Hmm – Food for Thought: Lotsa Dips + Chips = Big Hips! #Wordless Wednesday #New Year’s resolutions #Fat-bottomed squirrels

Wordless Wednesday – allow your photo(s) to tell the story.

Click me

Unknown's avatar

About Linda Schaub

This is my first blog and I enjoy writing each post immensely. I started a walking regimen in 2011 and in 2013 I decided to create a blog as a means of memorializing the people, places and things seen on my daily walks. I have always enjoyed people watching, so my blog is peppered with folks I meet or reflections of characters I have known through the years. Often something piques my interest, or evokes a pleasant memory from my memory bank, so this becomes a “slice o’ life” blog post. I respect and appreciate nature and my interactions with Mother Nature’s gifts is also a common theme. Sometimes the most-ordinary items become fodder for points to ponder over and touch upon. I retired in March 2024 after a career in the legal field. I was a legal secretary for almost 45 years, primarily working in downtown Detroit, then working from my home. I graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in Mass Communications (print journalism) in 1978, though I’ve never worked in that field. I would like to think this blog is the writer in me finally emerging!! Walking and writing have met, shaken hands and the creative juices are flowing in Walkin’, Writin’, Wit & Whimsy. I hope you think so too. - Linda Schaub
This entry was posted in #WildlifeWednesday, #Wordless Wednesday, holiday and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

67 Responses to Hmm – Food for Thought: Lotsa Dips + Chips = Big Hips! #Wordless Wednesday #New Year’s resolutions #Fat-bottomed squirrels

  1. bushboy's avatar bushboy says:

    Fat bottoms is right 😂

    Liked by 1 person

  2. derrycats's avatar derrycats says:

    Those squirrels look nice and chubby – just what they need for the winter ahead!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Thanks for the card ~ watching birds and bunnies in the snow is a great way to start the new year. And your squirrels look nice and plump! Happy New Year, Linda!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      Yes, it was a very peaceful setting wasn’t it? Snow like in this scene is peaceful if you are just admiring it, not shoveling it or driving in it. Snow with a rain mix isn’t fun either … I got caught in a sleety mess walking home, but I didn’t melt, proving I’m not made of sugar. 🙂 My squirrels are beyond the plump or roly-poly phase as they are now waddling when they walk. Happy New Year to you too Barbara!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Love the card! Your squirrel looks very…ummm…prepared for winter with extra fat or a fluffy fur! Have a great new year!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      Glad you liked it Kate – it was very peaceful! Those squirrels waddle when they walk with all that fat and fluffy fur. When it’s really cold or snowing, that long tail stretches up their back and over their head – instant protection from the elements. Same to you!

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Fat bottoms is right!🤣 (I’ll be singing that the rest of the day, LOL.)

    Liked by 1 person

  6. TD's avatar TD says:

    Snow is on its way! Fat & Furry is requesting more walnuts please making for a heart-healthy new year in 2025!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      Yes TD, we were supposed to be getting a big snowfall Sunday into Monday, but the latest forecast said it may go to the South. Fingers crossed it does that and misses us. I got them two bags of walnuts and one bag of mixed nuts from Amazon – they don’t sell whole walnuts in the grocery store anymore. I doled out two of the bags so far when it was so cold. I got an eight-pack of suet but if it’s too cold, even though I break it up for them in the dish, it stays frozen and we’ve had day after day of high winds, so the dish will fly away. They don’t eat the suet ’til the peanuts are gone – they are all about the peanuts. I’ll wait for some snow for the next walnuts – it is good protein for them.

      Like

      • TD's avatar TD says:

        Nuts, even shelled for the critters, are very expensive! It is very generous of you to include the furry friends to dine with you.

        My hummingbird Joy is still coming several times every day (only one feeder on my front porch for her). Next week it’s supposed to get down to 38 degrees so I will need to bring the feeder in at night so the sugar water doesn’t get too cold for her. And I will put it back out by 7 a.m. because she starts her sugar water at 7:15 a.m. I hope that she will make it through the winter. I think I read that they only live 3-5 years.

        What we do for our love ones!

        Liked by 1 person

      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        Yes, they are expensive and I feed them the human nuts (walnuts, mixed and the peanuts). I also buy the peanut chips for the Chickadees as the squirrels steal their sunflower seeds. I have bought “critter peanuts” and they are dirty sometimes. I am not always taking pictures so that I want to keep my hands or gloves clean (in Winter I have gloves where I peel back the mitten tops and can take photos so my hand stay warm, not toasty though), but I don’t handling the peanuts with dirt on them. So I get the human variety, roasted and no salt. They smell wonderful and so I’m not touching anything dirty for me or the camera.

        As to the hummingbirds, TD … I will send you a blog link in a separate comment about a fellow blogger who has a beautiful perennial garden and lots of hummingbirds. She is on a blogging break now and I hope she returns as I liked her blog; it had a little nature, great photography, mostly nature photography. So she lives in Oregon, and almost four years ago they had a bad ice storm. She was using feeders for the hummingbirds as it was Winter (in Summer she has lots of flowers) and had a heater for the nectar – then they lost power. So she had to keep swapping the feeders out as the nectar would freeze so quickly. You can see them her photos in the ice and snow and they were fine. Another blogger who lives in British Columbia also had the same issue with a Winter storm and his hummingbirds also survived, though they didn’t have as much snow.

        Like

      • TD's avatar TD says:

        Thanks for the link, Linda! That was a great hummingbird story.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        You’re welcome TD – I knew you would enjoy reading it. Sabine often wrote about her garden and her birds – she is the person who inspired me to create another butterfly garden. I know you like nature, so you might enjoy reading some of her posts. I wish she would return to blogging again. 🙂

        Like

      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        TD – Here is the link to the blog post I mentioned about how Sabine helped the hummingbirds survive in the ice storm.

        Baby! It’s Cold Outside!

        Like

  7. dawnkinster's avatar dawnkinster says:

    wow, these are happy well fed squirrels!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      Yes, they are Dawn and there is a whole lot of waddling going on. Their thicker fur and an extra layer of fat for Winter also contributes … not all my doing, so I can’t take credit and take them off my income tax as dependents. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Pam Lazos's avatar Pam Lazos says:

    Happy New Year, Linda! xox

    Liked by 1 person

  9. AnnMarie R stevens's avatar AnnMarie R stevens says:

    Miss Linda…………………………………Hey…………………..I’m taking care of myself……………………Happy New Year

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Laurie's avatar Laurie says:

    Awww…your poor little squirrel. Accused of having a fat bottom! 🙂

    You know what they say about Fat Bottomed Girls – they make the rockin’ world go round.

    Happy New Year!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      Laurie – please don’t tell those chubby squirrels how I disparaged them in my blog for a smile from fellow bloggers. 🙂 They are so roly-poly these days that they waddle … I did help contribute to that “look” but it is mostly their thicker fur and bigger fat layer, so I am not all to blame. I almost included the song but it was either that video or a New Year’s Day e-greeting.

      Happy New Year back at you and safe travels home!

      Like

  11. It looks like she or he is all ready for a lean winter. Unlike us humans, they’ll lose those extra pounds quickly once spring arrives.

    Happy New Year!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      Yes, I agree Janis – they are all set for a Michigan Winter. They are so roly-poly they are waddling now. I couldn’t risk showing their girth, mostly from thicker fur and a fat layer, but yes, they’ll lose it quickly. Years ago I really liked “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and her somewhat chunky friend Rhoda was taking a piece of chocolate from an assorted chocolates box and turned to Mary and said “I might as well just take this chocolate and apply it directly to my hips.” I thought that was a funny line. Happy New Year back at you Janis!

      Liked by 1 person

  12. rajkkhoja's avatar rajkkhoja says:

    Beautiful Squirrels. They’re Search food & eating.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. J P's avatar J P says:

    That shot looking down on the squirrel from above fooled me – for a second I thought it was looking down on a furry boot!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      Those squirrels are as wide as a furry boot these days JP. They waddle when they walk, but it’s not all my doing – they get thicker fur and a fat layer from Mother Nature for the Winter months.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Dave's avatar Dave says:

    The squirrels are suddenly very active around here. We have three theories on the timing. One, recent lake effect winds have blown all of the loose stuff out of our trees, including the makings of squirrel nests. Two, they sense the upcoming cold spell and are enjoying the “outdoors” while they can. Three (and most likely), mating season is already underway, sigh…

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      Those nests (dreys) look pretty flimsy, so I’m always surprised to see the same nests in the same trees year after year, so they must be more durable than they look. I see them exposed once the leaves are off the trees. Our squirrels have two mating seasons and have their young twice a year, in the early Spring and late Summer. Funny you mention them being out and about before the cold. Today I walked at the Park and by the time I got there it was snowing and there were ice pellets and winds gusting to 25 mph. I was the only one there – no humans, but no squirrels or birds either. They had more brains than me as they were tucked up in those nests! I was sorry I went as it is early enough in the year that I don’t have to worry about meeting my goal. I left peanuts and seeds anyway in case they got hungry later. 🙂 Happy New Year Dave!

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Well, Linda, you certainly are keeping them well-fed in this nasty winter weather! Great shots! I’ve been feeding outdoor critters too! 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      Tom, I can claim contributing to part of their rotund figures, but some is attributable to their extra fat layer and heavier fur thanks to Mother Nature, but I sure got some angles showing just how roly-poly they are. 🙂 They are waddling, not scampering these days. I’m glad you liked the shots – they are easy to take pictures of when they are feasting (on the birds’ sunflower seeds of course instead of their peanuts).

      Like

  16. Those are some chubby squirrels, Linda. They look like they are having a happy new year!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      Terri, they are not so much into scampering these days, more like waddling – they are very roly-poly! Today I went to the Park, feeling badly for them and the birds as it was so cold and windy and it started snowing with ice pellets while I was there. So, I was the only person there there and the squirrels and the birds stayed up in their nests. Guess which of the three “species” was not very smart?

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Rebecca's avatar Rebecca says:

    Beautiful fox squirrel, Linda, all fattened up and ready for winter, or maybe expecting a litter?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      I think those Fox squirrels are beautiful too Rebecca, especially that tail with its multi-colored hues. I think this one and the others are just fattened up and ready for Winter, courtesy of Mother Nature’s extra layer of fat and heavier fur they get in late Fall. I know their mating season is February through April and again in late Summer. Even with the heavy fur and fat layer, they still look cold. Yesterday I went to the Park and it was cold and windy and none of them came down from their nests – same with the birds, so today it was colder and more blustery, so I took my cue from them as I left some peanuts and seeds yesterday.

      Liked by 1 person

  18. Debbie D.'s avatar Debbie D. says:

    Haha! Some of us feel like those chubby squirrels. Definitely time to go on a diet. 😀 Happy New Year and thanks for the lovely card. Jacquie Lawson’s are the best!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      The squirrels are so chubby they are waddling now! They start getting heavier around October, not from me, though I guess I help, but they get an extra fat layer and heavier fur to get through the Winter. They need it – we’re going to a real feel of 5F (-15 C) overnight. I like her cards. I had a cute cat originally, but this was more nature-like so I went with this one.

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Ari's avatar Ari says:

    What a cheeky, chubby little cutie! Glad he is all warm for the winter. 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      Ari – yes, this one is a cutie, one of my favorite Park pals. Our squirrels started getting heavier coats and an extra fat layer around October, so now they are waddling around, so I couldn’t resist capturing this one at its chubbiest. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      • Ari's avatar Ari says:

        I am always so jealous of your photos, 🙂 whenever I whip out my camera, they always vanish just as I click. I have so many blurry photos of birds, I could have started an exhibition called “Life Moving Fast”

        Liked by 1 person

      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        Thank you Ari, but I have to tell you that this juvenile seagull, maybe because of its age, seemed to be fascinated with the camera and stood there for the longest time, even doing that “head tilt” … I got the image on the screen, then noticed how the background and the seagull seemed to meld together. I come home with lots of boo-boos, squirrels missing tails or snouts and birds that took flight and aren’t even in the photo, except for their legs stretched out (like a heron or egret), so I think “why did I take this photo” and that’s likely the answer!

        Liked by 1 person

      • Ari's avatar Ari says:

        lol good to know I’m not the only one who catches bad photos – but at least you do get some good ones. The only good ones I manage are snails (hard to blur a snail) and plants! 😀

        Liked by 1 person

      • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

        I’ve had one snail and it was crossing my path and yes, I had plenty of time to circle around it and get views from all angles! 🙂

        Like

  20. trumstravels's avatar trumstravels says:

    Those squirrels are cute! I read the comment about Mr Ed and Gilligans Island, I loved those shows and I still remember the words, well most of them!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      They are – they waddle too! Yes, all those shows back in the day had such clever theme songs and I remember the words too. I have to stay off the MSN start-up news when I log on to the laptop because it is often filled with stories about nostalgia, especially for the ahem eras I’ve lived through and the other day, right after that comment Brian made, a woman was playing all the popular theme songs and those two were there and also WKRP in Cincinnati which she said was the most popular! I remember the words to that one too.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Nancy Ruegg's avatar Nancy Ruegg says:

    Oh my goodness–he is a chubby fellow! Looks like he’s prepared himself well for winter. Thanks for the cute pics, Linda, and may 2025 be another happy year of capturing on film the antics of your park friends–for your pleasure AND ours!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      Nancy, this guy and the others are now waddling instead of scampering around the Park. They are ready for Winter. The other day I went to the Park and no one was there – no humans, no squirrels or birds, so I guess they were tucked up in their nests with more sense than me! Thank you and one of the best things about starting a blog in 2013 was that I renewed my interest in photography again. I take a lot of photos, but I like the ones taken here as I can get up close and personal with them since they know me after 13 years, because at the bigger parks I am just another face in the crowd! Happy New Year to you as well!

      Like

  22. You did your job Linda! They have plenty of fat from the peanuts to keep them warm this winter but remember, you will have to get them to walk with you in the spring. Lol

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda Schaub's avatar Linda Schaub says:

      They were excited to see me today Diane! They came running and flying over. Finally, the wind chill was bearable, even if only in single digits and the sun was out (yay for that). I didn’t take the camera as it was too cold, but I’d have gotten some nice shots, lots of cardinals, chickadees, blue jays – even the red-bellied woodpecker. The squirrels … I need a set-up like the professional dog walkers have to walk several dogs at one time. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  23. Look at that cute rump!

    Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.