Go Get 'Em!

Well, today is the day that I decided to go out and face the leaves that are slowly overtaking our side patio.  As I have mentioned many times in this blog, we live in a beautiful park like community.  The area is filled with grassy knolls, fragrant flowers and shrubbery as well as a multitude of trees.  We have a rather large Oak tree that sits right outside this patio off our living room.   It straddles the space that separates our cluster home from one of our neighbors.  This particular neighbor has had some problems with water damage on the wall that faces our patio.  In the various conversations that I have had with her, I promised that I would keep the falling leaves from gathering along her foundation that is exposed in my yard.

The Oak tree is of the kind that sheds its leaves in the fall, which means I will have my work cut out for me.  My plan is to rake up the leaves, but not the fallen acorns.  My reasoning comes from our experiences last year when a small but persistent squirrel spent the majority of the winter months harvesting the nuts, while playing a game of cat and mouse with our dog.  It was actually a fun daily ritual to observe… and participate in. 

At first the squirrel would leap up to the fence top and quickly disappear when Mandie our dog, would bark at him through the large sliding window.  Then when he began to figure out that she couldn’t get to him, the squirrel would jump to the top of the fence and just stare back at the dog until my wife our I would get the pooch to quiet down.  Finally as his courage grew, in the final weeks of his harvest, the squirrel would just ignore the dog and concentrate on collecting the nuts off the patio until…

Well, let’s just say that I wanted to have a little fun with the dog and the squirrel!  In remembrance of an activity that my kids used to engage in with the family Sheltie when cats came into our backyard, I decided to give the squirrel a little thrill.  So when he appeared I would sneak across the living room, unnoticed by the varmint, get the dog’s attention and then throw open the slider so the dog had quick access to the patio.  Needless to say, the little fury critter would fly like the wind up and over the fence, or leap into the safety of the lower branches of the tree near the fence line.

Now before you get upset, I want you to know that I think the squirrel actually enjoyed playing the game, because he came back day after day and went through the same routine with us!  It was actually quite funny to watch and was good exercise for the dog as well as for the squirrel, I’m sure!  So what’s the point of all this… I’m not quite sure, but it was a fun memory to tell about!

 

But then again, for some winter can be a drab and depressing time, while for others it is filled with possibilities.  It’s kinda like my interactions with the dog and her squirrel friend.  That little patio is shady and dark most of the year.  It is not as inviting to go out and enjoy as our large back patio off the kitchen.  With the falling of the leaves and acorns though, the area lightens up and presents a whole new arena to play chase the squirrel!  I guess it’s all about what you want to make of the situations in your life.  You can choose to do nothing and become sedimentary or step out and make some fun in ways you’ve not considered before.

Are there things in your life that you can change for the positive?  I encourage you to take a look around and see what new arenas are available for you to step into and enjoy.  Stay tuned and keep asking yourself… “What NEW THINGS am I expecting today?”