When I woke up this morning, the temperature was -13°C, and as I type this post, it has risen to -9°C. After the deep freeze that was the last week of January (-30°C, anyone?), the air feels almost balmy. I will enjoy it while I can because I know it isn’t going to last very long.
This winter, I have been putting food for our squirrels and chickadees under the front porch. I feed them year round, but I try to be especially diligent when the weather gets cold and snowy, and it becomes harder for them to find stuff to eat. The area under the porch provides shelter from the elements and also gives the squirrels a handy hiding spot from passersby on the sidewalk. It really is perfect for them. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner. The only downside is that the squirrels are also hidden from us, and we can’t watch them enjoying their treats.
We currently have four regulars: Shmuel, Moshe, Shlomo, and Shmuli, as well as a few others that come and go. My husband refers to them as the riffraff, but in a nice way. We love all the squirrels who come to visit. If they stick around, they eventually get a name and become one of the family. We fondly refer to them as the outdoor pets.
The other day, I was looking at the snowbank that separates our property from the road. It was covered in squirrel tracks, like the squirrels had decided to show up en masse for breakfast. It was really cold outside, and I had an idea.
Me: We should light a little bonfire under the porch. The squirrels could warm their little hands, roast tiny marshmallows … Mike: Burn the house down. Me: 
I didn’t say it was a great idea. LOL Here is a photo of Moshe. It was taken by my daughter late last May as she was on her way to work. Isn’t he a cutie?
