It’s summer again, and the hungry squirrels are back looking for peanuts in our backyard. Over the years, we have seen many, some are more memorable than others. There are a few that we get to recognize and watch out for.

 I recall a big-boned squirrel that we named “Wally” because he loved walnuts. When there were only peanuts, he would look up with a disapproving stare. Wally came back every spring along with other younger squirrels over a three-year period or so. We knew it was Wally because of his size and he had a large gash just above his nose. His demeanor made us imagine that if he were human, he would talk like a “yakuza” prompting us to offer some walnuts instead of peanuts. When he was not displeased for the lack of walnuts, Wally was friendly and warm. He would even scratch the backdoor to let us know he had come for some treats. I am too much of a coward, but my family members would hand him treats which he took politely with his hands (or paws?). Wally was so big that he could be eating walnuts in the middle of the porch without worrying about other squirrels stealing from his pile of nuts. He was confident and had a calm demeanor. We truly miss him.

Then there was Puzzles. I don’t recall why my daughter named her Puzzles but she came often with her young pups starting in spring and continued to make visits throughout summer. Puzzles was a small-framed, elegant looking squirrel. She was friendly, like Wally, and often let us know she had arrived by sitting on top of the barbecue grill which was parked in front of the kitchen window. This barbecue grill had since become a popular spot for other squirrels to rest while waiting for someone to show up in the kitchen. We could identify Puzzles as she had an ear with a missing tip. She had disappeared for a year or so and then one summer we spotted her on top of the barbecue grill. We were delighted to see that she was well. That was the last summer she made her appearance.

Last year, we did not have many squirrels coming to our yard. Those that came were very suspicious and never realized that we had peanuts to offer. This spring, we started to see a couple of young ones running around our yard. They immediately took off when they saw someone stepping out into the yard. Then one day we saw a friendly squirrel perched on top of the barbecue grill as if she was waiting for us. She has been visiting us almost every day, and I enjoy her running towards me when I step outside. She does have her boundaries (as all wild animals should) and makes sure I keep about a foot distance.

We had two beautiful Aspen trees in our back yard for many years. Because of the decrease in rain and rising temperatures over the last few years, the Aspens had been showing signs of decay. We had a tree specialist take a look to see if they needed to come down. Based on his advice, we had one of them chopped down, but the other Aspen still showed some signs of recovery so he chopped just the top portion that looked unhealthy. The tree stump left by the chopped down Aspen had turned into a table for little critters to come and feed on peanuts. The birds also enjoy the nuts. This is the first year that I have gotten to interact with wild birds. The Spotted Towhee birds had always been “heard” around our house, but this year they seemed to have nested in our bushes. Surprisingly, a few now chirp by the kitchen window asking for peanuts. I throw each an unshelled peanut which seems too big for them, but one by one they come and pick up their share and fly away back into the bushes. I have come to see how intelligent crows can be, but the interactions with the small birds have been an eye opener.

With the squirrels, crows, robins, Stellar Jays and the Spotted Towhee birds visiting every day, it has become quite a chore keeping them happy (yes, I am a pushover when it comes to animals). I’m sure there are other critters like mice that hide under the ground coverings waiting for leftovers. I have seen the rabbits pick up some shelled peanuts and munch on them, but in general they are happier chewing on my flowers and plants (sigh!).

When all the traffic has subsided, I often spot one squirrel sitting on the tree stump. It looks like a young one (I’ll assume he’s a young lad). When I throw a peanut his way, it does not show any interest and keeps looking down at the tree stump. I noticed that when other squirrels were getting peanuts tossed their way, the young lad just stays on the tree stump not even looking up at us or the other squirrels. Perhaps due to his youth, he has not yet developed certain critical thinking skills. When I toss a peanut his way, the sudden awakening into reality startles him, and he takes off without even noticing the peanut that had landed close by. He continues to return almost every day, and we find him sitting on the tree stump with his back towards the house. I can only conclude that he thinks peanuts miraculously appear from the tree stump. In his mind, peanuts grow out of the tree stump!? I look forward to the day when he realizes where the peanuts truly come from.