Are we heading for another wet Spring like last year?
That turned out to be a blessing, considering the drought that followed.
In our recent travels around the now snow-free countryside we noticed quite a few fields of crops that were never harvested, presumably because there was no market for them.
Life never seems to get easier for farmers.
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Yesterday I mentioned that I had a new creature to write about.
This is not it, but offered as a comparison.
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And also because everyone seems to like Little Red.
This isn’t it either, but to show that they vary a little.
Not usually, however, as much as this:
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One afternoon I noticed the above little chap sitting on the patio and did a double take.
It had the look of a Little Red and a hint of that colour while being predominantly grey.
And it was much larger than Little Red, though not the size of a grey squirrel.
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Had there been a little inter-species flirtation?
No. According to the internet they are not reproductively compatible.
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A few days later the above individual appeared.
Judging from its size, I thought it was the same odd creature, but comparing the pictures, this one appears to be more red.
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Neither one offered me a decent pose.
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“Original” Little Red was far more cooperative. I think she enjoyed being photographed.
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In many of the photos I have of her, Original Red appears to smile for the camera.
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Her grandchildren pose nicely too.
The internet tells me that Adirondack red squirrels vary in colour and that in *size they range from 10 to 16 inches, so there was nothing, actually very odd about our new visitors after all.
(*Presumably measured from nose tip to end of tail)
But I like noticing, comparing and keeping track of my little friends.
If I ever stop, it will be time to check out.
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How could you not notice this eccentric arrangement?
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There is nothing wrong with being different, I assured her.
And I am hardly going to criticise anyone else’s hair style.
My hair dresser retired with the coming of COVID and I’ve not been respectable since.
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Someone told Zoomer the chipmunk that stripes make you look fat, but they don’t worry about appearances.
Their next meal and staying clear of Mr Cooper the hawk is all they have time for.
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I love to see the Red Squirrels and Chipmunks because we would never see them where I live. We do feed the local Greys, and get some pleasure from their antics, but I wish we still had Red Squirrels in our part of Norfolk.
Best wishes, Pete.
Thank you, Carolyn, for the wonderful photos of all the squirrels and chipmunks! I do my own hair and don’t bother with hairdressers!
Please note that due to local works, I will not have electricity or internet and won’t be able to read any posts.
Joanna
😍
Mr Zoomer is right, of course. Stuffing your face is the most part of life. People can say what they want about stripes–they will always be in fashion. I like that spiky tail. I wish I had hair like that but Indian women are supposed to have long hair and spiky long hair can be a bit much. Sigh!
You’re right, ‘Original’ Little Red is definitely not shy about posing for you and your camera (stunning photos by the way). And Zoomer doesn’t need to worry too much about stripes making you look fat – I read somewhere that vertical stripes are better than horizontal stripes 😁.