By Mike Johnson
As the seasons change, the animals change.
The chipmunks have gone into hibernation, the deer have returned.
The four squirrels are still active, competing with a dozen Clark Nutcrackers for seed and peanuts.
The three bunnies feast on carrots and vegetable cuttings, then scavenge-snack any remaining seed.
Placement of food is an art.
Deer push everyone around so we hide seed and peanuts across the wood pile.
Place rabbit feed in cubby holes.
But when hungry, they go where the food is.
We’ve seen both Bambi and Thumper on top of that wood pile.
It’s heartwarming to see a squirrel, chipmunk, Nutcracker, rabbit and deer in the same frame.
All with the Border Collie peacefully watching her flock just yards away.
Lingering autumn temperatures have held off winter cold and snow.
Which is just fine by me.
With age, winter gets a bit more challenging each year.
Fortunately, I’ve arranged my life to avoid most travel off the mountain.
Retirement from all schedules allows me to live remote.
Just the way I created it.
Every introvert wants a fortress-of-solitude.
Let it snow.
This past summer presented a couple noteworthy animal milestones.
A squirrel set a new record of 44 peanuts taken from my hand, one-at-a-time, over 60 minutes.
A sparrow started landing on my hand to snatch peanut fragments during feedings.
I can’t claim any training there, he just landed on my hat one day and then my hand the next.
Calm movements, a peaceful vibe, consistent patterns and a little food build trust over time.
He finally made the first move.
Perhaps that works with women.
Margie’s still hanging around after 46 years.
Not sure who’s eating out of who’s hand.
As the seasons progress, people are seasoned too.
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