It may seem that all crazy squirrel antics happen at the Park, but that’s not true. The ‘hood squirrels sometimes are just as rambunctious as their Park counterparts.
Squirrel shenanigans.
Mother Nature has begun switching over to her Fall palette of rich hues and likewise the squirrels are fine-tuning their own palates to include Indian corn. Now, how do I know this?
I mentioned in Sunday’s post that I now must detour to get to/from Council Point Park since Pagel Avenue has been all torn up this past six weeks. Because there is a schoolyard, I have to zigzag around. I’ve tried different routes going home and witnessed this amusing scenario playing out in a homeowner’s front yard while walking home Friday morning.
First, there was a Fox squirrel hunkered down chewing something almost as big as he was. When he saw me near him, he dropped the item like a hot potato and bolted up the nearest tree where he proceeded to glare at me.
After the dust settled, I saw the half-eaten cob of Indian corn that the squirrel had been gnawing on.
He fixated a stare on me, positive I was going to enjoy that treat he so hastily left behind. I assured him he was good to return to ground level again with no fears, but he still wore a look of apprehension about my presence.
I figured that Indian corn had to come from the display on the next-door neighbor’s property, so I checked it out from my vantage point on the sidewalk. The décor was nice – a little bit of harvest; a little Halloween as well.
And suddenly I heard a rustling noise and the corn stalk to the left of the big crow came to life. I peered closely and saw a squirrel manipulating his way around behind the scenes, nibbling on something, most likely another cob of Indian corn. See his fuzzy tail which gives him away?
Of course that squirrel clearly knew he was trespassing inside that corn stalk, yet he shot me a look as if to say “Yep, I’m busted! So what are ya gonna do about it?”
He went so far as to even flaunt his presence by sitting and leisurely eating his treat.
Of course I was clicking away taking his picture as he lollygagged amidst the harvest décor.
I may adore these furry little munchkins, but, in a nutshell … they are far from angelic and have made some mischief at my house over the years. Walking home I recalled a story from back in the late 80s about my new Holly Hobbie yard ornament that was destroyed over a long holiday weekend, thanks to a squirrel or squirrels. I wrote a post about it the first year I was blogging. I don’t have the picture we took posing next to that Holly Hobby, but I just updated the post by adding a likeness of her from Pinterest. It is amusing now, but not back when Holly’s fate was decided due to squirrel shenanigans. Click here if you’d like to read about it.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
If you put out Indian corn you are in for squirrel shenanigans! After Halloween, I cut a small hole in my pumpkin and put it in my back yard for the squirrels. They eat some of the seeds and seem to have a great time with it.
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The squirrels around Halloween are good for many laughs. I can’t say I’ve seen them eating Indian corn as many people have it behind their screen door – but these two squirrels were bound and determined to eat their way through the display. I see squirrels chew through the eyes/nose/mouth of pumpkins that people put out on their porches a few days before Halloween and chew the whole face apart. My next-door neighbor puts his pumpkin out for the squirrels and I swear the whole neighborhood feasts on it!
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I’m laughing out loud here at the antics of that little squirrel. Such a blatant act of thievery, yet hilarious to see. Your photos are great.
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Thanks Ally – I saw what was going on with that squirrel in the corn stalks and hurried up and got the camera out of the pouch, hoping he’d poke his head out. I got much more than I hoped for! I debated which photo to use for the header as I was also partial to the “Busted!” photo with the look of defiance on its face.
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You do have a way with these critters to get so many consistently good photos. Are you prepared for the title of “Squirrel Queen?”
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Thanks Fred – these two squirrels acted like this was their personal feeding station instead of a homeowners’ harvest decor. As soon as I saw what was going on, I reached for the camera and waited, hoping I’d get a few good shots for a post. I think my “Peanut Lady” crown is tarnished and I ought to just aim higher for “Squirrel Queen.”
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It might be nuts, but go for it.
Fred
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I think I will. I went grocery shopping and loaded up on peanuts this morning to get me started.
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Squirrels are rascals!! I’ll head over and check out the other post! Nice pictures of the mischief maker! 🙂
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They sure are Sabine. Last year I had some photos of a squirrel hanging upside down eating corn inside of a corn stalk. He gave me the same look like “what’s your problem Lady … leave me alone, I’m eating here!” As to the other post, that squirrel really destroyed the Holly Hobbie so I guess it was not meant to be that it should grace the backyard.
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I try to discourage them from hanging around the garden. I enjoy watching them, but they do get pretty aggressive!
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Oh yes, and once you start feeding them, be prepare to the rest of their lives.
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I got to read it!!!!! The same day you posted it 🙂
I hope this means you’re catching up on your world.
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That might be a first Ellie! I am slowly catching up in Reader, but I couldn’t wait any longer to post this as the squirrels were so defiant looking and cute at the same time. 🙂
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I’m glad you didn’t wait 🙂
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I guess food is food. A fellow has to eat. 🙂
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That’s right Rebecca – beggars can’t be choosers. He was content to stay inside and munch all day until I came alone. I love the look with the guilty face peeking out of the corn stalks.
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Wonderful Halloween pics! Those squirrel shots in the corn stalks are precious! 🙂
I recently bought a couple of fake Halloween Tarantulas to put by our birds’ tv for decoration. When i showed them to Tweetie Pie and Scarlet, both of them backed away a bit; so the spiders look real enough, i guess! 🙂
Recently, Marla gave her sister a suitcase that she didn’t want anymore (and that her sister wanted); Marla put some fake, plastic cockroaches in the suitcase before she gave them to her sister! Tee-hee! 🙂
Sometimes, when we visit people, i like to put fake cockroaches in their washroom and such, where they’ll see them after we are gone. 🙂
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Thanks Tom – glad you got a smile from seeing these photos. These two squirrels were full of mischief and at this rate, the decor will not last through early October!
I can see why Tweetie Pie and Scarlet were scared – those life-like (and sometimes life-sized) Tarantulas would scare me as well. I bought one for my aunt’s dog years and years ago. It was a wind-up toy and I let it “do its thing” and her dog, Apache, ran to the other room and wouldn’t come out the rest of the day.
I’ve been in Halloween USA when I went to get party favors for our staff Halloween party and saw those almost maroon-colored cockroaches and they’d fool you all right – your sister-in-law and hosts must have lost a year off their lives when they saw the roach.
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What a great fall post! Those squirrels hit the jackpot!
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Thanks Diane! They sure made me smile to see them!
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Lol the squirrels are following you home! My students went crazy today when a squirrel ran across in front of us. It was running for its life!
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Yes, I am like the Pied Piper of Hamelin sometimes AJ. The squirrels are cute – no wonder the kids got a kick out of them. I can remember we had to take our crayons and color pics of squirrels when we were the kids’ age. Then our handiwork was hung on the windows along the glass. 🙂
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Miss Linda………………………that sure is a darn cute picture of ‘ol “Yes, I’m busted” Mr. squirrel……………..I enjoyed his shenanigans
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Glad you liked this post Ann Marie – I am not sure what street I was on – I’ve tried different routes lately as Pagel is such a mess – this may not have been far from your old neighborhood.
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I have no idea what squirrels eat, other than peanuts, but am going to protect my Indian corn and keep it inside! I didn’t know they ate pumpkins either. I’m surprised you have so many fall decorations out in your neighbourhood, as it’s so hot, who feels like decorating for fall when we are still sweltering in summer temperatures and the A/C’s still on.
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I saw some “live” pumpkins too – they will look like canned pumpkin after this weekend’s heat. 🙂
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It would be so sweet If you could get a picture of a halloween basket (like the kids carry but much smaller of course) in Parker’s paws! As If he’s going out trickin or treatin!
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I wish I could do that Wayne – I would even barter “poses for peanuts”!!!
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he can be bribed!
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I am sure he can be bribed and his friends, though they often hold back, are getting wiser as the leaves fall off the trees … they are newbies, perhaps their first Fall. These days, the squirrels get their peanuts and run like hell to bury them … rarely do they eat one first … I have to wait til my third trip around the Park to take their picture. By that time, they allow themselves to eat ONE peanut. The exception is Parker who knows he can eat them and get more!
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oh the joys of having wild friends!
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Yes, wild friends help to keep life interesting!
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they certainly do!
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Your dedication to the squirrel munchkins, that get into trouble a lot, amazes me! Great photo op – way to take it and run with it!! Nice job!!
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Thanks Shelley – glad you liked the pictures. They were characters, especially the one in the corn stalks.
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I bet they thought they had scored big and had to act fast!!
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this post really reminds me fall is here – quite the decor is out – and squirrels are not everyone’s cup of tea – but you have a special side to ya
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Although I enjoy your pictures of them, I have to admit that squirrels are not my favorite critters. We have blueberry bushes that have a “cage” around them to keep out the birds. Unfortunately, a squirrel has decided that digging under the cage frame is the way to get at my crop. I just as soon they found somewhere else to do their shenanigans.
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Oh, I agree with you Janis. We fed a squirrel for years at the house and he got to be be so needy that you could not get in/out of the house without worrying he would try to get inside, especially problematic when my mom was on a cane and slow getting up/down the door stoop. We had to stop feeding him for fear he’d run into the house. They are nervy and they would dig in the gardens to hide their peanuts … I like them better at the Park where their mischief does not affect me.
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Pingback: Making mischief – Part 2. | WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY
I like the first picture of the squirrel with a look like he was busted, but then did not care. 🙂
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I went back and looked at this post – yes, he didn’t care and probably knew I didn’t live there so had no right to interfere with his plundering. 🙂
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Yes, that was his domain. He was not going to leave. 🙂
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