Cherry the squirrel munches on frozen crabapples after another night with with lows near 0F. The Mum has finally given up the ghost without its protective snowblanket. It's not as cold today, with the snowflakes dancing past my window.
Here's a bit of irony: deer tracks next to my wooden reindeer decoration. 
I suspect the deer was looking to snack on my Hydrangea quercifolia 'Little Honey,' but was put off by the deer repellent I sprayed on it.
I suspect the deer was looking to snack on my Hydrangea quercifolia 'Little Honey,' but was put off by the deer repellent I sprayed on it.
Out back, I found blood in the snow. It looks like some creature swooped down and scooped up and carried off some other creature for a meal.
I'm imagining one of the owls I hear occasionally, descending on some poor mouse, shivering in the cold. Death on a whisper of wings.
I'm imagining one of the owls I hear occasionally, descending on some poor mouse, shivering in the cold. Death on a whisper of wings.
Seeing blood in the snow reminded me of Terry Pratchett's "Hogfather," a holiday story for those tired of sickly sweet, heartwarming holiday tales. The book is wonderful. If you don't have time to read it now, you could watch a DVD of the TV miniseries. In addition to poking lighthearted fun at Christmas (there's a wonderful send up of "A Christmas Story"), it also has a deeper message (several, in fact, including what it means to be human). But I don't want to spoil it. Read it or watch it. It makes a nice change of pace from "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," or (heaven forbid) "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer."
16 comments:
What a beautiful squirrel...mine (6!)
are all gray....and they have eaten everything on the bushes..except for the winterberries...i wonder why
Poor mousey indeed
You put me to shame with your latin names
Let's hope it was a squirrel...or those wascally wabbits...that the owl came and got. Nature red in tooth and claw and all that.
It's frigid here too, but you're further west than I am so it's tracking this way (so despite what Carolyn thinks, the frigid weather in Chicago isn't my fault, honest!)
I found some blood traces on my snow yesterday. Don't know if it was a hawk taking one of my doves or Toby the cat getting a mouse. It was probably the hawk since Toby usually leaves his mice on the doorstep for me. It's comforting to know that even in this poor economy, I will never go hungry;)
Marnie
Yikes, blood on the snow! Sometime I am a wuss in the face of nature!
That's pretty darn cold. Looks like the squirrel has on it's finest fur coat. Love the irony of the deer tracks.
My dear, I am LOL at what Marnie wrote! Cherry is a beautiful creature all of our squirrels are gray...They blend in with the dull day! I am going to check out Hogfather! Have a good weekend. gail
Suz - we have 2 resident gray squirrels, and several others that stop over on their way to the neighbors' squirrel feeder.
Jodi - definitely not your fault. Our weather comes from the west or north. West = warm, north = brr!
Marnie - eww! But there's not much good eating on 1 of those.
ROR - I don't mind blood, it's left over body parts that get me.
FGG - that squirrel is fat, as well as fluffed up.
Gail - the Squirrelhaven squirrels are all good looking because they eat so well.
It certainly is much more frigid in your area! Highs were in the 40's here today; I'm really hoping we get a white Christmas, but it doesn't look promising.
Thanks for the tip on the book/DVD. I've watched very few Christmas shows on TV this year; maybe that's why I'm having trouble getting into the spirit.
Yes, heaven forbid! I hate that stupid song. Your tale of snow and life and death was like reading a novella itself. Kudos.~~Dee
Back on the Arrogant Worms, I personally like "Santa's Gonna Kick Your Ass." :) I once knew a squirrel named Brigid. I usually just see fox squirrels but recently have been visited by some red squirrels. So sweet!
I hope the owl got some of those pesky squirrels for you. I think it is amazing that deer come into your garden. Your area doesn't seem all that rural.
Rose - it warmed up yesterday to 34F for a while, and a good thing too or we'd be dealing with a foot of snow. I think we all need to post about our Christmas trees & ornaments to get more in the holiday spirit.
Dee - thanks, stories seem to be everywhere this time of year.
Monica - I need to brush up on my squirrel names, I had thought red squirrels & fox squirrels were the same thing. And that sounds like my kind of song.
Lisa - there's a large forest preserve very close by, and the deer make a regular circuit through my end of the street before heading back over there.
Beautiful squirrel photo!
I love Terry Pratchett's books. I didn't know that there was a DVD of Hogfather. I'll have to get that.
That is the fattest squirrel I've ever seen! I bet he needs every inch of that winter coat!
Beautiful squirrel. We have gray ones and brownish ones and black ones here. :-) How nice that you've placed a deer crossing sign in your garden. ha.
I love your squirrel photo! I must be negligent that I haven't named mine! Most of the squirrels here look like yours, but at least one has an almost white tummy. I always thought of it as a female, but after taking photos with my zoom, it looks to be a male.
I wonder what bled on the snow. Nature does play out right in our yards.
Merry Christmas!
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