Quote of the Day

by Mr Brown!!

"Promise me you'll never forget me because if you would, I'd never leave."

- Winnie the Pooh -

22nd November 2006

and in totally unrelated newsflash, my squirrel theory posted yesterday was empirically undermined. in a (comparatively) warm afternoon, on my way to lessons at 1530, i was passing by Stauffer Library when at the steep slope that formed sort of a waterless moat hugging the west side of the building, something moving against the backdrop of the building caught my eye.

this little fellow.

got up closer... he was still nibbling away, enjoying his photographic moment. the need for food near hibernation apparently relegated the threat of the evil camera lenses in their imagination. previously in summer they would have scooted in the blink of an eye. maybe they are simply too fat by now to move fast so they no longer bother to. which is somewhat true; they do move a lot slower now compared to summer and fall. is there any scientific corroboration i wonder....

and then from the corner of my eye i spotted more moving furballs on the ridgeline:

a second squirrel, a grey.

and a second black squirrel

perched so still, upright, that if his mouth hadn't been furiously nibbling away i would have dismissed him as part of the rubbish on the grass patch. and believe it or not he kept this zen position for the entire duration i swivelled towards him, walked audaciously up, snapped a shot, and kept my camera. last i saw him as i turned to continue my way to class he was as still as i first saw him.

apparently these furballs aren't only out scavenging on colder days. its all the acorns that had rained down on grass patches with the end of fall that made squirrels risk life and limb to overcome photophobia.