Where Every Squirrel Knows Your Name

This is just a frivilous blog today about the joy of sitting on my deck and watching critters of all kinds come to visit. When I got up this morning, Ben the rat (our new neighbor whose home is this narrow burrow he made under our outside air conditioning unit) was sharing the birdseed with Templeton (our name for whatever squirrel happens to be dining in at the time). Later, as I had my lunch outside, I watched grackles, cardinals, wrens, and mourning doves take their turns at the feeder. At first they did not want to approach, flying past the deck on several runs. Perched in the tree in the common area, they all loudly tweeted their protests of my presence on the deck. When they realized I was not going anywhere with my glass of Pinot Noir and red quinoa salad, they risked it all and came to eat. Later in the day, as I passed the deck door and looked out, I saw Chippie the Chipmunk (yes, I know, our names for our animal neighbors are abyssmally unoriginal!)snuggled on the rim of the feeder, stuffing his cheeks with seeds. I happily delight in the idea that my deck and birdfeeder is the CHEERS bar of the animal kingdom in my town. I still fondly think of those moments during our February blizzard when so many of these animals ate together, the cardinals AND the squirrels AND the chipmunks. Everyone huddled together to eat and survive. I would like to think they are grateful for the human efforts to keep them fed, but I know I am anthromorphizing. I CAN say with certainty that all these beautiful creatures, small, furry, beady-eyed, red-feathered, bring me the greatest joy in this life.