This morning I sat by the big kitchen window half heartedly picking at a crossword, eating breakfast and looking out at the large grassy bank that runs down to the road. The bank (like so many US banks) is in a poor state. The locals tell me the snow was early this year, then it froze and there have been two or three very heavy rain storms inbewteen it all; so the the bank has taken on a a worn, muddy, threadbare look. As I gazed out the morning frost was being erased by the bright wintry sun and there was a small grey/blue bird perched on the brittle black twigs of a bush but no other sign of life.
I felt like a sailor’s spouse who is constantly drawn to the oceans edge, hopelessly scanning the horizon but knowing it will be weeks before they do catch sight of what they need most.
Last time I saw Speedy and Sparky was towards the end of October. Activity on the grass bank had increased to manic proportions. They seemed to have thrown off the debilitating cloak of caution and could be easily spotted madly dashing here and there as nature rained down manna from the trees. Other chipmunks and a number of grey squirrels had also appeared in this Sciuridae equivalent of Mardi Gras – and then a few days later they were all gone.
I know chipmunks go into torpor in the winter (who doesn’t go into torpor?) but I guess I had hoped it would still allow them the occasional above ground visit. Let’s hope those last few weeks allowed them to stock up enough to get through to late March.
Stay warm
Bazza
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