David and Goliath

Periodically, we go up to the cemetery for the view and to walk beneath the trees.

At this time of year, we collect acorns. The other day we came back with a bagful for the squirrels that live around our property, since we don’t have any oaks.

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Fall, up there, has always been colourful.

This year is alternative.

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Not entirely without merit, but different. Washed out. Tired.

Seems appropriate, this year.

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Wandering about, I always notice something new. This time it was very poignant. One unfortunate family had lost an infant son in 1970 and nine years later a two-year old daughter.

It’s hard to imagine such a pain.

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We carried our bag of acorns home and placed them outside.

Our population of squirrels fluctuates. At times there are easily a dozen rushing about, then overnight they mostly all vanish at once, which is where we are currently.

It wasn’t long, however, before one turned up. Given that we don’t have oak trees nearby, how do these individuals even know that acorns are a good thing?

Grant activated the trail-cam:

A quick lesson on how to unwrap an acorn.

Little Red soon arrived as well.

“You want movies? I give you movies!”

“Watch this…”

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Furthermore…

While I don’t speak squirrel, I rather think those were fighting words!

Little Red always vanquishes the larger greys, the way David slew Goliath.

Between beatings, the squirrels alternately ate or buried their prizes.

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While the squirrels were busy scrapping, Zoomer the chipmunk was on the patio stuffing his cheeks with peanuts.

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When it couldn’t cram another nut in, it zoomed off up Chipmunk Alley to offload in the woodpile, returning seconds later to begin again.

There are three defined paths through the grass. The other two are Skunk Road and Squirrel Highway. They not exclusive and all wildlife uses one of the other without fail. No one ever crosses the grass any other way and when there is snow on the ground, those same pathways are used as if they have their own mini snow plough.

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