"I suggest we put out an all-squirrel alert. You know, the more squirrel brains the better is what I say," No. 1 said.
Both of the squirrels let out this chattering, ear-splitting scream to come to the Jean and Gene Farm immediately. And, that done, the two puzzled squirrels sat down on a tree limb just above the feeder to mull.
"Watch this," said No. 1.
He crept along the limb holding the feeder and, with a mighty blow, threw his fuzzy body at the glass panel.
"Ouch, that smarts, but just look at that!"
That feeder remained all together, and they got not a single seed.
"Bummer," said No. 1. "Maybe if I jump up and down on the limb, the whole thing will fall down."
And he did. And it stayed right there, safe and sound.
"Well," said No. 1. "Let's just talk about these birds for a minute. What makes them so important and not us, I'd like to know?"
Plainly agitated, No. 2 ran to the top of the tree and back down as fast as he could.
"I know why. They are more colorful than we are."
"Yeah, and they sing different kinds of songs when all we do is chatter."
Both were again quiet until No. 2 had an idea. He crawled out on a limb just below the one holding the feeder, and when he got his body just below it, he began to jump up and down as hard as he could, hitting the bottom of the feeder with the top of his head.
"Ouch!" cried No. 2. "It still won't move, and now I have a headache. Where are the troops? Let's put out another alert."
Alas, not another squirrel showed up to help.
"Let's give up on this. There are four more feeders. Maybe she hasn't taped them all up."
With that, the two frustrated squirrels abandoned the feeder. Up they went, fast as lightning, only to find that feeder with even more tape on it.
Just about this time, because it was a very hot, humid afternoon, I was getting extremely uncomfortable, and, another thing, I started feeling very sorry for the squirrels. I mean, what did they ever do to me? And I knew that, indeed, I had securely taped every last bird feeder against any squirrel that tried to get at the seed. I looked at the two dejected little fuzzy-tailed squirrels test the last of the feeders with no luck.
I couldn't stand it. I went into the house and brought out a large, shallow bowl and filled it up with sunflower seeds and nuts, and I put it on the ground just below feeder No. 2. They watched 'em do this and came scampering across to it. As soon as I backed off, they went straight to the bowl. They ate and ate and before I went into the house to stay, I refilled their bowl. OK, OK, I know, I am a sucker, but, hey, at least it made me feel better.
Listen, I once had a pet squirrel named Buzzy, and he was wonderful, so we just have to take care of all God's creatures, right?
The view from the hill is wondrous.
