May 7 GENIUS

Sunday:  A few days ago I was looking out my side window where my bird feeders are and was SHOCKED to find a squirrel up on the side of the feeder that has a flat square area where I put MEALWORM and other delicious treats for the birds. I never in all my life imagined that a squirrel could figure out HOW on earth to climb that skinny metal pole and jump up to that little platform and eat all of the food--but my eyes were NOT tricking me. There WAS a squirrel there! I knocked on the window and he ran away ... but really? Anyway, two minutes later he was right back up there eating the rest of the food! I caught him at it two days in a row. What a rascal.

This morning before I left for church, I heard a racket outside and lifted the blinds to have a look. THIS is what a found.

Evidently GENIUS here was not satisfied to eat mealworm and decided to go for the actual bird seed. I watched him for awhile, intrigued by his physical prowess and then decided I would have to name him and call him my very own outdoor pet. Why not? My cousin, Annie, had an outdoor pet squirrel for years! His name was ROGER. He got so used to Annie, that she could leave her slider open and Roger would just come into her back porch area and help himself to whatever food she left there for him. You would have to know my cousin, Annie, to completely appreciate this. She (and all four of her sisters and their offspring) are amazing with animals.

So GENIUS ... what's it going to be? Are we going to have a relationship? Hmm. I'll have to see how this develops ...