Squirrels three in the tree

While our unseasonably December  with green grass and the good weather holds, inspite of a cold bite to the wind, I like to get outside to walk, breathing in the cold crisp clean smelling  air.  So, Wednesday I walked a couple miles  up town to the post office, library and stopped for a short visit and back home again.   Along the way across 11th street as I  walked up the hill across the ball park,  I heard a  lot of noise like squeaks and creeks.  When I crossed the street I could tell it was coming from this tree, which you can see looks ill, greatly split and gashed as if it needs to be taken down.  I wondered if the tree was preparing to commit suicide and end itself right there in front of me.  I needn't have worried. 

A closer look made me laugh at the trio of squirrels who were inside, standing their ground and yet so loudly warning me to keep away, stay off, do not approach, halt right there!

Fortunately  I had my smart phone along to snap these  shots....if you look you can see the gray trio, two  departing up the  limb and one still inside.  They were so comical as these critters can be,  all atop each other, six beady eyes looking at me  and all chattering in protest, "We told you to stand back!"   This photo surprised me, what was that, look at the y of the  limb that is most right in the photo.  Is that another critter crawling away, a possum or hedgehog, could it be?  Maybe that's why they were so excited, it wasn't me after all..

Go on, study the photo more closely, it is just another limb indeed that has been  taken off or broken, but for a moment I thought I'd captured wildlife in action.  Appearances can be deceiving....we do not always see what we think it is at first glance. 

As I walked along, I created this little rhyme 
 
Squirrels, squirrels in the tree
Why are you so ticked at me?
I am merely walking by,
I  won't touch your nut supply.  

Squirrels,  three you chatter so,
Do you miss December snow?
Is it odd for you to see
Grass so  green beneath the tree?

Squirrel trio,  do not fret
There will be a winter yet.
Mother Nature will  soon blow
Icy northern air with snow. 

Squirrels up that limb so fast
Do not flee I'm almost past.
Store your nuts and hide them deep
All the winter yours to keep.

Walk with me

Red Knock out roses  adjacent to  salvia in the front rose garden

This time of year, I love to be outdoors and keeping up with our landscape & floral gardens give me ample opportunity.  I have been fighting some aches and an annoying flare up of that  right Achilles tendon, but when I say fighting, you know me, I will not take this sitting down.  So rather than Curves workouts, which I am about to give up because I cannot get in there at the time I'd  prefer and because it is so beautiful around here,  I have been walking in the mornings.  The high school is about 1/4 +mile from our home and there is a wonderful quarter mile track around the football field that makes it easy to monitor the distance, so on mornings when I don"t feel like venturing uptown and farther around the neighborhoods, I head to the track.  Sometimes I bike to the school and lap it on wheels and then head to the track.    Because I have had so little time to blog, I took some photos the other morning to show you where we live and so today, walk with me as I log another  mile and half before patrolling my landscape.  It really is beautiful here in our corner of the country. 


I love the AM shadows from all the trees. 
Down our driveway to Cedar toward south 14th

New neighbors  will be next door, Maders daughter.

Dianne and her hubby who are also Morrison's will
be the new residents.  This is good, they are about our age,
empty nesters but it will confuse the post office to have
Morrisons two in a row.



It doesn't take long to reach So. 14th.  There is our local Community
Center, aka Hockey rink and fields to the left

Turn right and we are on South 14th

We  cross to the sidewalks on South 14th and go along





Wild flowers anyone?  A sweet scent wafts up.







Approaching  our destination, the track



On the right is our local La Crescent High school, back side



Now we are closer and ready to cross the street



Right across the street and past the fence, the track awaits



Enter and begin the serious swifter walking  This is a gorgeous
rubber based track and I have it all to myself



Some hurdles left over this morning...here we go



Almost to the first curve, looking back toward So. 14th
 from whence we came

Second curve going down the back stretch looking toward stands



Lap 1 done,  to the right off track are more sport fields and hills



Lap two we can go faster now

We have warmed up



After four laps and we head back down south 14th



Along the way home, this grass caught my eye
The phone pole appears to have an eye on me







Yellow mallow with salvia has me singing Mellow Yellow

Such are the entertaining thoughts that can enter on a

pretty sunny quiet  morning.  It's a good and bad thing I don"t walk with

earphones or any attachment.  I can be content with my own thoughts

 



Approaching Cedar to the right, Hockey Rink to the left

Still quiet on the roads and all is well

Home again home again....you know the rest.  Inside a K-cuppa will  be
good, hazlenut this morning I think



We still wave old Glory