.....squirrels

Yogis,
If I were asked to paint a picture of what fall is to me, it would include bright colored leaves, swirling winds, pumpkins, caramel apples and fleece jackets. Acorns, pinecones and sweet potatoes. Also, squirrels.

This is their season. Squirrels darting about digging holes in my lawn and potted plants as they bury nuts and build nests, busily preparing for the cold of winter. Intent on their purpose they zigzag across the streets oblivious to traffic. Tails fluffy and coats thickening, they are fearless in their determination.

This week I will talk about squirrels…….

When I was 4 years old we lived in a small house next to a warm welcoming neighbor who would let me come over to help her bake cookies. One day as I was making my way over a squirrel began to approach me. I stomped my foot but it continued its path forward. This was clearly not right, so I yelled and my mom ran out and the two of us proceeded to scream and run for our house with the squirrel at our heels. We slammed and locked the door (as if a squirrel could leap up and turn a knob) and watched it from the window.

This is a memory we have both recounted many times over the years. Why on earth would a squirrel chase us? Fast forward more than 50 years later to this past Thursday.

In the morning my husband opened the hood of his car to clear off falling pine needles and was startled to find a small squirrel sitting in the engine. The squirrel too was surprised and slid down beneath the battery.

For the next half hour we tried to coax it out. Peanuts, cheerful voices, a little prodding with a stick but little success. At this point we needed the car and were considering the hose when the little guy made a move and we grabbed it with the multi-purpose barbecue tongs. Down onto the driveway he went and off into the brush. Thank goodness!

Off my husband goes and I proceed to my weeding, feeling good. I am leaning over tugging on a stubborn vine when out of the corner of my eye I see a blur and the next thing I know the squirrel is running up my back! I grab it and put it on the ground where it then runs around and crawls up the front of my pant leg. You can only imagine my body language as this all transpires. And lots of ‘Aaahhhs!’

I now have it pinned against my torso with both hands where it settles right in. Now what…..

I try placing it at the edge of the woods. No sooner has its feet hit the ground when it is back on my chest. Squirrels are quick. I put him on a small tree trunk. He hangs on, looking at me as if to say ‘you’re kidding right?’  I slowly back away and make it halfway across the lawn before he jumps down and literally bounds across the grass, leaping into my arms. Squirrels are determined. Oh my.

I can’t go in the house (Phoebe). I can’t use my phone (if I let go with one hand he wants to scurry up to my shoulder). No one is around. I accost a woman walking by, but she has no advice. Finally I find a neighbor who prepares a shoebox for me to use and I get him in, find an organization that rehabs wildlife and the squirrel and I head out for a car ride. He is now safe and being cared for. I kind of miss him.

I look at these two life experiences. The first time I ran away in fear. This time I stayed, in fear.

Going toward,
SARAH