Monday, April 16, 2012

Today I got to see, firsthand, how a crafty squirrel has been managing to pluck and eat all the oranges off one of my trees in my back yard.  Though I’d seen the little fella sitting atop the wall a few weeks back, hyperactively shredding the peel off the orange he’d secured before devouring said treat, I’d wondered just how the furry guy was managing to get the oranges off the tree.  

Today, that mystery was solved.  When I opened my window coverings this morning, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but my resourceful bushy-tailed friend revealing how he got the oranges off my tree.  Not sure about squirrels others may encounter in their own yards, but the ones that reside on my property are amongst the most agile I’ve ever seen.  Cirque du Soleil would be thrilled to hire any of them.

It’s not uncommon for me to see my everyday grey squirrels launch themselves and fly, with the greatest of ease, from one tiny tree branch to that of another in a tree that’s easily six or more feet away.  All this takes place, with two of my dogs eagerly following their every movement from just below, hoping upon all hope that one day the fluffy-tailed little buggers will miss their landing and become a new chew toy.

So when I saw my orange-loving squirrel this morning, I wasn’t the least bit surprised to witness him clinging with his tiny toes, up side down from a minute branch as he stretched his body to reach the prize orange he wanted.  I paused and enjoyed watching him stretch his body further and further as his front paws just missed being able to grab hold of his orange.  Then, with victorious delight, the little guy managed to nab his catch and, tucking it under one of his arms, did an interesting three-legged hop/gallop from the tree to the top of a wrought-iron fence.  From there, he launched himself through the air to the top of a block wall and literally flew straight up in the air, as if shot from a cannon, into the sturdier branches of an awaiting tree where he was instantly swallowed up by a curtain of leaves.  A moment later, I had to chuckle when I saw bits and flecks of orange peel being rapid-fired from the squirrel’s resting spot as he meticulously removed the skin in order to sink his teeth into the sweet treat he held.

So alas, the riddle of how my fluff-tailed vitamin C-loving squirrel manages to collect the oranges from my tree has been resolved.