Ramble with Storm: Squirrel & acorn

Mulling things on my morning ramble with Storm, the family’s mixed Lab.

Follow the acorn.

When a guy a street over retired years ago, a farmer friend gave him several oaks. They happened to be bur oaks, which are different than most other oaks. Most oaks produce acorns in vastly different quantities year to year.

Not bur oaks. Bur oaks reproduce like rabbits, every year like crazy they drop acorns on the sidewalk, on the roof, on the garage and in the gutters. As the man graphically described to me one time I was walking the meathead.

All the same, I usually pick up an acorn this time of the year and bring it home to give either our daughter or our youngest son. They appreciate this stuff.

I stuffed one in my pocket and continued on.

Follow the acorn.

A rabbit loped across the path and into the brush as we started the extended part of the ramble, on what was a rather mellow morning for wildlife. I wonder if the front had something to do with that. We did not see or hear a single Canada goose.

As we approached the bridge over the neckdown between the two old clay pits, a great splash startled both Storm and me. Then I saw a great blue heron flapping off to land on a dead branch in the water on the south pit.

Don’t see that a lot, a heron flying and fishing. Tend to see them more stalking or standing still and fishing.

Another rabbit loped across the path on the south side of the south pit.

Back in town, I found dozens of mourning doves around a bird feeder near some gravel for grit. I managed to get my best photo so far of doves on a wire. Very much in the vein of Charles Demuth or Larry Green, for those who are avid readers of the Ramble. You will probably see that photo in the Sun-Times for the dove preview.

As we came up the steps, a few doves fluttered off. I put the acorn on the rail of the porch and took a photo.

Follow the acorn.

As I started to make breakfast and prepare for the family unit awaking, I noticed a squirrel on the rail. Could it be that the squirrel was gnawing on the acorn I left as a gift?

It was. My day was made.

The squirrel stayed long enough and posed well enough that I was able to get a presentable photo through the smeared front window.