Living in a rural area of northern Indiana has taught me a healthy admiration and respect for Mother Nature. In spite of our advancements in technology, She can still surprise us with errant thunderstorms, high winds, frigid temperatures, soaring highs, and sweltering humidity. She can also bless us with gentle breezes, crisp evenings, and sweet sunshine. The winters in this part of the state are, in a word, grey. If there is snow on the ground, there are days where the sky is the same color as the earth. The only relief is the stark outline of denuded trees. It can be a long and very drab three months. Then comes April. I wait impatiently to see signs of the Earth awakening from Her long winter’s nap. Shortly after seeing crocus and daffodil pushing up out of the ground, I know it will soon be time for the migrating birds to return. How I look forward to that, to see the bright black and orange bodies of the Orioles as they eagerly eat the grape jelly I put out for them. Then in May, the beautiful variety of Hummingbirds supping on sugar water. My husband and I so enjoy watching them from our back deck. This year, we added a double hooked bird feeder to our back yard. One side is full of bird seed for smaller birds, and the other has a hardpacked cylinder for the larger varieties. I also purchased a cute little statue of a girl holding out her apron. I put seed in the apron for the
ground feeders. We were all set to observe the sights and sounds of these lovely native birds. Enter THE SQUIRRELS; one large Fox Squirrel and two smaller Red Squirrels. I looked out my window one morning to see what kind of birds were eating from the bounty we had set out for them. Yes, Orioles at the feeder by the deck, finches on the tube of bird seed, hummingbirds darting to their sweet treat. But what was that at the cylinder? What bird had long fluffy tail feathers? I had to get the binoculars to check this out, and was rather disappointed to see that it was a large squirrel happily munching away on the peanuts and seeds. So began the battle. I doused the feeder pole with cooking spray. How my husband and I laughed to see the squirrels jump onto the pole and slide down. The only problem was that the spray would dry and have to be frequently reapplied. Someone suggested putting a Slinky on the pole. I found a small one that I thought would work perfectly. It took awhile to wind it around and around and around the pole, but I did it, standing in the hot sun. We watched gleefully as we saw one of the Red Squirrels approaching the feeder. He jumped up on the pole, hit the Slinky, and did, indeed, slide down.....once. After studying the new device on the pole, he figured out how to place his hands
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