Hello Fellow Tweeters,


True story: Christmas in the Sticks - Squirrelly behavior by the neighbors.


Just before Christmas, my wife put a nice string of new Christmas lights on the deck rail, surrounding the bird feeders. One morning as I was making coffee, enjoying my ritual of beginning the day by watching the many species feeding, I noticed that a squirrel had stopped on the rail, following her long, deep drink at the hummingbird feeder that was meant to be out of reach.
I realized that it was rotating and mouthing an orange Christmas tree light bulb. I was concerned that if it chewed on the light, it would have problems. I found my wife who said: 'I am missing three bulbs! Bring the video camera." Sure enough, a few hours later, the Squirrel was back, plucked a red bulb, fondled it like Gollum with the "Precious" and ran down the rail and jumped into a Fir. Next day all but two of the bulbs were gone and-- several pieces of the wire had been severed and taken.


I have wondered what the inside of its stick nest looks like- very small Christmas tree? And I swear, after all these years of trying to outsmart these guys and continuously underestimating their intelligence---- I will not be surprised to see an extension cord running from our house to that nest and a spike in my PUD bill.



Dan Reiff
Mercer Island