So, I’m checking the photos from the numerous game cameras I have set out at my fav hunting grounds. And there it appears, instantly, suddenly, just like in real life when it happens … a squirrel pops into the frame with its beady-eyed stare into the windows of my soul. I get taken aback.
My pal, Jody, the Hunter’s Wife, hates squirrels because she fears they will jump into her hair. My other pal, Deb Ferns, once performed a gig at a comedy night in Tucson, only to be told her hair looked like a squirrel’s nest, to which she offered to meet the insulter in the parking lot after the show. Deb calls squirrels “Rats with good PR.”
I always tighten up when I hear one in a tree above me when I’m 18 feet above ground. I’m always glad I’m harnessed in, because frankly, if one of those tree rats would jump on my head, or even touch the back of my neck with its tail, I might not be able to stay in my seat.
And so, as I so often do as I sit and ponder life while up high in a tree stand in the woods, I offer this rendition of Willie and Julio’s tune.
To All the Squirrels …
To all the squirrels I’ve seen before / Who travelled in and out my door [If you’ve followed this blog, you’ll know that I’ve had a problem with a ranch house loaded with squirrels (and a chipmunk and a raccoon).]
I’m glad they came along / But now I’m glad they’re gone
To all the squirrels I’ve seen before
To all the squirrels I once possessed / And may I say I’ve shot the best
For helping me to grow / I owe a lot I know
To all the squirrels I’ve seen before
Chorus: The winds of change are always blowing / And every time I try to stay
The winds of change continue blowing / And they carry my scent away
To all the squirrels who shared my life / Who now are someone else’s strife
I’m glad they came along / I dedicate this song
To all the squirrels I’ve seen before
To all the squirrels who scare-aired me / Who almost made me want to pee
They live within my brain / They’ll always be a pain
To all the squirrels I’ve seen before
Chorus again: The winds of change are always blowing / And every time I try to stay
The winds of change continue blowing / And they carry my scent away
And so on and so forth …
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Publisher/Editor Barbara Baird is a freelance writer in hunting, shooting and outdoor markets. Her bylines are found at several top hunting and shooting publications. She also is a travel writer, and you can follow her at https://www.ozarkian.com. View all posts by Barbara Baird
Sue: Who buys your photos of squirrels? And, point me to those photos, would you please? … maybe your squirrels are not little killer squirrels like ours are?
Deb: Glad you made it home safely … yikes, 20 hours = extreme tired bum.
Beth N.: Yes, too bad about squirrels being rodents, isn’t it? 😉
Tammy: Glad you got a chuckle out of the squirrel song. I took a page out of your poetry writing book, sort of …
LOVE the new version of the Willie Nelson song! Only you Barb could make me laugh at 6:00 am after a 20 hour drive back home! And now my new mission will be squirrel jokes, squirrel hats…
I did too! I personally think squirrels are so cute…but I know they are disease infested. 🙁
Barb, that is hilarious!!! You are a mess, no doubt. Thanks for making me laugh, as I’m sure all who read your song will!
How cute this squirrels are. Just say lovely.