My friend, the red squirrel

Tuesday, 2:05 pm

By Kate

Mar

10

2009

I noticed earlier that my red squirrel has discovered my car. I don’t think that’s a good thing. He has been scurrying around the driveway, picking up bits of I-don’t-know-what to nibble on and then scampers back to perch on top of a wheel. Periodically he disappears and then jumps down onto the top of the wheel and down to the ground again. Which leads me to think he’s found a place in the car somewhere to stash his goodies. I presume there’s a pile of stuff somewhere in the engine compartment. I hope this has not involved chewing on anything to make a better hidey-hole. Oh dear. Why did a red squirrel have to choose my stuff to mess with? I definitely need a dog. One that scares the absolute pudding out squirrels and instills deep respect for property rights in the rest of the local wildlife.

This is not a good enough reason to get a dog, probably. Since Terry has been gone, though, the critter population has exploded in my yard. In a couple of weeks, the skunks will be back and without a scary dog around, they’ll take over the place. And then the woodchucks. And the rabbits. With all that going on, I’ll be lucky to have anything besides bare dirt where plants are supposed to be growing. Have I convinced you that I need a dog yet? I think I’ve convinced myself.