Those darn ardillas!

This morning Dad/Larry/Gpa and I chuckled over memories of Grandma Doodie doing friendly battle with the squirrels in her yard, trying every bird feeder design she could find to keep the critters out so birdies could eat safely and not run out of food during one of those infamous Buffalo winters. We have benefited from her extensive experimentation, managing to thwart the squirrels' efforts with one particular type of bird feeder. Until today.

Here is the culprit. Sorry you have to look through the screen, but this little guy would've fled if I'd gone outside.

The squirrel managed to problem-solve successfully because of the placement of the feeder. He could hang off a limb of the magnolia bush and pull the feeder toward him to release birdseed. That darn ardilla! So smart! Dad/Larry/Gpappy said he'd allow the squirrel to finish breakfast before relocating the feeder to a less accessible spot.

The title of this blog entry is a reference to a picture book Hannah and Vivi will recognize.  Those Darn Squirrels!  is known by its Spanglish name -- Those Darn Ardillas! -- to those of us who've read it with H and V. The squirrels in this story are ingenious. They use their understanding of physics to outsmart Old Man Fookwire's squirrel-proof bird feeders. I know a squirrel who must've read this story recently.

While I'm writing about squirrels, I have to mention Scaredy Squirrel. Scaredy has OCD and agoraphobia, but is loveable and cute.

 

And then there is Bushy Tail Squirrel, who could teach Scaredy a thing or two about venturing out into the world. Lots of squirrel facts in this book written by a St. Peter author and friend.

 

I feel like I'm putting together a book set to use for a methods class. Sorry, but I can't help it sometimes. Time to go check on our friendly squirrel. He's probably emptied the feeder by now. That darn ardilla! 

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Within a few minutes of posting this entry, my friend Mary O. sent me an email-- and here it is!

Here's a poem to add to your squirrel entry:

Gray squirrel, gray squirrel, swish your bushy tail.
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel, swish your bushy tail.
Hold a nut between your toes,
Wrinkle up your funny nose.
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel, swish your bushy tail!

Another good piece of literature....
Squirrels by Brian Wildsmith

Love this book as along with the antics it shows our bushy tailed friends exhibiting, it provides "hard evidence" (something we seem to like), of the reasons behind those behaviors.