We have a peach tree. The tree has lots of peaches though
they are not yet ripe enough for people to eat. That doesn’t stop the
squirrels, however. The peaches that fall to the ground are fair game for
munching. This young squirrel is nibbling away on an unripe peach. He decided
that the table between two of our patio chairs was the perfect place for his
snack.
I have seen this little one before. He hops right up even if
I am sitting in there. I can tell it’s the same one because he has a slightly
dark stripe of hair across his cheeks. Sometimes I talk to him (I am just
guessing it’s male) and instead of running away, he stays on the table and
seems to listen. I’ll chat about the weather or maybe I’ll tell him about the
latest antics of my grandson who likes to make “peach soup” on the outdoor play
kitchen with some of the fallen fruit. When we are finished playing, we usually
put the peaches we collected into a container and place it where the squirrels
can find it. Perhaps this squirrel thinks it’s his personal dinner plate.
I know I complain about the squirrels eating everything we
plant, the reason we constructed a screened-in vegetable garden, but in truth,
I like them. They are inventive and extremely smart. They help me remember that
different is only an adjective, it does not mean inferior. And different is how
we all are, from other life forms and from each other. If only we can learn to
appreciate the value of differences within all of life, perhaps we would not be
so quick to do harmful things to each other. Wouldn’t that be peachy?
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