Last week our friend Helen (of the Group Hug) asked if she and her dog, Sophie, could join us on Monday for a walk in the park. Dog? Squirrels? I love Helen, but I envisioned this might not be a pairing that would be as tranquil as usual. Helen even admitted that Sophie "loves to chase the squirrels". I was embarrassed to be seen partaking in this traitorous alliance!
10:00 AM we met at the bridge and set out, leaving the peanuts behind in the car. To my surprise, as we approached Squirrel One, Sophie struck an almost cat-like crouching pose, and slowly, very slowly, crept forward. She never bolted and the squirrel was fearless! We moved along, and each time Sophie amazed me with her quiet, fascinated attitude! Near the end of our walk, we crossed the grass to see a remaining squirrel, and what happened next surprised us all. The squirrel was just as fascinated with Sophie! He'd come forward, run back, and move in a little closer each time. I delightedly took picture after picture, but in the end, we walked away without a reward for Brave Little Squirrel.
Awesome shot!! I can't believe that squirrel was so brave. Take extra goodies tomorrow for your little squirrel friends to make up. I'm sure they will forgive you! :) Love this!! *fav*
So fantastic! Those little buddy squirrels can be super brave! I can't even say the word squirrel around my dog cause he starts searching all over- I think he wants to be their friend. Maybe Sofie does too! Great perspective!
Thanks again, you have a way of making a lady feel special!
May not have contrast but you do have camouflage! Great story and picture and I'm sure the squirrels will forgive and be eager to enjoy today's feasting.
That's a great photo and I really enjoyed your story. The squirrel must have been thinking, "Oh no, a dog! But he's with Louise, so he must be okay..."
When I was a kid we had squirrels that took great delight in teasing our dog by mocking him from the safety of tree branches. Periodically they would come down to earth, just long enough to get his attention then race back up the trunk and chatter from above. Meanwhile our dog would be dancing and howling from below, ready to tear someone limb from limb. Needless to say he was never successful, and I'm not sure he would have known what to do if he had actually grabbed a squirrel. I feel sure the squirrels realized that and chose dog teasing as their sport of the day. Ah good times.
"traitorous alliance" Ahahahaha... Too funny! Give it time and I am sure you will have the squirrels fully posing for you. I am sure the squirrels will forgive you for not stuffing them silly with peanuts for one day. I mean, really, you can't eat a Thanksgiving feast *every* day. Sometimes you have to undo your pants and let it settle to make some room. (Now that is a hilarious mental image... enjoy!)
Oh goodness... I can't tell if I need more or less coffee at this point but I am cracking up imagining your squirrels reclining against the base of the trees, huge distended bellies, scratching happily... All the while happily chattering about this nice lady that brings peanuts. =) Hehe
Poor little squirrels! Hopefully someone will help take over but they have some rather large shoes to fill. I am sure your furry friends are going to miss you terribly. =(
Thank you so much Louise! What a nice compliment from your friend Billy. He too must be an amazing person...after all, he's a friend of yours. : )
This is a great capture! You can bet the Sheridan Avenue Boys would not be so nice. They can be very rude when they see other animals or for that matter anything that moves. lol
LOL at autumn eden saying "less coffee" ahahha. Louise, you are too funny. You should have another album solely dedicated to the awesome squirrels. I know I'm not the only who feels the need to see these critters at least 3x a week.
Oh, that is great! I love that story....it reminds me of Dr. Seuss' "Pale Green Pants" (with nobody inside them) "I never heard such whimpering and I began to see, that I was just as strange to them as they were strange to me."
well Louise you just have to make up for it next time in the park. that story is amazing who would have thought that the dog and also the squirrel were so fascinated that they tried to approach each other so carefully. i wish i could have witnessed it
ohh don't feel guilty!! The squirrel was happy just seeing you I bet :)
Great picture. I love squirrels!
ps) Havnt seen any baby squirrels out lately :( I've been watching for them...but no sign. Bummber. But I'm still waiting! and at least I got even more pictures of Charlie...I'm thinking about having another Charlie week soon :)
This is a cute one. Lovely story. I quess I need to try to find a squirrels too. They are just so fearful and run away. Peanuts is the key to the friendship I assume. Need to buy some.
Thank you Louise for your kind coments about my picture. At 1st I was pretty shocked to see a squirrel in my garden, but I have found myself looking out for it all day, I want the little guy to come back and play :o)
LOL lovely capture! Great story too, Sophie's fluffy looking is she a poodle? Squirrels 1 dogs 0 - I bet those clever rodents would outwit the dogs any day! : )
Louise, you definitely made squirrel the "star" of 365! I started to get so excited everytime I see these little guys and wanted to take pictures of them too!
MYOB? are you crazy? i will share with you. always. i am never sure if i should post it on my own picture or on the person asking the question. sometimes i forget to check for the answer - oopsies. anyway, i have been taking photography classes, lots of them. there is a program at santa monica college and right now i am taking a Lightroom class. so if you need anyone to take pictures with a 4x5, i'm your woman haha. i don't know if it's apparent i have been taking classes cause sometimes i am in a rush to get my daily picture done. and the guy i wanted to take a picture of was the guy who was interviewing me for a job. the interviewer, i suppose. i wanted to sneak a picture of his legs under the table. hahaha, but that might be unprofessional... and now come to think of it might have turned out inappropriate. sheesh, i don't even know why i even wrote that if i didn't take the picture. oh well, there it is.
Sweet story and a nice angle on the shot. This squirrel looks brave! We don't have many tree squirrels around my house but we do have marmots! I am waiting for them to wake up from their winter nap and then I will post a few photos :o) Just think "Wow, what a big squirrel" :o)
I think this is going for the record of comments. I think I am number fifty seven or so. Not much I can possibly add. And after Kathleen's pic I really will be expecting a squirrel theme soon.
what a sight!! I would have thought the dog would have tried to go after the squirrels even on a leash! It looks as if they are about to do a standoff. too cute
Louise, it took me a year to scroll down here. LOVE this shot. So funny! Poor little squirrel not a peanut for his efforts. Maybe Sophie is trained to be nice to small critter? My dogs were afraid of all thing tiny, rats, birds, kittens... we had a tortoise and we told them they were never to hurt him so they figured everything that was small was a tortoise.
I love the story behind this photo. What got you started on your interest in squirrels? My dad used to just about have a heart attack trying to chase squirrels away from his bird feeder. He did not share your love for them, at all.
Thanks again, you have a way of making a lady feel special!
Sophie must have *known* what expected behavior was with you! I'll bet you don't leave your peanuts in the car next time! :-)
Hehehehe....
Yeah, maybe less coffee. ;)
This is a great capture! You can bet the Sheridan Avenue Boys would not be so nice. They can be very rude when they see other animals or for that matter anything that moves. lol
Great picture. I love squirrels!
ps) Havnt seen any baby squirrels out lately :( I've been watching for them...but no sign. Bummber. But I'm still waiting! and at least I got even more pictures of Charlie...I'm thinking about having another Charlie week soon :)
It really warms my heart. :-)
I so hope there are squirrels at your vacation home in Nova Scotia!
And, you are indeed in my consciousness, now! ;-)
"we meet at last"