The Trials Of Having A Squirrel For A Neighbor

Things in our neighborhood have gone down hill while we were on vacation.

A squirrel moved into our trees and has set up housekeeping.

The thing is, he is not a very good housekeeper. The girls and I are finding his nut shells all over the yard. And he loves to sit on a stump right next to our porch and nibble on things. There is a huge pile of squirrel trash there.

The girls have been actively trying to dig the stump out. So far it has resulted in three large holes and stump that hasn't budge.

We take turns barking up his trees, but so far he just laughs at us. He jumps from the trees to the porch or the fence and he's fast. So very fast.

Plus, he's often just on the outside edge of our fence and we can't get to him without getting into trouble.

I think he knows that and is just over that line to tease us.

It's a trial. One I am starting to be resigned to. Olive Badger and Sarah Beagle have not come to that same conclusion, but as I tried to tell them this morning when we discovered further evidence of that squirrel scampering all over our yard, it could be worse.

It could be a rat.

I'll take this nose thumbing squirrel any day of the week over a rat. I'm shuddering just writing it.

So I will go back to resting on the porch chairs. The girls can stand watch if they want to. I'm half giving up. Only half, mind you, since I do enjoy a good barking and the squirrel gives me a chance to do that!