Red squirrel versus black squirrel

I had a visit from Ms. Allie yesterday. She will be 7 months tomorrow

Aside from the flock of mergansers, the turkey vultures, and one lone turkey, we didn't see much wildlife on our trip last week. I had to park quite a way from the trailhead before my run and ran through a heavily wooded section. It is spring and the pileated woodpeckers are attracting attention by hammering on everything, dead trees on my run, and one year Josh's metal attic vent. I couldn't see any however.I did see a fight between a red squirrel and a black squirrel, which the much smaller but much more aggressive red squirrel won. In Michigan, we have 3 species of squirrels: the largest is the fox squirrel, which I have at least 3 obese squirrels living in my trees. This long winter did nothing for their diet as they had dug up all my bulbs to keep themselves well fed all winter. Then there is the intermediate sized gray squirrel, which seems to be turning black. The black variation used to be rare but now I am seeing them out on my country runs (fox squirrels rule the city) and there is the tiny but feisty red squirrel, which I had one of for several years until it was hit by a car. For a while, I assumed it was a fox squirrel baby but it never grew and it has different coloring. I once saw an albino  squirrel in Traverse City.

A few years back, we were travelling in Ontario and went by a sign
Exeter: Home of the White Squirrel

It is not clear whether they have more than one but it is an interesting mascot for a city.

I waited a long time for it to warm up yesterday for my bike ride. And it really never did. Still I am ahead in my mileage versus last year. And I don't have a long ride planned until mid-July versus mid-June of last year.

Josh and Allie came over. Josh asked if he should be coaching Allie on how to crawl. Well I'd like to see him try. It is hard to move that massive body around. Yes small, wiry babies seem to move earlier but immobile babies are easier to take care of. She is babbling quite a bit so maybe she will be an early talker.

The other day, a massive box came to our door filled with my father's photographs.  I had assumed these stock houses that my father sent his works to had long since finished returning everything. Part of the day was spent sorting through these tings. I did find a 4x5 transparency of Shanna (age 3) that I hadn't seen before.

And I have still been celebrating my birthday with a couple of friends: last night one friend and today with another. I am blessed.