… oh yes, peanuts too.
Time’s a tickin’ … it’s the last day of September and for squirrels and girls with agendas, it is time to seize the moment and gather all the peanuts and steps you can (if Mother Nature permits of course).
The funky weather this week will not bode well for the squirrels, nor me, i.e. getting nuts and steps done. Saturday was dismal and drizzly and yesterday I got a walk in, but just in the ‘hood as rain and storms threatened. So the Park squirrels missed out again. I will make it up to them after today’s sogfest.
Right now my furry pals are focused on hunting and gathering the peanuts tossed to them by the other walkers and me, as there are no nut-bearing trees in the Park.
I am not immune to the sweet antics of those squirrels who sit on haunches with pleading eyes, waiting for me to open up my Ziploc bag and toss them a few peanuts. Truth be told, I love interacting with them … but I think you knew that already.
I’m helping my furry friends bulk up their stash in advance of the Winter season. Needless to say there is a wee bit of expectation on my part too … a little quid pro quo which is a/k/a “posing for peanuts” – no worries, we’re both cool with this arrangement and there’s nothing hinky going on.
Right now the squirrels aren’t complying much though … they are focused on getting the goods and getting them buried … one peanut at a time. Sigh. So I may drop some peanuts at their paws and they are more likely to scurry away and the best I can do is get a shot of them perusing peanuts then taking off to hide them. That’s okay, they eventually return, but by then I’ve resumed my walk.
Playing hard to get?
Recently I had an odd encounter with this black squirrel. Like the gray squirrels, the black squirrels are somewhat skittish and not likely to come over to see me, instead watching from afar then timidly inching over or even waiting until I walk away to grab a peanut.
I was at Council Point Park last week and saw this black squirrel and offered her some peanuts. I put them on the grass. Would she come closer?
Nope, though she did glance at them, then me.
I tried again … even holding some more peanuts in my outstretched hand so she could see them while I spoke softly to her. Was she interested?
Nope, not even a nibble.
As I turned to go, I said “well it’s your loss dear, but Winter’s coming – just sayin’.” It seemed I could sweet talk her all I wanted, but she was not interested and instead she rebuffed me by turning around and scooting across busy River Drive to the neighborhood.
I did another lap on the perimeter path, then began to head home. I am still trying different options due to the construction since the adjacent street is very busy with the diverted traffic.
So guess who I ran into on the way home?
I must’ve passed muster and could be trusted.
I guess this lovely lady assumed I had followed her to coax her to have some peanuts, so she might as well warm up to me a little. She came close, hesitant at first, then went for the closest peanut.
She permitted herself to enjoy a peanut or two, secure in the knowledge that with no other squirrels around to abscond with her cache, she could take her time before dashing off to hide them.
Ah … peanut bliss.
I wonder if peanut bliss is akin to savoring a chocolate DOVE® Bar? I posed that question to her, but she had no opinion yea or nay.
I am gathering nuts too – Hampton Farms Jumbo Unsalted. Only the best for my furry pals and the occasional Jay or Cardinal that happens by.
I already have ten packages squirreled away, but will need to get more as Fall progresses.
I will also need to stash lots of steps to reach my goal, now just three months away. I have walked 939 miles of my 1,242 mile-goal (1,511 km/2,000 km) . I’m looking for good weather to gather as many steps as I may.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Gorgeous post
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Thank you Amorina Rose.
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Good luck on squirreling away peanuts and steps, Linda! 🙂
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I have to seize the day Sabine – we have more rainy days than sunny ones this week and with 92 days left and many more miles to cover, I have to hope Mother Nature is in a good mood.
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We had glorious sunshine today! I’m sending some your way! 🌞
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Thank you – I will bask in it and think of you Sabine. 🙂
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The black squirrel is so cute! Have you named her yet? While reading your post, I was watching four northern flickers pecking away in our yard.
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It is cute – and she was so timid at first, ignoring me altogether at the Park. She relented finally. I first thought it was Midnight until I saw her up close in the neighborhood across from the Park and realized she was a mom. I will look for her again (today was abysmal weather) and give her a name – any suggestions? I have been reading a fellow blogger’s account of flickers in her yard – the last few posts are about a Flicker and a Jay eating politely at the feeder were cute. It is mostly pictures and some narrative. Sabine lives near Portland, Oregon, has lots of perennials and feeds the birds. This first post shows the flicker and a stellar’s jay having a stare-down and the next post the flicker and a scrub jay are getting along:
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I recognize the flicker, but we don’t have those two types of jays. Those photos were fun.
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Yes, we only have regular Blue Jays too and I’ve not ever seen a Flicker, to my knowledge anyway. Sabine suggested I listen to its call as they are in Michigan – I did and still not sure if they are around. I hear a call that sounds like in a jungle and have Googled that but can’t determine the bird call. The Flickers may be in larger parks but I’ve not seen them at Council Point Park. Yes, Sabine has some cute garden photos of the birds, especially the Hummers. She’s had a lot of Hummers lately in her perennial garden. Ours are likely gone for good now – I went to the botanical gardens last Saturday as it was in the 80s but did not see any, but did see a lot of butterflies.
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Aww, so sweet that she finally took the peanut from you! You’re so generous to the critters. I’m surprised they don’t follow you on your walks. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that October will be pleasant and you’ll get plenty of steps in to meet your goal!
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Yes, she was a timid little soul and she came around with a little sweet talkin’ (and peanuts). I wish I did have a picture of them when they walk behind me – that is cute, but I haven’t had them do that in awhile – now they are bolder and just come and “ask” by stepping on my shoe or beginning. I need to maximize October steps Shelley because November is dicey due to black ice, sometimes snow – ugh. I am not ready for any of this since our Spring and Summer were such disappointments.
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I’m rooting for you! It was HOT here yesterday, and now it is storming. Then it will turn cold (50’s). I’m with you – I’m hoping October is pleasant, I’m not ready for snow yet!
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We seem to get your weather a day later Shelley. When they said we’d be 25 degrees hotter today, I didn’t believe it. We broke the record of 88 from 1897 and got to 89 degrees. Just crazy … a few rainy days so I’ll hope to work around them. The rain is getting tedious. I had some errands this morning so racked only racked up a couple of miles.
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Yep, glad we can share comparison notes on the weather. It rained in the afternoon yesterday and through the night. Sigh. Today it is supposed to be just cloudy. I agree, it is getting tedious. I’m back on the dreadmill and it is tedious to get a couple miles in. I need a better book to read I guess! Hope you get more miles in soon!
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I know – it’s not a fun Fall so far, but Spring and Summer won no prizes either in my opinion. I’m waiting to see how it shakes out this morning – they said rumbles and rain this morning, so if I get out, it is just in the ‘hood again and that works for steps, but it is nothing special. Friday and Saturday look to be the best bet for walking as Sunday is rainy again.
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I feel your pain on trying to find weather that is enjoyable to be out in!!
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Congratulations Linda…..I’m surprised and impressed you have that many steps in towards your goal, considering the wacky weather year. Alberta got 100cm of snow yesterday – totally bizarre for Sept. I have every confidence you will make it!
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Thanks Joni – I have pushed myself, but now that the sun is getting up later and later, it’s going to be four miles only and eventually three miles during the week. I’m surprised too and cannot count on the weather going forward … almost a week of rain and soon we’ll be into the wet and slippery leaves on the sidewalks and at the Park path, and looking out for black ice. Suddenly Fall and Winter looms large and I think that is because of Spring and Summer this year were so unsatisfying. Both fell short of my expectations as well as other’s expectations I’m sure. I saw some pictures of the snowstorm online – unbelievable and the gusty winds on top of it! Hope that does not mean a preview of coming attractions for either of us.
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You have so much fun on your walks– and never seem to be alone. Your peanut supply looks ready for whatever weather may come your way. We’re all just waiting to see what winter is going to bring, aren’t we?
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You are right Ally. It is my quiet time and I do enjoy it and get a kick out of trying to entice a critter that is timid to come closer. I know they are hungry, so I try to interact with them and toss out lots of peanuts and speak softly and get them to come around. Most of the squirrels come over on their own at the Park. Sometimes if a person walks with me, I don’t have that interaction that I have established with them. I usually load in a lot of peanuts for the Fall even though they began hiding peanuts back in August when we had a cool spell. Last year I started feeding some neighborhood squirrels on my porch – this was before we followed each other and I did several posts about them. One was Grady the gray squirrel, and two black squirrels, a pair of cardinals and a pair of jays. I threw out peanuts all Winter until a big Fox squirrel intruded on our party and starting holding all the peanuts hostage by sitting on them and chasing the other squirrels into the street The birds would watch the interaction and sometimes they could swoop down, not always as the big squirrel hogged everything. It had been nice as I’d open the front door and I’d have this collection of critters, then get dressed to go outside and they had each watched from their respective trees and retrieved their treat. I was mad at the Fox squirrel – just like with humans, there is always one who must push the envelope and ruin it for the others. Anyway, I went into my Winter stash and then we had a lot of ice and snow and I was doling out much smaller portions than usual, if I could get there due to ice/snow. I don’t walk when it’s icy.
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They sure are cute! 🙂
Since i mostly shoot insects, i’ll offer them a meal (like you do) to keep them happy and to get them closer. I’ll offer the mosquitoes my arm. NOT! I don’t want my protein to be what is stored for the winter! 🙂
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Watch those skeeters Tom! They are spraying for the EEE virus in 15 counties tonight after 8:00 p.m. None of those counties are around me, however they found a horse bitten by an EEE-virus mosquito today in Livingston County so that is closer. Suddenly the weathermen are talking about a frost warning later in the week, but not a hard freeze to kill them off yet. Strange considering we might tie a record of 88 degrees set in 1897 tomorrow … the weather is just crazy. Glad you liked this sweet miss. The black squirrels are so cute and this one, shy and scared at first, came around finally after plying her with peanuts. I usually give them at least 4-5 peanuts, but this time of year I always leave enough that they can feast and hide a lot as well. The Fall weather is iffy and I know they are industrious, but they’ve been hiding nuts since early August when we had a few cool days – the squirrels are in tune with the new norm for weather here in SE Michigan,
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Those black squirrels are rather different and are really cool. I like them! The squirrels better make sure that other squirrels (or crows) do not see where they are hiding their cache; others can remember where the treasure is and dig it up later for themselves.
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I like them too Tom but it more difficult to interact with these black and gray squirrels since they are so skittish, but this squirrel did come around … I think it is since they are so small. I have read that squirrels, when sensing other squirrels or birds are watching their hiding places, that they will pause and dig furiously as a ruse, but bury the nuts elsewhere – that’s so amazing isn’t it?. I worry for them because they can’t access these hiding places once the snow flies and the ground is very hard or frozen.
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I have to stock up on sunflower seeds. There is a sale going on now and buy a lot to carry me over the winter. My birds have high standards, a lot like your squirrels.
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Yes, the birds like the sunflower seeds for the protein. (I like them too and buy them on sale for myself without the shells.) They say if you buy the mixed seed that the birds often pick out what they want and spill the rest on the floor so you might as well get what they’ll eat. When I had feeders, I’d stock up on bird blocks and seeds at Meijer who used to have the oilers buy one/get one free and I’d store it in Rubbermaid containers in the basement for all Winter. My mom was adamant that I ensure no moths came into the house – I think that is just with the mixed seed, but I had double Rubbermaid totes to keep everyone happy. I get salt-free/jumbo peanuts because they are the same price for 24-ounce bags as regular or raw peanuts by Hampton Farms so I don’t give them high blood pressure and they get a much larger peanut – two peanuts in a single shell peanut. That seems strange to me because I buy unsalted nuts for myself and they are usually more expensive – go figure!
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Dear Miss: “quid pro qua”…………….You are such an interesting writer ………………………..you know how to keep the blog reader’s interest………………………………I think the skittish black squirrel was thinking: “what’s in it for me, girl?”
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Thank you Ann Marie – I was trying to inject a little current events humor into the post too, but I have said before that I jokingly tell them that they can pose for peanuts … the black squirrels and the gray squirrels are very skittish, even after feeding them all Winter on my porch, if I opened the screen door, they would bolt and they do that at the Park and in the neighborhood. I figure this black squirrel was hungry and decided she’d take a chance on me because she really did not trust me just 15 minutes before and ran to the neighborhood where I caught up with her later. I think it is due to their size. Speaking of size, sometimes the black squirrels look at me as if sizing me up – can they grab a peanut before the big hulking human might reach down and grab them? They are not as bold and brazen as the Fox squirrels. I was getting Midnight to be a little tamer, but even he has his moments sometimes. 🙂
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That is the strangest looking squirrel to me. Almost looks like a rat with a tail…lol We don’t have black squirrels so maybe that’s why. I can’t believe how close you are to reaching your goal! You are amazing!
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When I lived in Canada, we had no squirrels in our neighborhood; it was a new subdivision and no trees were planted, but in Toronto where my grandmother lived, it was an old neighborhood and they only had black squirrels, so I always thought that was the only kind of squirrels. We moved here in 1966 – no black squirrels, just the big Fox squirrels which look gigantic in comparison. When my grandmother came to visit us, she was fascinated by their size and how friendly they were (we had always fed the neighborhood squirrels until they got too nervy and tried to get into the house). The way this squirrel is running across the sidewalk, she looks sleek and resembles a rat – OMG yes! If not for the fuzzy tail …
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I think I have missed a few of your posts Linda. I just haven’t been able to keep up lately. Posing for peanuts made me laugh. Your step count mileage count is impressive. Keep up the good work.
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Thanks Ruth, I appreciate it. I have been behind in Reader since early June after smashing my finger. I was typing with nine fingers and not quite as fast as normal. Then I was working late almost every night – just can’t seem to catch up. I’m glad I gave you a laugh. I hope to reach that goal and will if the weather will cooperate. The weather is so wacky and did you hear that we did exced the old record of 88 degrees from 1897 – we reached 89 today. Yesterday it was very cold in the house and I told myself I’d not put on the heat, but it was cold. I heard them say a chance of frost warning later in the week – will that be problematic for you – have you got all your harvesting finished for this year?
I just thought of you Ruth since a high school buddy of mine who now lives in NY shares a wide variety of items she sees online, sometimes at Etsy. This looks a little like what you crocheted last year, maybe not as intricate as yours was. My friend is not big on crafts herself – maybe she buys these items or just looks at them, but I thought it was odd she posted this so soon after you/I discussed your crocheted tablecloth from a few years ago.
https://www.etsy.com/HaloincCrafts/listing/741226287/butterfly-showpiece?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=ListingManager&utm_campaign=Share&utm_term=so.lmsm&share_time=1569968335923&fbclid=IwAR2_Wc6blrvzgcn6BogVthU-G99BOOCgldSVHOD4-5_ALjGAqTXHo7wgbOc
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We have pretty much harvested everything so our crops would not be effected but a hard frost could kill off any flowers that the bees are still foraging. That would make for a very early start to them depending on their winter stores.
That table cloth is beautiful. The price on that one is nearly triple what I charged the lady who I made the one for. I knew is was worth more than I charged her but I couldn’t even imagine paying that for a table cloth. I guess I am just cheap. LOL!
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It looks like the hot weather comes to a screeching halt – I could feel it today in the house as it got cooler through the day. The bees will have a shock and hope they don’t swam again.
I thought it was beautiful too Ruth, and reminded me of yours. I was amazed at the price of it – I’d be too cheap to buy it too, but that was her price. I don’t know why my friend posted it on her Facebook wall, nor two afghans either. Maybe she wished she could crochet. My mom loved to knit and got carpal tunnel syndrome and had both hands done and never did any knitting after that. She tried to teach me but I dropped stitches all the time and made holes and would take it to her to fix them.
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That really was a drastic change in temps. It is very unlikely that the bees will swarm now. They will probably start reducing their numbers by killing off drones.
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Today has been a miserable weather day here … rain-wise and chilly too. I heard that the EEE spraying in various counties is being met with some pushback by beekeepers due to the spray residue that will be left where bees will “visit” the next morning (especially if there is dew when the bees come out). The spraying is done at night when they said the bees are in their hives and not active, so the people doing the spraying figured it was safe. I wonder if they should wait a little longer to when the bees reduce their numbers as you said above. I heard another person died of EEE yesterday. All this rain will make the mosquitoes worse.
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I don’t know what the answer is but I can see the point about aerial spraying being bad for the bees. I am glad it is not happening in our area. A frost would take care of the problem I guess.
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I’m glad they are not doing it in your area Ruth – I don’t think it is too much longer before we have frost … here in metro Detroit the weatherman said we’ll just miss having it this weekend.
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I used to feed the squirrel in our neighbourhood – until it decided to build a nest in a small empty tank in the neighbours yard. Come spring, and the neighbour was less than excited about having to clean out the tank and evict the squirrel. We decided to quit feeding the squirrel and encourage it to relocate.
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Margy – my neighbor and I had to quit feeding our neighborhood squirrel because he got agitated if he’d already been fed and he saw us outside. He would hang out at the door and it was a problem with my mom as she had some mobility issues and was slow getting up and down the door stoop – meanwhile “Sammy” would be trying to squeeze through the door opening as she struggled to get in/out on her cane. We had to stop feeding him altogether and that didn’t go over well either. My neighbor had a big sliding door from her kitchen to her back deck and that squirrel would peer in at her for hours trying to get her attention. She started just pulling the blind down until he got the message. Now I feed them at the Park or enroute to the Park so I don’t encourage their begging behavior at this house; my neighbor Marge passed away in 2017 and her kids don’t feed any squirrels. I had a passel of squirrels and birds that I was giving peanuts on the front porch all last Winter but a Fox squirrel appeared on the scene and spoiled it for everyone else as he sat on the peanuts, hogging them for himself and chasing the black and gray squirrels into the street. I stopped it then and there and was disappointed as much as they were.
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better get out that tread mill Linda! You could have a few of your squirrel friends walking along with you!
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Oh I wish I had a treadmill Wayne as I would not fret so much when we have this constant rain – yes, I now have the weather gear (shoes, boots) for walking in the rain but we’ve had torrential rain or storms present several mornings this week. It is okay today so I’m off to feed my friends.
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you need rubber boots!
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Well I did buy those red vinyl boots and some walking shoes with high soles, but all this rain seems to be torrential or it is storming and usually in the morning when I walk … it is annoying. The red vinyl boots are great as they are seamless so nothing wet or muddy oozes in, but they are not really for walking long distances as they are not much support.
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put inserts in the boots and you’ll be able to walk longer distances!
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That’s a good idea Wayne, maybe even the ones with shearling as the boots are otherwise great since they are all one piece … just a little hard on the bottom of the feet. As a walker, I try not to irritate anything or get a blister that’ll mess up walking. I’m still glad I got them though – for just taking pictures and not walking long distances but in a mucky area, they are perfect. Right now due to the EEE virus, everyone is warned by the Michigan Department of Health against being near swampy or marshy areas and anywhere there is standing water where mosquitoes breed. They were aerial spraying in rural areas not near me and there was concern for the safety of the bees the next day after the spray is done (bees are safe in the hive at night). I’ve not been back to Lake Erie Metropark as there was so much flooding. The rain has been a colossal pain this year. And soon it will be rutting season for the deer so you have to watch out for deer chasing one another in the road … I hope to get back there to see the colors sometimes before the leaves fall.
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I fall walk in the colourful leaves rights the soul!
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Oh the black squirrel warmed up!!
And quick Question – how did u come up with that amount of miles to walk for your goal?
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Yes she was sweet wasn’t she Yvette. The black and gray squirrels are so timid. My goal for the year is always one mile more than the previous year. Technically, in 2018 I walked 1,162 miles, so that my goal for 2019 would be just one mile more, or 1,163. However, I have a few bloggers that are Canadian that suggested I round it off to 2,000 kilometers. One is a runner and she said “no problem!” I said “that’s 80 miles more than my goal” … now mind you, I usually exceed my goal, but this year was bad … the Winter was icy, the snow lingered into early April, the Spring was rainy and I had household issues that were unexpected (the garage door spring coming off the cable and damaging the ceiling, the car which necessitated an emergency door repair, then the install, then the door came off the tracks, taking my car to have it fixed from the spring. Four lost walks right there and one morning there was no hot water – two lost walks for the repairman to come, and then another day to install the new hot water tank. It seems like I’ve done nothing but deal with problems here all Summer. So I am hopeful I can make that goal, but I’m tempted, if I cannot, to go with my original goal of one mile more. That’s what I’ve done each year since 2011. Yup, that would be a copout and I’ll ask forgiveness. 🙂 We are going to have a rainy Fall is what I heard, and snow before Thanksgiving. I’ll walk in the snow but not the ice and I’ll walk in the cold, but not a Polar Vortex cold – sigh.
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Oh thanks !! And I love hearing about your walking…..
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Love me some squirrels. Great pictures!!!!!
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Glad you liked them Bryan.
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