Trouble is a Girl

 
OK, don't start giving me a hard time for making stereotyped generalizations.

I'm talking about one particular critter named Trouble. The one who lives on my deck.

Yup, last week two more little versions appeared, running around like maniacs. At least one of them is a boy, judging from his inappropriate playtime activities.

I caught one of the little ones up in the place between the two roofs where they have a nest. I've named them Double (Trouble) and Triple (Trouble). Just call them the DTs. Riley's grandchildren. I haven't seen her since spring, when she was looking very old. I suspect she has gone to squirrel heaven.



They still aren't actually IN the house. As long as they just nest in that protected outside space I guess they can stay.

	See the elderly Riley
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Hot Trouble

 
The defining feature of the day was heat. Wow. I did get some laundry done, and worked on a database project I've become obsessed with. But I didn't move far or fast.

Neither did Trouble. This is Riley's offspring who has stayed around. I think Trouble is a good enough name for him/her. We can't have the bird feeders any more because we can't afford to feed the squirrel(s) too. We now have a fox squirrel hanging around too, and they are really pigs. And I think Trouble chews more than Riley did.

Anyway, these pictures were taken on a different hot day, but Trouble was pretty much slowed to a crawl as well.



I took the pictures because I've never seen a red squirrel just lie down and look less than alert out in the open like this (on our deck railing). Here's one through a cleaner window.



But it was oppressive enough today to keep me pretty much in a chair with a fan on.

	See Hello, My Name is Trouble
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"Hello, My Name is Trouble..."

 
I've known for quite a while now that one of the baby red squirrels stayed to live with mama Riley. I'm pretty sure his/her name is Trouble.



So, now instead of an elephant on the roof, I have a herd of them. At least you'd think so from the amount of noise they make.

Oddly enough, they rarely come on the deck at the same time.

	See She's Back
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She's Back (or Did She Ever Leave?)

 
Like the kid who spoiled the fun for everyone, the adorable Riley Red Squirrel has forced us to stop putting out bird food. Can't afford to feed her too. That doesn't mean she has moved on. Oh no...

I heard her off and on, running across the roof, all summer, and caught glimpses this fall.

Today, she's sitting on the porch rail staring at the door and then the empty bird feeder. Yeah, right. Does she look like she needs more food?



What happened to my sleek young menace? She got fat!




Of course, it might not be the same squirrel, but I am pretty certain the little hidey-hole between the porch and house roofs has been continuously occupied. I don't think I've ever seen such a fat red squirrel. The fox squirrels tank up and become downright portly, but these little ones usually do too much running around to gain weight.

Wild red squirrels have an average life expectancy of under three years, although they have been known to live eight years in captivity. Since females usually don't mate till they are two, that would make Riley a mature survivor (she had a litter of two this spring).

She's certainly looking matronly.



She can continue to live with us, but she'll have to enjoy the pine seeds and other treats she finds on her own. Hopefully, she won't bequeath her "den" to someone else.

	See Alive and Well
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Bookends

 
Well, there seem to be just two little ones. They sometimes share and sometimes chase and bite each other.



What am I gonna do?

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Uh-Oh

 
We've now gone from cute to problematic.

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Antics

 
I am busy trying to get ready to leave on Saturday, and since I have to work most of the rest of this week I need to be pretty much packed as early as possible.

I've been saving some cuteness for you that I've caught over the past few months (you can see the background turn from white to brown to green).


Yes, Riley is as pert as ever, and she doesn't run away the split second I open the door any more.


However, she doesn't like the rice crackers I put out any more than I did. The rain turned them to mush on the railing. I guess even the birds didn't like them.



I put out a Ritz cracker today, but she turned up her nose at that too. She's quite the epicure as well as a gymnast.



She's looking sleek and trim, and thankfully not pregnant.

	See Alive and Well
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Somebody's Idea of a Joke

 
This was somebody's idea of an April joke. 34 degrees and white stuff. But even Riley didn't think it was funny.



You don't believe me? Look at her face.

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Alive and Well

 
Just in case you were wondering, Riley is alive and well and flourishing in her warm hidey-hole under the roof edge, eating expensive seeds from the bird feeder.



Over the winter, I learned that she likes to visit the white pine stand (well-used track). It was a great year for cones, so I'm thinking pine seeds are a diet staple too.

The other day I spread some sunflower seeds on the deck rail, and she thought those were great. Not that there is any big surprise there.

I do hope she doesn't go find a boyfriend this spring and teach a litter of pups about the wonderful free digs. That could be an issue!

Meanwhile, I enjoy her antics. Although when she gallops across the roof you'd swear it was an elephant rather than a 2-pound squirrel.



We added a second feeder, thinking that would reduce the arguments, but they all prefer whichever one is fuller and continue to argue over it rather than someone choosing the other feeder. So much for human ideas.

	See Napoleanne Riley
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Napoleanne Riley

 
Napoleanne Riley, Empress of the Deck



What? You don't believe me? Just ask her.

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The Acrobat and the Thief

 
The most interesting things today seemed to be happening on my own deck. And the tables were turned. We already know who has a reputation for thievery! (See Robbery)



Today made me think that Riley is feeling more relaxed about hanging out.


So I put a small pile of peanuts on the deck railing for her. Much to my surprise, every single one of them was taken and eaten whole by... (photo from a previous day with more snow)... the blue jay



I realize jays are fairly large birds, but I never would have guessed they'd swallow a whole peanut (not in the shell- that would be a feat). And not just one peanut. The jay sat there and ate nine peanuts, one after the other. A nice bit of revenge for all the times Riley has chased the jays from the feeder. Some mornings they go back and forth chasing each other away with the only effect being that neither one gets to eat!

Later in the afternoon the circus left town, and the chickadees came by for a calm snack.

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National Squirrel Appreciation Day

 
Who knew? It's National Squirrel Appreciation Day.

What else can I do but bring you more pictures of Riley? By the way, she isn't a big fan of broccoli. I'm not sure if she eventually took a few of the pieces, or if the birds just knocked them off the railing. Quite predictably, she does like nuts.









Do I appreciate her? Yeah, she's lots of fun to watch. As Vanilla said, "Once you name them, it's all over."

	See Riley's Christmas
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Furred Lightning

 
I may have made my peace with Riley, but she doesn't know I'm not still out to get her.

On alert.



Going. Going. Gone.



(to her hidey-hole between the house and deck roofs)

	See Riley's Christmas
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