Super-Squirrel
You remember Squiggy? Our poor, tuckered out squirrel? He featured prominently a few posts ago, back when I was all ga-ga with love for the creepy critters that share our outdoor space.
I assumed then that this lazy backyard beast just needed to take a load off. You know how it is what with birds to chase and nuts to gather and gardens to plunder. A squirrel gets tired.
But no, apparently lazy Squiggy was just resting up for the big fall event… Sunflower Tipping.
Oh yeah, it’s all the rage in suburbia.
The super-squirrels lay in wait, nibbling nuts or stealing apples while us hair-brain humans dig, and plant, and water, and weed.
Ever the enthusiast to play the stupid human, we did just that. We planted, we watered, we weeded and we waited. Despite the hours we put in, I was still surprised (shocked, really, though that sounds a little strong) when these beautiful, enormous, strong flowers poked their sunny heads out alongside our driveway.
The kids used them as measuring sticks. We lined up in front of them each day to marvel over their growth (the flowers, not the children.) See how they stand, strong and stately?
Or should I say, stood, formerly strong and no longer stately.
What we didn’t account for was Super Squirrel, able to leap tall stems in a single bound. I came outside to meet the school bus yesterday, just in time for the big event. Here’s how it unfolded:
Super Squirrel darted out from the shade of the crab apple tree, correcting for wind on the run. In one giant pounce, he sprang up from the grass and landed 3/4 of the way up the sunflower stalk. From this position he slowly ooched his way up towards the head, rocking the stem until it tipped towards the ground. At this point he grabbed the flower, stuck his pointy nose inside, and started to feed on our hard won sunflower seeds.
We screamed, waved our arms, and shooed the Olympian back from whence he came. But as he slunk off he cast a backward glance. And I saw it. That smug smirk on his pompous little rodenty face.
Oh no you didn’t. Bring it Squiggy. It is so on.
7 Replies to “Super-Squirrel”
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Man – they’re tricky! Watch out – sometimes they work in pairs…
You need to pick up ‘Outwitting Squirrels’ – the author’s last name is Adler. I used to work for him at a DC book packager and there is a whole series including ‘Outwitting Toddlers’ and ‘Outwitting your Neighbors’..
“ooched”…I like it.
Oh dear. I still think the squirrel looks so cute lounging outside your home. And those sunflowers are beautiful!!
Those pesky creatures…. I was talking with a girlfriend who literally is trapping chipmunks and then her husband relocates them in a field somewhere. They can just be so destructive to our gardens and our fun.
reminds me of Mom and the cutworms. You have to have so many sunflowers that they cannot fall. G-P M
I love the sunflowers!! I hope that the Bieners and the sunflowers win.