The Squirrel Days Of Winter

March 4, 2016March 4, 2016 / Ally Bean / 39 Comments

I stepped out onto our deck to enjoy the fresh air and clear skies. I wasn’t thinking about much of anything when I sensed that I wasn’t alone.

I looked up into the trees that form our backyard and guess who was up there waving hello? None other than your friend and mine, Fuzzy the Squirrel.

He looked to be in good shape. I’m figuring he’s around at least 5 years old, which is pretty old for a squirrel who lives in the wild, if you can call our backyard the wild.

I did notice that while he was twisting around to tidy up his fur, he was hanging tough on his tree branch, not even bothering to give me a second glance.

He seemed to be content to just sit up there, not barking or doing much of anything. I’ve never seen him so calm and Zen-like.

So I took a few photos of him, watched him as he dozed off to sleep– and couldn’t help but wonder how much longer my blog posts will be featuring Fuzzy the Squirrel. [Read more about him here.]

A Poem In Which We Once Again Talk About Fuzzy The Squirrel

November 24, 2015May 6, 2021 / Ally Bean / 27 Comments

The morning was beautiful, the sky was blue,

I glanced out the window for something to do.

Neighbor Kitty, most calm, asleep in the leaves,

While above him there plotted three sciurine thieves.

Their leader, a dickens, named Fuzzy by me,

Stared down upon Kitty, while perched in a tree.

I feared for them all should trouble arise,

But Kitty kept sleeping, there was no surprise.

The squirrels soon tired of barking at cat,

And decided to use the limb for a chat.

The photo you see makes it look oh so dreamlike,

But I swear to you here, it truly was scheme-like.

This post is now over, my rhyme will be ending,

But with Fuzzy’s approval, this poem I’m sending.

As Autumn Arrives A Legend Returns: Hello Fuzzy The Squirrel!

September 22, 2015September 22, 2015 / Ally Bean / 27 Comments

• The squirrels have been scarce around our yard all summer, allowing me to grow pots of petunias, and now pansies, unbothered on our deck.

• So imagine my surprise yesterday afternoon when I saw Fuzzy the Squirrel on our deck for the first time in months. I’d begun to wonder if he was still around.

• Naturally he was causing trouble, indulging his appetite for destruction in the right-hand pot, while prudently avoiding my new cute jack-o-lantern decorative spike thingie.

• To his credit, once he realized that I spied him, he tried to hide from me behind one of the pots, while pretending that nothing untoward had happened to my petunia.

• Then taking a different approach to destruction, our friend, Fuzzy the Squirrel, began digging into the left-hand pot while I watched.

• However, I’m happy to say that he quickly became bored with the whole idea of ruining my pretty Halloween tableau.

• He jumped up onto the deck railing where he purveyed our forested backyard… where he should be, imho.

• Then turning my way for one last photo, he posed so that I might snap him next to my new cute jack-o-lantern decorative spike thingie… which he better not damage. Or else.

~ THE END ~

Spunk, Moxie Or Gumption? You Decide.

September 10, 2015May 6, 2021 / Ally Bean / 16 Comments

Because sometimes the light that shines within me gets curious about things, I researched the following three words after I thought of them while watching a certain video.

Thinking that these three word meant the same thing, I can now tell you that ~~I was righ~~t according to the dictionary these three words mean different things.

Sort of. [I guess.] In a very nuanced way.

~ ~ • ~ ~

SPUNK = courage and determination

MOXIE = force of character or nerve

GUMPTION = shrewd or spirited initiative and resourcefulness

~ ~ • ~ ~

The following video of Monkey the Cat, who just happens to look like one of my dearly departed pussy gatos, demonstrates for us the above concepts.

It shows that…

Monkey’s gumption helps him have the spunk to use moxie to get the kibble.

Or to put it another way…

Monkey’s spunk combined with his moxie gives him the gumption to play the game that gets the kibble.

Or perhaps it tells us that…

Monkey’s moxie influences his gumption so that he has the spunk to find the ball to get the kibble.

WHATEVER.

Instead of focusing on the syntax of a perfectly crafted sentence, like I have here, I suggest that you, gentle readers, watch the video and learn, as Monkey the Cat shows us what spunk or moxie or gumption is all about.

You will be amazed.