Written by Janna Phelps
I have always been an animal lover! North Dakota is still unspoiled in many ways and wildlife abounds here. Just yesterday there were half a dozen wild turkeys strolling through our church’s parking lot!
One of my most memorable experiences with a wild animal happened one warm, sunny, summer day soon after our youngest son was born.
On this luscious summer day I decided to set up the kiddie pool for our oldest son to splash and play in. Our youngest son was about a month old and sleeping peacefully in his carrier nearby. I set Nick’s pool up in shade of the side yard between two trees. Sam was in his carrier on the grass and I was lounging comfortably in a lawn chair, while our dog, Maisy sprawled next to me.
It was a beautiful day, and it felt nice to take a break from mothering and housekeeping. Nick was playing happily in the pool, and I began to really relax. Well…. as much as one can relax while dealing with an adventurous child in a pool of water!
From one of the trees overhead, I saw a tiny squirrel tentatively creep down the tree and watch us. Being the polite person I try to be, I bid the squirrel “good day” and told him how cute I thought he was. He must have been a young squirrel from his size, and so curious. He bravely inched himself down a little closer. Maisy, as any dog would, hopped up and headed for the tree. The squirrel quickly ran back up the tree. How cute this was, I thought! This little game went on for the next 15 minutes – the squirrel would come down just out of reach of the dog, the dog would jump up and try to reach it, and the squirrel would retreat back up his tree. It was as if this little squirrel was deliberately tempting our dog! I was enjoying it, while at the same time, trying desperately to keep my attention focused on an energetic 4 year old in a pool of water.
As I was instructing Nick for the one millionth time to “ please not bring the sticks and grass into the pool, so we could keep the water clean”, the little squirrel, with a burst of courage much too big for one so small, came rushing down out of the tree, ran past the dog and around and around the sleeping baby! This was wild kingdom in action!
Of course, the dog did what dogs were created to do! She chased the little squirrel around and around the sleeping baby too! I yelled so loudly the whole neighborhood was certain to have heard me and proceeded to grab Sammy and the carrier out of the path of the chase. As you have probably already guessed, my baby was no longer sleeping!
The little squirrel ran up the other tree and out of the reach of our dog! I took Sammy out of his carrier and comforted him, while mumbling under my breath about the crazy, rabid squirrel attacking my child!
That energetic 4 year old is now 18 and ready to graduate, and my precious sleeping baby is 14, and just shaved for the first time last week! Time goes by so quickly and I hold close to my heart all of the precious memories that I have, from those fleeting years!
This memory always makes me smile, and seems like it happened just last week! I always think of it when I see the squirrels chasing each other in the Spring, or when I surprise one of the little critters and hear it scolding me high from a tree. Squirrels remind me of the wonderful sense of humor my Creator has, in giving these furry little creatures their engaging personalities and quirky characteristics!
It also taught me that you are never completely safe from wildlife – even while living in suburbia!
