The quieter you become the more you can hear ~ Ram Dass



Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Alphabe-Thursday

For this week for the letter S,  I chose the word squirrels. and my stormy feelings for them.

When we lived in our old house the lady a few doors down would feed the squirrels all the time. If she wasn't fast enough, they would climb her patio screen door just to let her know they were waiting. I was very surprised that they would do that. 

I still lived on that street and my son was little.  I was taking him for a walk in the stroller one day around the block.  I was on the street where I was going to turn on to my street and what did I see, a squirrel in the middle of the sidewalk.  I kept walking thinking the squirrel was going to scamper off but it was strange, he didn't, he just stayed there.  I stopped.  The squirrel and I had a stare down to see who was going to be the first to flinch.  It was me.  I then went to the sidewalk across the street.  That darn squirrel followed me and stood his ground again.  Another stare down LOL.  Back I went to the other sidewalk and sure enough - stare down.  I turned myself around and went back the way I came.  I couldn't believe it but I was scared of it.  I was seriously afraid it was sick and if I would have pushed the issue it could have jumped right in the stroller.

Since we've lived at this house there's been other things that squirrels have done that have ruffled my feathers. 
Every year my husband plants sunflowers in the front yard. They are always spectacular.   Every year when they are done, he cuts them off and puts them on the back fence for the birds and squirrels to eat.  The last couple of years though the squirrels can't wait and chomp them off the stocks.  So not cool.

If you've read my blog this might be a repeat but it still ticks me off.  Two years ago when my husband planted our garden something was stealing our tomatoes.  It was something sly, savvy and sinister.  This was the first time in all the years we lived here this happened.  We couldn't figure out what scoundrel was taking them off the vines.  Sometimes they were left on the ground with a big piece taken out and sometimes they were totally gone.   My husband called me outside one evening when he was sitting on the back porch.   Lo and behold, there was a sneaky squirrel up in a tree eating a big tomato. I was shocked because I didn't realize they would eat them.  I was also sorrowful because if you've ever had a bird feeder, you know they are smart and they've got skills.  There is no way to stop them once they have their sights set on something.  We had significantly less tomatoes that year.  You can barely make it out but here's a picture of the squirrel with the tomato lol.  
I looked on the internet about tomato thieving squirrels and found many people complaining about squirrels taking their tomatoes.  Who knew it was such a big problem.  Luckily, last year they stayed away from the tomatoes.  I don't know what will happen this year.

I know there are squirrel fans that are probably reading this and have a different perspective than me.  I really do like squirrels as long as they are at a distance and not eating our tomatoes LOL.

Go on to Jenny Matlocks and see what others have posted for their S words for Alphabe-Thursday.  I can hardly believe there are only 7 more weeks left of Alphabe-Thursday.  http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2010/05/alphabe-thursday-s.html

37 comments:

Maggie said...

All I can say is I'm glad we don't have squirrels around here! It's hard enough to grow tomatoes in this climate without a greenhouse, if I had to deal with squirrels too I would just give up.
Thanks for an interesting read on a very grey morning in Normandy.
~Maggie~

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

When I was younger, I thought they were cute. Now I think of them as destructive rats.

Unknown said...

Squirrels are such bold creatures. I have had encounters with them too.

Julie Kwiatkowski Schuler said...

We have a lot of squirrels, too. But they never ate my tomatoes. They are cheeky. I should trap em and fry em.

Unknown said...

Superb S-story!
I never knew that squirrels even like tomatoes!
I had lots of animals on my R-post last week, but this week I have none, even though there are some really interesting S-animals, not just squirrels, but sables, snakes, starfish, sea-horses and sheep!

I owe you a comment for "R". But I will get back to the Rs soon. Thanks for visiting my R-post!
Best wishes,
Anna

Anna's S-words

~✽Mumsy✽~ said...

I can totally testify to the pesky squirrels since I have many of them around here! They ate all my vegetables before I have a chance to even see them..

laterg8r said...

love your squirrel stare down LOL :D

Tracy said...

Squirrels wahat a pain and to think they are dwindling not quick enough they should be like the dinosaur

Tina said...

I didn't know that squirrels at tomatoes! We've always had raccoon problems instead. I wish you and your tomatoes well this gardening season!

Cathryn said...

The squirrel staredown was funny! Thanks for this story--we had a pet squirrel when I was a kid. They can be fascinating creatures!

Kat said...

They are cute, but they are also a major pain in the patooty. We've just about given up on feeding the birds, because the fat little stinkers literally sit in the feeder chowing down. I had no idea they would steal tomatoes! Kathy

Short and Sweet said...

Loved your squirrel story. I never knew that squirrels could be so pesky or persistent!

lissa said...

I didn't even know squirrels like to eat tomatoes, from the perspective of the squirrels, perhaps they couldn't get their usual food

thanks for your visit

Jenny said...

Here in Arizona I have only seen a squirrel in our yard one time. That surprises me because we have big trees and lots of grass and water sources.

But I'm glad we don't have them.

I remember they got into everything in the garden when we lived in Ohio! They were definitely pesty little things!

Thanks for such a different post on our little journey through Alphabe-Thursday's letter "S".

I have this visual of them with small chainsaws cutting down the sunflower stalks! ha!

A+

Cheryl said...

Yep, I love 'em. They are clowns and that's all that counts. Last summer I coulda killed one little bugger but we made peace. Then a fairy diddle showed up and the fun really began.

So sorry they've driven you nuts. Oh, I would have been afraid of a squirrel that bold too. It's one thing for them to get close when there's food and you've trained them. That, my friend, is quite another.

H said...

I love squirrels; but my friend, who has a squirrel invasion in his loft, would not agree!

Debbiedoos said...

I have to say Vikki as cute as they look, they are little boogers...they ate my seat cushions a couple of weeks ago right off the outdoor chairs....Good post very good S!~

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

There is a natural spray you can use for squirrels - Liquid Fence for Squirrels. We use the one for deer and it works fabulously. Smells bad for a few minutes and then no scent - but the deer have left our yard alone - at last.

VKT said...

I am with you when it comes to squirrels....grrrrrrrrr! They crawl in our gutters in the winter and run back and forth keeping us awake. I just don't like them. I think I would have been afraid that the squirrel had rabies that time when you were with your baby...creepy!

Unknown said...

We don't have many at this house, but we had a million of them around our last house. Thankfully, our yellow lab would chase them away. Our yellow dog is gone, and our remaining black lab isn't a hunter. She's a lover. She just about high fives the bunnies and occasional rogue squirrels that wander into our yard. Not a fan of the squirrels either. Tomatoes! Who knew?

nono said...

Those darn pesky squirrels, they always eat all the bird seed from the feeder.

Jo said...

we have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds here ... I've almost had car accidents trying to avoid them ... they are totally undecided when it comes to crossing roads ... they dart out, they freeze, they back track, they go forward ...acccck!!!

Pondside said...

So far the squirrels haven't bothered us, but in our old house they were a real nuisance! I get it!

Mami said...

I'm glad we dont have squirrels here..But the picture is lovely!

Mary said...

I'm afraid I have to agree that they are rats with tails~ We have them eating out of our bird feeders, but I've never seen one eat a tomato :-)

easternsparkle said...

Squirrels are so cute - at a distance! We're luycky not to be bothered by them but I know the devastation they cause!

Sarah said...

Definitely not a fan of squirrels living in my yard! They have torn up our outdoor cushions this year and are at work to destroy our Japanese Maple by ripping the bark off. They are not at all welcome here, but can't get them to move on. :-)
Thanks for an interesting post. ~ Sarah

jenn said...

it never occurs to me to be wary of squirrels. but your absolutely right, they could be sick.

still, they're the only rodents i like. always makes me sad when i see a dead one.

i am sorry, though, that they take to your garden. sneaky, they are.

mrs. c said...

I am with you! Squirrels go live in someone else's yard! I will never forget the first year we moved to our house. I spent hours on my hands and knees planting all kinds of flower blubs all over my yard. Not only spending lots of money, the time invovled was huge! That spring I was so dissapointed when NONE of my flowers came up. One day I was upstairs in my son's bathroom and looked out the window. I NOW knew why I had no flowers. My yard looked like a piece of dotted swiss material,small holes were all over my beds. You did not see it just looking out over them but a topdown view showed that those darn squirrels had dug up every one of my blubs. I am not a fan at all!

Terra said...

Whenever I see your header I know I am in a good place and in for a good read. You don't dissapoint.
I know someone who traps his squirrels and relocates them (but never gets rid of them!)

A 2 Z said...

Hi Viki,

I'm not a big fan of squirrels and raccoons. Once their mind is made up there is nothing to stop them whatever their evil scheme is. Plants, bird feeders, tulips, etc.. I have a forest in my backyard and thought, great I will grow a big garden, wrong, wrong, wrong. I also have deer. To them my yard was a big great buffet LOL

"Sensational" post!

Anne-Marie

Unknown said...

these stories gave me a good giggle!

Personalized Sketches and Sentiments said...

Oh dear! Your Squirrel Story of the Staredown was so funny! Not too many of them around our house! Recently, we have had a number of Snakes and we ALWAYS have the awful, awful Sandgnats! Snakes-YUCK! Sandgnats (if you have never experienced these coastal pests, you can not fathom their viciousness! They are barely visible, but their bites hurt and they are merciless.

Blessings & Aloha!
(thank you for coming over and for your "vote" of confidence that I will complete my quilts :o) I am trying to get around to all the amazing S posts :o)

Nadeen said...

shockingly sly, savvy, scinister, sneaky scroundrel of a squirrel.

Amanda Lee said...

We had lots of squirrels at my old house-- our dog hated them, and spent many a day chasing them out of the yard. In the front yard, my husband would hand feed them. They were so cute, but I would still get mad when they dug up my flower bulbs! They also ate our jack-o-lanterns, and all of our squash!

Christy said...

If I had my baby in the stroller I would have done the same thing. I didn't know they ate tomatoes. Weird.

Unknown said...

I didnt realize they would eat tomatoes either....strange!
the squirrel that had that stand off with you maybe had rabies or something....or he was telling you to feed him.
I feel the way you do about raccoons.....just cant trust em...