The Front Porch

The Front Porch

The front porch is my coffee place. It is just big enough for two gliders, which are comfy, (although someday I dream of a rocker), and a little table for my coffee cup and the book I never get around to reading. I always intend to read my book, but too many other things distract me. 

The porch is far enough from the street that I can just wave and exchange a 'Good Morning', but not engage in conversation if I don't feel sociable, (which is most often, l won't lie). I can watch a little slice of life unfold before me and enjoy it in peace with my coffee... well mostly.

The garden before me, is not at its best in late August and this year it is especially dry and worn, and a bit bald in some places due to the yard work of the resident bunnies. (Not a real fan of their work)

However, it is a place of endless activity with something new each day. If I take a bowl of peanuts out with me, I will be entertained by the chipmunks, squirrels and blue jays, that will immediately home in on the yard. The same ones seem to visit and become familiar to, and with me. It is amazing to interact so closely with them; I consider it a privilege.

As I sit here I see the changes in the garden and the seasons. There is a late daylily clump blooming down near the road. It is a beautiful rust colour, deep and rich.

The hostas are in flower and I see snapdragons that have popped up in the big tub, a renewal and surprise from last year. I see that I will get a ripe heritage tomato shortly.

When I add water to freshen the bird bath, I see that the patient mama mourning dove, who seems to have been sitting on her nest in the blue spruce tree for so long, has at least one young dove finally.

I see that the climbing rose is blooming again, late alliums will soon have flowers, and the heuchera, with their lovely deep purple leaves, are still blooming. 

I can see that some of the holes in the bee house are filled, and that there is a profusion of seed pods on the orange butterfly weed. Hopefully both mean good things for the spring.

While I do not see Monarchs in the garden this morning, there are many Cloud butterflies.  There is also a new bird; small and brown, with no wing markings. I think it may be a female Common Yellowthroat, who has graced us with a visit.

This porch is not perfect perhaps, but it is a perfect place for me. While the world changes at a pace that is hard and sometimes frightening to me, my little world here, changes at a pace pre-ordained, slowly with the seasons. It is a pace that suits me and feeds my soul. 

Life with Squirrels

Life with Squirrels

When you decide to hang bird feeders you soon find that squirrels become a part of your life. Urban squirrels are curious, devious and opportunistic and you have to be clever to co-exist without warfare.

Being able to jump vast distances and leap tall buildings means that any feed that you do not want to share with them must be at a height and protected by a baffle.

no baffle...

still no baffle...

nope, no baffle...

yippee, no baffle!

What is this thing??

A baffle!!

So this works 99% of the time as long as there are no close branches, or the humans forget and place a chair too close, in which case we advance to 'there might as well not be a baffle'! 

'I will figure it out!!!'

If you are going to be precious about your lawn or flower beds it might be best to just admire the birds in your yard and not feed them. Squirrels are gardeners and lawn excavation experts and you may find changes to your yard that are unexpected; bulbs that bloom in unexpected places next spring, or perhaps not at all, being that bulbs are rather tasty things; beddings plants upended because there could be a peanut hidden under there; small divots in the lawn etc..

'What tulips?'

'Who me?'

'There's a spot for a peanut there, or maybe I'll just move that plant over there'

When squirrels become regular visitors to your landscape you can either ignore them or begin to enjoy their company. You can tolerate their presence or invite them to their own feeders in the hope that they will be distracted from the ones for the birds, which also has the side benefit of being highly entertaining. 

'I can eat hanging upside down'

'a chair with handy snacks'

'the last one's mine!'

Being as they are all dressed alike, either in grey or black, one has to be observant to tell them apart; whose tail is longer or bushier, whose ear has a tear, who is shy and who is cheeky. So much fun. 

 Occasionally there is one that is more noticeably different.

Squirrels have a common behaviour in warm weather that is called 'splooting'. It is like someone has let all their air out and they collapse on their bellies with arms and legs splayed. I guess this is something other animals do as well but it sure is comical in squirrels.

Squirrels are very observant. They know the sound of our doors, both house and car, and the sound of our voices, and because all of these things could mean impending peanuts it is clear they are paying attention.

'I see you moving in there'

'Kinda hungry and wet here!'

'did you bring peanuts?'

'I saw you come home'

'I can hear you in there'

I know there is a pecking order but I have not figured it out yet. It is hard to tell who might be older so I can't tell if it's age or perhaps sex. There is certainly language involved by times, like sitting in a higher vantage and squawking, or sometimes growling. They don't seem to fight one another like the chipmunks who launch themselves at each other, roll around, then give chase. Although there can be a lot of chasing with squirrels but that has to do with a different appetite than the one for peanuts.

PG-13 not a peanut related encounter on the kitchen steps

We have come to really enjoy our squirrels. They are a part of our daily life and it is a pleasure to see them on our property year round.