My daughter was waiting on the trampoline when I came home from work the other day, sitting there waiting for me. We’re still in this crazy period where I’m almost always at home, but sometimes I head in.
She told me she made a new friend.
Seeing as there’s a pandemic and all, I was a little surprised. She took me around to the back porch and showed me a squirrel in a tree, just sitting there, hanging out in a branch.
My friend, she said. She’d been taking pictures of the creature.
So, that’s something. A teen who makes a friend with a brushy-tailed creature. Today, I sat on the porch all afternoon working. Off with her sister, she texted me, Has my friend returned?
Not yet. But I’m looking.
Photo by Gabriela Stanciu
Stony Soil Vermont 
This reminds me of when Mallory named a rather friendly chipmunk and called it her friend. Tomatillo and Mallory played hide-and-seek for a full afternoon. The things that bring us comfort. đź’ž
Always to pleasure to hear from you 🙂 Thanks for sharing the story of Mallory and Tomatillo — it’s a sweet one!
I’d love to send the scurry of squirrels (I had to look that up!) that plague my tiny patch. So many friends. Your daughter is very dear.
This reminds me how our own scurry of red squirrels (great word) once plagued us in our sugarhouse. Thank you for your kind words about my daughter!