A few days ago I noticed a chipmunk was trying to figure out a way to get to the repurposed fountain I use to hold oranges for the birds to enjoy.
That particular chipmunk never did seem to figure it out. When I changed out the orange yesterday, the orange that had been there a few days still had pulp left, so I set it near the entrance where I often see the chipmunks go. To their special haven. Right under my Joyful Pause Cottage Studio.
I’ve dreamed up all kinds of images of what their little home must look like under there. And though I can sometimes feel frustrated when they dig in my flowers, I do love having the little rascals around because they are so darling and really fun to watch.
Around noon today, I was sitting on the deck, eyes closed, as I did my second session of breathing exercises I do each day to help me better manage my asthma. It’s amazing what you can hear when you are still. And that’s when I heard something that caused me to open my eyes to see a chippy had finally figured out how to get to the oranges. It made my heart smile.
It was early Thursday morning last week when I opened the front door to see a chipmunk on our front stoop. He/she didn’t look right. I then noticed it was foaming from the mouth. My heart went out to the chippy as obviously, it was suffering. Either from rabies or perhaps someone had put out poison and it had gotten into it. Because I wasn’t sure if it was rabies or not, I sat down near the front door, closed my eyes, and sent healing waves of love and support to the chipmunk in hopes it would have a peaceful transition.
When I opened my eyes a few moments later another chipmunk had just hopped onto the stoop and chased the sick chipmunk away. I looked for it several times that day hoping to find it and give it a proper burial. But I never did find him/her but hoped the transition had gone quickly.
I thought about that suffering chipmunk as I held the half-eaten orange in my hand and also remembered the chipmunk who couldn’t figure out a way to get to it a few days earlier.
So I placed it near the entrance where I often see them run in and out and how they are often scampering along the west side of my cottage. Friday evening I was telling John what I’d done with the half-eaten orange when I walked across the deck to see if the orange was still there. And guess who was enjoying the orange pulp? A chippy, of course!
John smiled and said, “That is Chippy Boulevard.”
I laughed and couldn’t agree more. I thought about how many years ago he would get frustrated with me that I sometimes feed the critters, but now he has grown to enjoy them as much as I do.
While the chipmunks, squirrels, bunnies, and birds have been my joy and entertainment for a long time, it has been especially rewarding to hear how John’s appreciation of them has grown. Just a few weeks ago he said, “This really is our little sanctuary back here.”
Indeed it is. And how grateful I am.
XO
Barb
