winter scenes from Canada, eh (8)

The Sheriff is not in Town

I've hung up my badge. No longer am I the Squirrel Sheriff of Wortley Village. 

["A squirrel stealing seeds? Not any more"]

The furry rodents did me in? Tired me out? Ran me out of town? No. I've just taken a different tack in my behaviour toward them.

I used to throw plastic bottles and lids and tennis balls at them through my study window to keep my bird feeder safe, but one day last week I realized two important things: One - my new Cranberry Feeder, atop a thin metal pole and adorned with plastic bottles and metal lamp shade, is - and this is a first - squirrel proof. Two - with my head out the window and tennis ball in one hand and garbage can lid in the other, I was becoming an object of concern to my wife.

Sud-consciously, I was getting some satisfaction out of chasing down varmints (I actually winged one fuzzy little beggar with a pot lid), but after my wife suggested a neighbour might be filming my activities (for YouTube?), I decided to cool my jets.

["This guy is actually helping me clean up the yard"]

Now I leave a few seeds out for them and let them take as many spruce cones off the trees and lawn as they want. I'll live with them as long as they stay out of my feeder.

Photos by GH

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Please click here to view winter scenes from Canada, eh (7)