Friendly Squirrel Brings a Guest to Supper
This crazy squirrel has no fear. She would walk right inside our house if we let her. Of course she has no idea how big a disaster that would be - we have six cats.
I have had a few challenges while I have been finishing the back door we just installed. This friendly squirrel, hence forth called Muffin, has been wanting peanuts as payment for staying out of the house and out of my way, and all the cats have been trying to get past me to get Muffin.
After about twenty minutes of this she ran off only to return a few minutes later with an old friend, my little blind squirrel! I hadn't seen this squirrel in a couple years! I was so glad to see him again. He used to be a garden regular, but disappeared about the same time Sammy did. Muffin really was leading him to my yard. She would stop every few moments and make sure Blinkin was following her. Several times Blinkin, who was actually following quite closely, nearly ran into her.
Muffin (left) and Blinkin (right) making tracks to the food.
The blind squirrel, Blinkin, which is actually only blind in his right eye, probably got hurt by the same hawk that was messing with my squirrels and birds back in 2004. The original injury extended from just below his eye, across it, and nearly up to his ear. It looked awful, and I was afraid he would not only loose the eye, but might develop an infection and die, but he didn't. Week after week he came back for food and treats. His wound healed completely and his eye turned white, but he did not loose it.
After Muffin directed Blinkin to the top of the shed where I had placed a bunch of treats, Muffin ran off and hunkered down in a nearby tree to keep watch while Blinkin ate his fill. The little rascal seemed to remember me, and didn't mind that I got rather close to take the picture.
Of course no squirrel encounter would be complete without this fellow showing up for dessert. :-)