We've never really appreciated this lamp-post contraption -- but obviously someone does:
Look at that huge nest between the bin and the post. It's a squirrels nest, and although the lampost is ugly, at least we have fun watching the squirrel make his way up and down that post zillions of times a day with his mouth full of nest-building material.I caught him the other day in the back-garden mulberry tree, chomping away at the leaves -- not sure if he was eating them or stuffing his chops full of them to take back to the nest. I'd love to know how many babies are in there. 
It reminds me of a true story. Many years ago, we had to move from a lovely house with a lovely garden to a small apartment set on a very busy, noisy, dusty, main road. I was heart-broken and missed terribly all the wild-life we'd lived among for a number of years.
Feeling very sorry for myself one day, I prayed, "Lord, if only there was even just a little bit of wild life around here that I could enjoy."
Later, I went out on the balcony and noticed a real mess -- twigs and leaves I thought must have fallen from the straggly tree hanging high over the balcony (even the tree was dusty!) I moved the folding chairs away from the wall to sweep, and one of the chairs fell open. Inside was a nest of tiny, pink, baby squirrels!
For weeks after we had the absolute pleasure of watching the mother squirrel teach her babies, as they grew, how to jump from the balcony railing to the closest tree branch. If only I had a video camera in those days!
The squirrels came back every year, for the whole time we lived there...and I never shooed them away!
It seemed like I could hear the Lord saying, "See! I can even provide you with this. All you had to do was ask!"
I had no idea you were such a nature lover --even when we were in England?
ReplyDeleteThey have been trying for years to put electric and telephone lines underground here (no frost/freeze to worry about). But I think they ran out of funds or something, because I haven't seen much happening lately. Of course the city has quadrupled in size so they may have been busy on other things.