First Blood
Three years ago when I bought my house, one of the selling points was that mature older neighborhood with shade and landscapes that you just can't get overnight. One of the obvious features with all of the mature trees and bird feeders ended up being squirrels. I've shaken my fist at them and warned of what war might break out if they ever crossed the line.
They're artfully dodged any real offenses beyond emptying our bird feeder in record time now and then. This is the third spring we've had here and the landscaping is at an all-time high, drawing dangerously closer to the showdown I've long feared. Of course, they immediately have started digging up the delicious roots of the 150 plus plants i put in the ground. I waited a full week trying to ignore them and a neighbor got me so worked up, I snapped. I rushed off to Walmart and got 20# of squirrel chow and stayed in the shop all night building a feeder sized to meter out cracked cork and peanuts. I put it on the ground in a select spot in perfect range of my deck, to shoot down upon safely with the pellet gun. It's now a waiting game. Oh, and I named the feeder.
