Observing Squirrels
There were five in all, chasing each other around the small back yard. As I approached the window to watch, they all stopped to check me out and see if I was a risk to them. It only took about twenty seconds and the younger ones were off playing, trying to get the older ones to play. The older ones were more cautious and after they sensed there was no danger, they pounced after the younger ones with a confidence that told the the age-old story of youth and wisdom. A bigger squirrel with a very large gray tail didn’t seem to want to play. It was on lookout for danger. Its movements were quick and composed and yet twitchy. Every once in a while when I moved my hand or arm it would twitch as if to let the others know that it was watching something that might impose a danger. After about an hour they were all comfortable with me watching and laughing at their games. They were full of life and delighting in it. The whole yard seemed to be the center of all life for that brief couple of hours. Every once in a while a car horn could be heard in the distance or the noise of a barking dog. In those times the squirrels paid their full attention to them and then after some sense of knowing that there was not danger, off they would play again.