Guess who woke up?

A sleepy someone decided to emerge from his slumber today. That's a sure sign of spring around the corner and a sign that the birdseed is going to disappear 5 times as fast.

I will admit I have missed my little friends as they slept serenely beneath the ground and the snow, on the mounds of birdseed and peanuts I supplied them with last year.

Squirrels have provided plenty of entertainment through the winter, but they're just not as lovable as chipmunks.

My hard drive is full of chipmunk pictures. Everytime I think I must not take one more picture of them, one of these critters will look in my eyes and I just have to get one more shot. But then, I guess I'm the same way with bird pictures.

I know I shouldn't love them. They're rodents who can cause a heap of trouble. (Two years ago we had one tearing around inside our house - if you missed it, you can read about it here.)

But who can resist watching their decision making skills when faced with so many peanuts, so little time? How many can I shove in my pockets? Maybe I can squeeze in just one more...maybe switch up the sizes to cram more in there....oooh I hate to leave that one behind....I'll be back in a flash for it!

Here's some poor quality video snippets taken last year when I hadn't learned the settings on my camera. You'll easily see why the birds have very little chance of snatching sunflower seeds when chipmunks are around.

You'll also notice the chipmunk on the same perch the hawk was sitting on a few blog posts ago.

Oh dear.

I guess we'll see who's fastest and wisest....but I don't think I want a video of their encounter!

Home Wrecker

We didn't mean to....but my husband and I kinda wrecked someone's home this evening. That someone is pictured here. Our little pond in the front garden had to be replaced, so my husband removed the waterfall and other rocks, piled them all around the perimeter of the garden, and discovered this little guy's home. His burrow entrance was directly beside the pond liner and beneath the rocks. Chip chirped angrily at hubby as he worked away, and then he disappeared. Chip is the offspring of Chipper, a chipmunk I tamed last summer to eat peanuts from my hand. More about her in a future blog.... Chip has it made in the shade in this garden. He has his own personal waterbowl, seen here.

He also cleans up the birdbath for me and guards the plants from invading rabbits.

We worked on getting the new pre-formed pond in place and some of the rocks moved, but we ran out of time, as nothing stops my husband from going to the gym every night. So there is still a mess of rocks and stuff everywhere that we hope to get back in place tomorrow. He left, and I moved the old pond liner around the corner to the end of the driveway. I suddenly jumped as a very loud 'chirp' rang out from behind the gas meter. Poor Chip! I had frightened him as he waited in there for us to vacate the garden. I can't believe such a loud noise is possible from such a tiny rodent!

I purposely went in the house to give Chip enough time to get back to the garden before dusk and get another entrance dug to his home. Alas, he did not return. Poor baby. Uprooted.... surrounded by the unfamiliar .... future unknown... deathly afraid....and alone.

Ever been there? Not behind the gas meter....but feeling frighteningly alone, even if there are others around? You've had the rug pulled out from under you. The comfortable and familiar have taken wings and flown, and you are left in a cold place you've not been before. You don't know where to go from here. You sit paralyzed...and you wait.

I wish I could make Chip understand that everything's okay. I have plans for that pond and garden that he can't see right now....but it will provide all that he needs and be even better than he's ever known. He can be brave, step around the obstacles that are there right now, and begin to build again. He can sleep in peace tonight because something better is just around the corner. I tell you....I learn more from chipmunks and my garden than you can imagine!

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe." Psalm 4:8

(From the Bible - New Living Translation)