http://www.blogger.com/html?blogID=4316350785635987648 Cave Dwellings: I Know I’m “Squirrely”, But This I Do Not Get!!
Cave Dwellings

Buckhorn Creek, Lake O' The Pines, Jefferson, TX

Monday, July 2, 2012

I Know I’m “Squirrely”, But This I Do Not Get!!

  This morning McGyver and I finished our walk soaking wet..and NOT because we ran through sprinklers on our 2 mile jaunt.  After wiping of the dripping sweat, we got some ice water, coffee and went on our front screened porch under the ceiling fans…Ah, yes….now THIS is exactly where we spent the day yesterday!..

  I must say this first to tell you what’s goin’ on..We have 2 trees that touch leaves/needles toward the tops and they are right outside our screened porch, providing us with some much needed shade..One is a young Maple and the other is a very tall,old Blue Spruce.  While recovering from my meltdown, I watched my arch nemesis..the dreaded Squirrel…come sacheting down the Maple tree with a branch of leaves in his little choppers…He took that branch to the ground, ran over to the Spruce, and zipped up that tree until he was out of site…building himself a condo, I’m sure.

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At first I thought he was coming back DOWN the Spruce and going back UP the Maple to rob the poor tree of some more leaves.  But, after closely observing this little rodent, we discovered he was delivering the leaf branch to a nest under construction in the Spruce…Then he was jumping from the top of the Spruce to the top of the Maple, resuming his destruction, and going DOWN the trunk of the Maple..making a complete circle and making me dizzy..Not unlike a high wire act…We watched him closely, and every so often he would screw up , dropping the leaves …(smirk, smirk…)  These dropped branches fell to the ground underneath the Maple Tree..

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  Now, I’m not the smartest “squirrel” in the bird feeder, but wouldn’t it be easier if he picked up all the darn leaves he dropped and haul them up to his little nest in the Spruce???..OH, NO..not this guy..He just left those laying on the ground, and kept going across and cutting different ones…How dumb is that??? I swear those little varmints will invent ways to get my goat..GRRRRRR!!

We did have a little excitement here the past few days…RAIN!!! OK, Sandwich didn’t get too much.  According to McGyver ( the Weather Geek) , we got about a total of 1” here at the Cave Dwellings..

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That big glob of red was headed right for us…Hey, all I want is the rain!!!  We can do without the hail and damaging wind scenario..pullllease!!

 

We did get some wind here, but no trees down..Just East of Sandwich they had lots more limbs down….It blew over 2 semi’s at the local Wally World, and some snapped some electric poles..

 

Being a tornado chaser “wanta be”, I seize every potential thunderstorm as an excuse to capture the always interesting cloud formations…

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Right after this, it began big time lightening…EXIT , STAGE RIGHT!! WHEW!! SOME GREAT CLOUDS, RIGHT?? (I really gotta be a little more cognizant of the unpredictability of lightening!)

I am in and ongoing fight with my camera, trying to learn how to take better photos….  I have been experimenting with close ups on my flowers (Lord knows I do NOT want to practice on myself!)…

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Above left…blurry yellows, clear stamens…Right blurry stamens, focused yellow..DAMN!

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Obviously I am having problems with the macro-focus..I can’t get the whole thing in focus at once…We have an easyshare max Kodak Z990 with a 30X zoom. ( I know this because it says to on the camera..) This thing has waaaaay too many ways for me to get myself into a confused fog over my photos..Especially when taking photos of moving objects (like fast moving squirrels.)..By the time I set the stuff, focus and find the “shoot” button, the moment is gone and so is the squirrel! Oh well, I’m NOT giving up. But…frankly, my cell phone takes as good or better photos!

  So now it is 4PM and the temp on our deck is 100…Our windows are open and we have all ceiling fans going at mach 10.  I’m using our shower as a swimming pool, taking a plunge as often as possible…I have resorted to men’s boxers and a tank top for my evening ensemble…AND, we are trying to keep our dinners lite and simple..Tonight is grilled marinated spicy shrimp, cole slaw, mashed cauliflower and mixed veggies…One thing we always keep in the back of our mind…We ALWAYS have the option to fire up the A/C in the Hiker and sleep out there!!! Hasn’t happened yet, but…the summer’s not over YET!

The best thing about shooting bottle rockets off on July 4th is emptying the bottles”…

                                                                                      ~MAXINE

14 comments:

  1. I thought you'd be happy that the squirrel thinned out the maple so it didn't get blown over in the storm. (I tend to look on the bright side sometimes:))

    If your deck faces to the back of the house, I'm surprised you're wearing as much clothing as boxer shorts and tank top. If you have screens, who's to see???? Perhaps you should kick the robins out and sit in the bird bath. (or fountain, or whatever it is) :)

    I like the change in your comment thingy.

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    1. I LOVED that you used the word "thingy"...something I would say..

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  2. That's one busy little squirrel... you know he/she's doing all that just to entertain you, don't you? As for your flower photos... I especially liked that orange flower (hibiscus?, nasturtiam?)... looks to me like you're doing just fine!

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  3. I would be the first one in the Hiker and stay till fall.

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  4. I guess those squirrels' lack of strategy is why they are still having to live in trees:)

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  5. So, let me get this right, you're sitting on a porch watching a squirrel work away building a nest and then you criticize him for not doing a better job. Then, you write about this squirrel in your blog. I'm sorry, Donna, but as squirrels say "that's just nuts"!! How hot did you say it is there??

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    1. Actually, I was just wishing that little bugger would use some of the downed leaves and quit chewing up new ones!! It is "hotter than Hell" degrees:-0!!

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  6. hotter than hell..we feel your pain..we are just wondering if summer will ever arrive here on the west coast!..dang squirrels!..I do believe the 'heat is affecting your thought process'!..hope the rains arrive soon..nothing worse than trying to sleep when it is a tad warm outside!

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  7. And then....(we've had the same fun)
    I waited until the squirrel had done a really good job of making that big huge mess, and I took a long pole and KNOCKED IT DOWN. And that was that.
    We have far too many squirrels at our house in Canada, and it's a constant battle. They also like to chew on the front of the house, since there's a big section of it that's made with cedar. Bastards.
    There has been some "trapping"? Shall we say? But I won't say just what happens after that. *evil laughter*

    Just knock the nest down. That'll learn 'em.

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    1. Bob...I think you are my long lost evil twin..Was your Dad Johnny Depp too?

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  8. After being at your place and seeing you 50amp setup, I was wondering the other day when it was 108 degrees why you hadn't retreated to the Hiker and fired the A//c up on heavy stun.I am sure we would have done so before now ,Donna doesn't like the heat at all. I am definitely not a squirrel fan. When it was still rural here at the ranch you never saw a squirrel and damn few rabbits, the hawks would swoop in and in a flurry of feathers that would be the end of them, Now were overrun with both squirrels and rabbits, no use planting a bulb it will get dug up and ate.Hey be safe out there, see if there is someway we can get together one weekend at a halfway point before summer is over,pool and hot tub is mandatory. Sam & Donna....

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  9. Hotter than hell--yep, we feel your pain too, it is way too hot and dry here in Montana for this time of year too! I'm with you on the whole Macro thing--haven't got that figured out either.

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  10. I watched the squirrels do the same thing to 2 pear trees in my yard in Illinois, lots of dropped branches under the tree. But, I agree with Judy - they were pruning the trees for me. I have friends in the Joliet, Romeoville area that during that storm, had a huge tree fall in their yard (all are safe) and they lost power for several days. I sure don't miss the humidity of Chicago, its hot here, but cools down really nice in the evening and overnight. In Chicago it just stays hot and muggy 24/7.

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