Never Trust a Squirrel.
“Momma…look what we caught!” washing the spinach I turn off the water. With seven kids they have all caught their fair share of frogs, toads, snakes, bugs, turtles (my personal favorite) and more wild rabbits then I care to think about. I dry my hands on the dish towel, leaving it on the counter I walk outside.
At first it’s cute and I turn back in to grab my camera.
It’s little bushy tail and tiny little body…it’s paws have a cute little humanesque quality.
We sang happy songs about these things in preschool…
“…grey squirrel grey squirrel shake your bushy tail…’
But the more I look deep into it’s little almond eyes I think I see it it calculating where my jugular is and how to claw it out….or at least that was what I was reading out of it’s darty murderous eyes.
But no it couldn’t be…. the sweet children’s song tells me otherwise...”shake your bushy tail…”
Then I realize, what are the chances that even all seven of my kids could corner a baby squirrel… something is off on this equation!!!
Then Ash yells, “Look Momma it has really grabby hands, ” looking up I see this mini beast trying to claw at Yen’s pant leg, I can only imagine to cut injure her feet so she can’t out run him…right?!
Crouching down for the little things’ first photo shoot…I realize it may have been related to Gotti or maybe Manson…someone scary for sure. This cute baby squirrel changed , in my mind from cute to …. rabid wormy bushy tailed rat in an instant!
Okay so it actually looked really healthy…maybe too healthy… and way to smart and calculating in the eyes…
I made the kids take it into the field, leave it and run…
“Run fast enough that it can’t track your scent! Jump while you run so you don’t leave a trail! Never catch a squirrel again….they are just rats with a good P.R. campaign.”
A Seed Inspired 
Did you ever read my post, The Tale of the Cannibal Squirrel? http://journeytoepiphany.com/2012/05/23/the-tale-of-the-cannibal-squirrel/ You’re instincts are correct!
I did now… yikes!
squirrels…all about the nuts until they aren’t.
T
Wow, I’m impressed when my old dog can catch a squirrel. Pretty impressive that your kids caught one!
there are seven kids… most things just get cornered.
plus my kids are used to chasing loose chickens, sheep…horses..dogs..the list goes on.
they may not be fast but they are agile.
T
wow, i share your instincts on this. It didn’t bite you?! GET IT OUT OF HERE!! But oh, you even took a picture. Bravo!
Mimi Torchia Boothby Watercolors
oh i sure did… and it wasn’t till i was crouched down taking the pic and that beast turned towards me and not shying away that I saw the intent in it’s eyes.
yikes!
🙂
T
Oh sure, they look all cute when they’re curled up in a nest or eating a pecan… I think you read your squirrel’s “darty murderous eyes” (GREAT line!) correctly. As my brother-in-law once said, “If it isn’t afraid of you, you should be afraid of it.”
so true!
T
love this…and yes rats with a good pr campaign. Never a dull moment with 7 kids…enjoy…enjoy:)
oh for sure!
T
Run squirrel, run far far away, so far away you can’t eat my tomatoes! 🙂