My New Blankets

Ok, this has absolutely nothing to do with my garden, but I have to write about it anyways {big grin}. Danny and the kids got me three new blankets this last week. They are marvelously soft. Two of them are blue, twin sized. We got them for curling up on the couch. The other one is a full sized, green that is similar in tone to the background color of this blog. I love it! :)

Another Bungee Squirrel Feeder Update

I raised the bell a few days ago. At this height, they have to either climb down the cord/chain to the bell, or jump for it. Up until this afternoon they had been cautious. Today a squirrel jumped up and grabbed on. He went swinging and bouncing. It was great! :) He clung on until it stopped swaying and then started eating.

Little Furry Critters

I managed to spot a rabbit, a chipmunk, and a black squirrel today! :) Actually, this black squirrel is more of a very dark brown, and his tummy is a sable color. Our other black squirrels have been a glossy black. It is funny to watch the chipmunk, he blends in perfectly with the sparrows of which there are many today (I lost count at about 75).

Late Bloom

Sammy

This is one of my favorite squirrels. She is a gray squirrel that is in the process of phasing into (or out of) being a black squirrel.


She has lost over half her tail somehow. It is still bloody, but she alert and active. I'm glad she seems to be hungry, I'll take that as a good sign that she is on the road to recovery.

This One Rings a Bell...

This squirrel managed to chew off enough of the seed bell to get it to fall off. As you can see the chunk was rather large, but somehow he managed to carry it to the fence, and after several attempts, managed to get it up and over the wall!

Bungee Squirrel Feeder Update

The squirrels have finially figured this thing out. I need to take the next step and suspend it a bit higher so that they have to jump for it. :)

Fall Tasks

I have gotten a good start on my fall task list, at least in the front yard.

Yesterday I completed the following:
Edged the borders
Cut back dead leaves on hostas and irises
Planted cold hardy flowers
Reseeded & fertilized the front lawn
Mulched flower beds

It looks so much better! :)

Black Squirrel cont.

He is sitting on the ground under the squirrel feeder eating the sunflower seeds that drop from above. There is a regular squirrel eating there. The black squirrel's tail is rapidly getting covered with empty seed shells. He doesn't seem to mind when they land on him one at a time, but the squirrel above him just shifted a bit, and sent a shower of them raining down. This resulted in an alarmed response, and of course some chattering. All is back to normal in a moment though. At least the excitement had the effect of shaking the seed shells out of his tail. :)

Cantaloupe Harvest

The cantaloupe vines no longer own the area around my rose bushes (or the rock garden, or the air conditioner, or the deck)!

Black squirrel returns!

He came prancing along the fence yesterday, and ended up spending the majority of the morning exploring all the food and water sources in the back yard. It was wonderful. :)

Right after I published this post he showed up again! He was hanging over the fence, drinking from the new bird bath. He is remarkably shiny. :)

He seems much more exploritory than our other squirrels. Right now he is romping all over the garden, sniffing at this and that, and climbing over everything. I have a very hard time turning away from the window when he is out there.

Side note:Blue jays really are remarkably beautiful when they swoop into the garden with the morning sun shining on their fully spread wings.

Regretfully, I must go about my morning. I leave my little black squirrel, nibbling the sunflower seeds that have fallen amongst my impatiens. He's such a helpful little fellow! :)