she look ready to breed again?
🥴
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During a recent walk with the husband, Lord Dudley Mountcatten spotted my arch enemy.
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Brazen as could be, Momma Red wasn’t disturbed by his presence and stayed in the feeder happily munching seed.
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His Highness stalked and crept closer.
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But she knew he was inexperienced and bided her time.
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Until he was literally right underneath her and she dove over him to reach the safety of the woodshed… where she sat on a high log and chattered at him.
The bitch was laughing, I know it.
Needless to say I was extremely disappointed with His Lordship’s technique …. and purchased a training tool forthwith.
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Okay, technically it’s a flying squirrel. But the size and color are close enough to stand in for that furry red demon for some close quarter combat drills.
Training begins tomorrow.
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River's world..... 