Strange Happenings

Breaking: Sudden Crater Formations in Oakland Mills Yard!

I walked out of the house yesterday to this--

Animal tracks? One very large footprint? Two large footprints?

I looked around. More holes in the yard, in no particular formation. Holes, holes, holes. What the heck?

And then I remembered something my husband had said the day before.

I just found an unopened bag of almonds in my office, so I put some out in the yard for the local wildlife. This little guy came right up to me (closer than I've ever seen a squirrel come) and looked me right in the eyes as if to say "Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Mr. Dude!"

So the squirrel buried them all Saturday and dug them up Sunday. Lack of patience? Intense hunger? Obsessive compulsive behavior? Or--horrors!--a squirrel thief? I hope not.

I have always loved squirrels, as did my mother before me. She used to make them little peanut butter sandwiches with the heel ends of the bread, and they would come to the back door and take them right out of her hand. She once called the nature center because she was concerned that a squirrel was licking a tree in our backyard. It turned out to be a sugar maple--smart squirrel.

Finding out that my husband has a soft spot for squirrels, too, was wonderful. I'm not sure that he knew until that little guy came right up to him and established eye contact. Bingo! He was done for.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go make some peanut butter sandwiches.

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