They do look a little more ratty, less fluffy than their grey cousins, they are lean and weasel like, crawling along the branches, smaller and more compact.
They have been here since the early 1900's but only in the past couple of years have they been so abundant. Their melanated selves absorb more warmth from less sunlight , enduring our weather better. History of them is that sometime in 1900's a young boy let loose the black squirrels from a cage at a carnival, they ran into the wilds and flourished. Who knows...anyway, spotting one can bring good luck and fortune, as they are said to be rare...Not here they are not! I guess we have all of the luck and all of the good fortune!
Sometimes a tulip will pop up from under the stairs- Deer have not yet figured out how to remove the stairs.
Beautiful spring day today. Perfect temperature, puff ball clouds in a blue sky. I can not bear to see what is on the "news" channels on you tube, which is my last go to on the information highway. Now I am considering that moving off grid may be a life saver.
I bought some fabric to make a summer nightie for Ms. Flora- I am inching toward actually cutting out the pattern- It is a different one and looks like it might be less complicated. I am usually wrong about things that look less complicated- I dig a hole...I jump in.
This may be a contest of "Who wore it best"...Clearly the grey squirrel is less formal.
I love to think of how Flora will remember you in the future – – even at her young she is a very alert and astute observer!
ReplyDeleteOf course you may well know her when she is a teenager – – possibly a young adult…
It doesn’t really matter – – the thing is, you are a loving and creative and presence in her life – –somebody who gets her—
a total blessing!
And she, to you!
She may or may not remember, but that is OK too. She has loads of people loving her in this life! Off to a great start. I am the luckiest woman in the universe!!AND I have a black squirrel living in my cherry tree!
DeleteI could well live until Flora is into her teen age angst years- Twelve more years is do-able...
A black squirrel in a cherry tree!
DeleteThose are great squirrel photos. I sort of knew the grey squirrel was fluffy but had no idea how sleek the black squirrel was until I saw your photo. I've only seen one or two black squirrels on my property. They are rare.
ReplyDeleteYou've got some lovely blooms in your garden. Things are still sleeping here. We woke up to snow cover two mornings in a row. It melts by mid-day, but still...I want no snow.
The pastel pink fabric looks ideal for a new nightgown for Flora. Nice choice.
SNOW! - well I suppose it is only April- by June you should have - no snow! though I remember snow on the fourth of July in Wyoming! The girl does love pink- I do too so it will be a pleasure to stitch it up!
DeleteWhen we rented a house in Bellevue, preparing to retire and flee the PNW, we had a squirrel with no tail who hung around. We'd buy 40 lbs of deer corn and feed the critters. Stumpy would find a big pile of corn, shovel some in to his mouth, fall asleep on the pile, wake up, eat more. I had foot surgery in that time frame, Jim fractured his pelvis, so the squirrels provided much entertainment. That black squirrel is very pretty.
ReplyDeletesquirrel and racoon , here to entertain you! Better than You tube! The little black ones are quite handsome. The chubby grey squirrels are funnier, though...more relaxed and into clowning. They will come right into the house, invited or not.
DeleteWe have photographic evidence of that tailless squirrel passed out in a pile of deer corn, funniest damn thing you ever saw. Think I'm partial to the black squirrel, good looking little rascal.
ReplyDeleteLittle blackie is wiry- ready to charge off mid seed! Sleek! Your corn squirrel sounds right up my alley!
DeleteI had no idea black squirrels even existed. They are so sleek and shiny. Love all your flowers. Good luck with the new nightie pattern.
ReplyDeleteI am willing the nightie to sew itself...I have it cut out sort of but am hesitant to get on with it. Tomorrow- and tomorrow...
DeleteBrilliant last photo. Cute squirrels (unless they are invasive pests as in UK).
ReplyDeleteSquirrels do not bother us at all- they just go about their business . Sometimes they like to come into the house to see what's in the kitchen.
DeleteI once saw a black squirrel in Central Park, in New York City. I think they can pop up in a population of grays as genetic mutations -- unless someone brought one from the PNW? Beautiful flowers -- especially your hyacinths, which look far more full and lush than mine did!
ReplyDeleteBlack squirrels are on the east coast as well, where ever the weather suits their clothes!
DeleteHa! Same story about how you got black squirrels as to how we got armadillos. Traveling circus, cage escape....
ReplyDeleteWe have white squirrels here and also fox squirrels. They are pretty crazy looking. I believe we may have flying squirrels. And of course, we have the ubiquitous gray squirrel.
Your flowers beat mine by a mile. So beautiful.
And another Flora nightie! I love it.
Maybe that is how we all got here- A traveling cosmic circus and we all escaped from a cage. Flowers like cold rain I guess, and cold nights- Cold is good, I say!
DeleteI love to see spring busting out. Our gray squirrels like to stretch out on the top round rail of the chain link fence.
ReplyDeletewarming their tummies.
DeleteWe have both black and red squirrels, not many (if any) gray ones. They're such fun to watch but I hate it when they get in the bird feeders!
ReplyDeleteDennis has made it impossible for the squirresl to get to the bird feeders. Feeders are suspended in mid air!!
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