Seraphina

Somehow I’ve obtained a pet squirrel.  I thought it was just a fluke the other day, but then I witnessed it again today.  My son, Matthew, saw it, too. 

The other day I opened the front door to leave for work and found a squirrel sitting on the front poor railing, watching the house.  I was so startled, I said, “oh, hello”.  I usually keep leftover birdseed from our finch and lovebird since they never empty their seed cups.  When I have enough, I put it out for the wild birds.  They are not as fussy as the house birds are.  I went back inside to get the leftover seed for Mrs. Squirrel (I call her Seraphina), and when I left for work, she was happily eating the sunflower seeds.

Today I was looking out the front door, and I watched her casually stroll up our front lawn.  She walked up the walk, climbed the steps and sat, looking up at the house.  I asked her (through the window) if she wanted something.  I went to get the leftover seed.  When I came back, she was on the railing, waiting.  I went outside and she got down waiting patiently in the garden, cautiously watching me. I threw the seed over the grass, and she came closer, perching in the tree out front to watch me.  I then came back inside, and she’s out there now under the tree, eating her dinner.

It brings to mind the squirrel that used to live near my Grandmother’s house.  My cousin, Charlotte, and I would sit outside, talking, and the squirrel would come to get peanuts.  We could hand them to him, and he’d sit near us, eating them.  When he was full, he’d lay down on his tummy near us in the driveway. Charlotte also had a tame squirrel in Michigan a few summers back.  She fed that one Nilla wafers.  She’d call, “cookie, cookie, cookie!” and the squirrel would come and take them out of her hand.

They are cute little critters.