So life is busy, but that doesn’t mean I have anything interesting to talk about. Work, work. Watch the mariners lose. Again. Wait – I haven’t checked today. Oh, yeah, they just started. ( I am not at the game today, still at the office, though obviously not working. ( Waiting for my carpooler.))
So I’ll tell you a short tale of a certain boy and his squirrel companion.
Our cabin in the great north woods is rather old, and a simple log cabin to boot. It is well loved by many, and well cared for by the second generation to have charge of the place. However, there are a few chinks that show up each year and call for chinking.
We know this because every year there is evidence that we are sharing this space with a few creatures that should really be in a more out of doors space.
The youngest of generation three was the first to check on who had wintered over on the inside. She dispatched with the mice, who had already really departed. And she noted the presence of one of their slightly larger cousins. Now I am not sure whether there was direct visual confirmation or only indirect evidence. But no progress was made on encouraging them to move out before the task was abandoned.
About a week later generation four arrived to take up residence for an extended time. During the first day there was no time to address the interloper, other than to say hello. But over the next several days things got more serious.
The trap was found and baited.
First try involved Doritos.
Apparently Doritos are not on this particular squirrel’s diet plan.
The second and third and fourth tries included said Doritos plus an addition of some peanut butter. It appeared that peanut butter was on the approved food list.
The trials went from using the Doritos to scrape the peanut butter off of the trap mechanism to licking it directly to sticking bits of Doritos onto the peanut butter on the mechanism.
Then the boy got serious and scientific. He spent some time thinking like a squirrel. The Doritos were removed and the peanut butter was painted on as many parts of the mechanism as seemed reasonable.
SUCCESS! (look closely)
Wise Squirrel
Then the boy took his new friend for a ride. To a cemetery. The squirrel was still kicking. Rey had done his homework on agitated squirrels. Paper underneath to keep the seat dry, and a towel above to keep things calm.
It seemed that the peanut butter had not been enough to sate the beast and he started pulling the towel in for a bite. The boy yelled that this was not acceptable, and the squirrel stopped.
So what we had for a winter guest was a furry beast that uses tools and understands english. When offered the opportunity to leave the car he was anxious to do so.
And back in Seattle the raspberries are ripe.
First pickings
And this morning I swore I put on blue jeans, but this afternoon I noticed they were black.
Raincharm's Weblog 
June 18, 2015 at 5:21 am |
I had scrolled down so only the next to last line showed. I was half afraid it would continue on to say: “noticed I’d forgotten to put them on!” I had a dream that I was subbing in the middle school and realized I’d forgotten to put on my skirt. I was wearing nylons though, so go figure.
June 18, 2015 at 5:41 am |
To add to the squirrel story, the first evidence was a large hole in the middle of the bedspread covering the futon. Very large. Right in the middle. There was aural evidence multiple times the first and second day. There was visual evidence late in the third day. I left the morning of the fourth day (with the squirrel guard in place between the ‘pretty good room’ and the kitchen.) I really should have done more in the search and dispose part, and I’m not really sure all the reasons I didn’t. I didn’t have much for bait – no doritos or PB. or J for that matter. Are squirrels tempted by wine? beer? pasta? top shelf cheese? I did re-set new mouse traps with the top shelf cheese. ok – maybe it was medium shelf, but quite lovely.
June 18, 2015 at 8:23 pm |
Already raspberries? It seems early for ALL the berries. Clever boy to trap that squirrel.