Home of the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox and other native plants for pollinators

Monday, March 2, 2009

One of These Things

Is not like the others!


One of these things


doesn't belong!

One of these things


is not like the others!


One of these things



just ~~doesn't belong!


...and now my post is through;)

My dear friends, you are the best sports for playing along and just in case you want to hear Cookie Monster's version click here. I hope your day is filled with delightful sights in the garden and that all your squirrels stay were they belong!

Gail

75 comments:

  1. Gail,

    I remember that from when Chris was a little fellow! Cute pics and theme!

    It snowed two inches here. I've got the camera set up on the tripod by the window, trying to take some photos, but it's still too dark outside.

    Cameron

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  2. Those silly squirrles! I have one that eats on mine a little, but for the most part the mocking bird keeps him chased away. :-)

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  3. Gail ... girl you made me laugh this morning .. that sone is now playing is my head for the rest of the day !!
    I know , that you KNOW .. my favorite character is
    "The Count" "One .. Squirrel".. brah-hahahaha !!!! ?
    OK .. it types out rather bland but you know how HE sounds : )

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  4. Some songs are forever etched in our memory! Cute post.

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  5. nice pictures! i hope spring comes soon, but we have 7" of snow today in NY and more coming. i hear you all got hit bad too...

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  6. Hi Gail, you started my morning with a smile. Really, really cute photos and theme.
    Marnie

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  7. The unfortunate thing is that squirrels think they do belong. UGH the little rascals.

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  8. You and Skeeter have squirrels on the brain! They are little acrobats aren't they? They haven't bothered our feeders all winter, kind of strange but I'm not complaining!

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  9. HA, Brilliant Gail! The tune and words came rushing back into the current mind screen from the ancient memory banks. Rarely do things happen that fast in there. As Monica would say, banana bites to those squirrels! Ours cannot get to the feeders, but have been doing some digging in strange places looking for who knows what. Nowhere is safe from them and barriers are all over, from the containers to the veggie plots to protect roots and seeds from being unearthed and exposed to the cold still gripping us. Boo.
    Frances

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  10. Joy, I am a Grover fan! The newest SS characters kind of aggravate me, but Grover, The Count and even Cookie are forever my favorites! Pretty soon you and the Count can count the gargoyles in your garden!

    Gail

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  11. Cameron, The theme just popped into my head when I found the squirrel swinging from the feeder. They have been behaving all winter and just started this acrobatic performance. It must be mating season and they need the protein/fat combo from the peanut butter suet! Squirrels are squirrels after all!

    When you posted that the deer looked in your kitchen window...I recalled how the deer in my yard looked at me like I was the interloper!

    gail

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  12. Tina,

    I think I can deal with the pesky squirrels in the feeders...if only they would stay out of the garden beds! Do you think they would bargain with me!

    gail

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  13. Randy, Please send your mockingbird our way! Even the bluejays can't scare this squirrel. He or one of his kin knock on the patio door if there is no food out for them! have a good day! Gail

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  14. Darla, You are right...the Sesame Street songs will never leave my head. Did you get hit with cold weather, too?

    gail

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  15. em, Oh my! That is a lot of snow...I expect yours won't melt as fast as ours did. My bewst friend from college lives in Green County and says the snow hit there, too! So glad you stopped by!

    Gail

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  16. Marnie, Laugh at their antics is the best way to start any day! The one photo I could not capture was the Downy Woodpecker sliding down the pole. It was wonderful. How is the weather in Northern Illinois?

    gail

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  17. Lisa, Yes they do and the little rascals multiply! Welcome back...your vacation sounded delightful and warm!

    gail

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  18. Now that song is going to be stuck in my head all day, lol. ;) Those squirrels sure are acrobats when it comes to getting some birdseed. Cute post!

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  19. Dave, I think it's the peanut butter suet! it is just too tempting! So I will get them their own peanut butter...unsweetened of course~~ Your snow post was fabulous...I loved the bluebirds.

    gail

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  20. Gail -- That's for sure. But I think someone forgot to teach that song to the squirrels! How much snow did you get last night? I saw Memphis on the news -- my DH has been watching because he's flying to DC today but it seems manageable there. Hope you are dry and warm.

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  21. Frances, Glad you liked it and that your memory bank is loading pages quickly today! I wisjh we had a bit of the snow Dave got...it would let me believe that all my sweet babies are safe from this cold weather. The landscaper can't work till later this week...the ground hasn't dried out from the rain and snow. Sigh! gail

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  22. Racquel, For the most part I don't mind them eating bird seed, but I do wish they wouldn't hang out at the suet bar! They are bug lugs and keep the other customers away! Good snow shots on your post today!

    gail

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  23. Diana, Hello! We are frozen solid at 22°F and going down to 18°F tonight. The snow melted off rather quickly. my dafs are mush! I heard a rumor that we can expect temps in the 60s later this week! I hope your husbands flight is not cancelled. My spouse says the worst part of his business travel is waiting in the airports...forever!

    gail

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  24. What a fun post Gail! As annoying as those varmints are, I can't help being entertained by their antics. I think it's hilarious they knock on you patio door! They are brazen.

    I'm experimenting with ground-feeding the squirrels this winter after reading that recommendation from several garden bloggers. Today they're eating leftover multigrain pancakes with peanut butter.

    So far I've been pleased with the result, as they haven't been messing around in the garden nearly as much or eating the bark off our two cedars at all. (Normally by spring they have completely stripped them - it's a wonder the trees survive.)

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  25. Squirrels are such attractive rascals, but they sure can eat a lot of seeds (and peanut butter suet, too!)

    My favorite squirrel observation was the radicchio-eating nursing mom in the summer before last.
    http://naturalgardening.blogspot.com/2007/08/squirrels-and-salad.html

    Amazing!

    Thanks for a great post.
    Lisa

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  26. I have a love/hate relationship with those squirrels. I was just at a garden/birding store last week and was looking at all the clever birdfeeders they have not that are supposedly squirrel proof. I just wonder how effective they are?

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  27. Gail, Cute Post! :-) Now, if you want to see what squirrels think of us, visit Troutbirder. (Not Troutbirder 2) There's a link on my sidebar...

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  28. You stirred up fond old memories here too. I'm very glad the squirrels haven't discovered me yet. Since I have a possum now, they can't be too far behind though. Your feeder is getting a lot of use. I do miss seeing wrens and titmice. Hopefully one day they will take up residence here too.

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  29. lol Gail, your mind is a marvelous thing. This is just too great/creative. Love all the photos, even the one of the squirrel. He would probably say it's good to be different and that he belongs anyway! Thanks for the great start to the week. :-)

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  30. Love this post Gail....as usual you always come up with something a little different....
    My squirrels now have two nests in the garden....one in the old oak, their summer home.....the other in the owl box (for rainy days etc)....wasn't quite the idea when Mr P put the owl box up......still that is nature, it never obeys the rules!!!

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  31. Gail,
    I swear I was just like a little kid, waiting for the surpise at the end of the song, knowing all along, that it was going to be one of my northern backyard southern cousins who didn't belong. That photo makes him look like he's hanging on by his toes - you just have to laugh at them (or learn how to cook them).

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  32. I knew a squirrel was going to be there at the end, pesky creatures that they are!

    I hope the squirrel leaves enough so that the birds can get some in this cold weather we'll be having for the next couple of days... This weekend was thoroughly miserable.

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  33. Sweetbay, I think thoroughly miserable is a perfect description! Tonight and tomorrow night are also going to be TM! I have visited several northern blogs who said that March has arrived like a lamb! It's all lion here...and the last weeks of February were similarly lionish with wind and rain storms!

    I will put out a large serving of peanut butter for the squirrels...it will be gone in a matter of minutes! They are ravenous right now!

    take care and keep warm! gail

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  34. LOL! No kidding. Those silly squirrels. They make quite the mess.~~Dee

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  35. LOL! So cute. Those pesky furry tailed varmints will find a way.

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  36. I didn't know the squirrel was going to be there. Little pain! I thought they couldn't climb those hooks. I was going to get one. I really thought I was going to see some new bird. Darn!

    I wold love for you to come sup tea and look at my snow melt. It was a snow event this morning but the good old south is making mush out of it.

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  37. Too funny -
    (You can always sprinkle chili powder where you don't want the squirrels to dig up the garden)

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  38. I haven't seen any squirrels in my garden so far this winter. Last year though, one of them almost wrecked my new bird feeeder..I wasn't too pleased!
    Katarina

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  39. Thanks Gail ... I'll be singing the song forever! Ravenous squirrels, chipmunks, and rodents (opossum, skunks, raccoons) became such a nuisance, I stopped feeding the birds. But never fear, my garden is filled with many natural delights. Happy March!

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  40. Squirrels--need I say more. They will chew through anything except metal. I have seen where they even tried that. They are cute & I like to watch their antics but, they are so destructive. It's a shame you couldn't limit the amount of them in your garden. lol
    Gotta go, trial of child killer on about whether to release jail videos. Woman accused of killing her 2 yr old dau.

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  41. I've watched a squirrel hang upside down for over 20 minutes nibbling at one of my bird feeders. They must have toes of steel and teeth to match!

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  42. If I wake up in the middle of the night with that song in my head, I swear I'm calling you!

    The squirrels NEVER stay where they belong here ... furry-tailed acrobats that they are, they are quite accomplished at getting what they want!

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  43. I knew it was going to be a squirrel from the first, "One of these things..." Maybe it's because of my own squirrels' habits. Great pics!

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  44. Very amusing, I don’t have any squirrels bothering my birdfeeder but I do have rats that come by at night, if I had a choice I would take the squirrels

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  45. Great post, Gail! Those crazy squirrels have been doing those "Mission Impossible" numbers on my feeders as well. I give up. Last spring I put up a bluebird house and the very next day there was a squirrel sitting in it eating all of the bluebird food!!

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  46. Gail, we had windchill temps in the 30's yesterday, Sunday. Last night, tonight and tomorrow night in the low 30's and then a warming trend.....WoooHOOO!! I have been covering my seedlings with bathcloths....don't you dare laugh. Like I told Susie, we gardeners will go to extremes to keep a little plant alive!! Hopefully, March came in like a lion and will leave like a lamb. Ole' man winter needs a LOOOOOOOONG rest!!

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  47. I have that same feeder and the squirrels are already all over it. I sure hope I can also attract some of those beautiful birds you've got visiting yours!

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  48. I'm so glad to find another TN gardener! Very cute post!

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  49. Yes, backyard birdwatchers are singing this tune everyday!! LOL! I have my feeders and suet hangers where they can't jump to them from the ground, or from surrounding trees. A difficult task though, since we have quite a lot of trees! I love the suet holder...it looks like the birds will love it. Oh, did I mention, they may not be the only ones who do??!!

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  50. Oh, that does bring back memories, Gail. Cute pics too!

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  51. Gail, I love it! I remember hearing this song over and over when the kids were young and used to watch Sesame Street. Silly me, I kept looking at each photo to see some similarities among all the birds. You caught me by surprise, LOL.

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  52. I loved that recurring bit on Sesame Street, I really did. But but but... all those things DO belong on feeders! ;-)

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  53. Ha! Too cute. Lovely captures of the birds on the bird feeders. Looks like the poor little squirrel wanted in on the action.

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  54. I was nibbling on a small cookie as Cookie Monster sang to me! I spent 6 straight years with that dude and his friends when working in Day Care! Thanks for the memories this morning :-)...

    Yep, those squirrels are something else. We bought a stove pipe last night for the crabapple tree so hopefully, it will survive their gnawing teeth!

    We cannot allow anything in the form of a feeder to hand from a tree. We must put all feeders on poles with the stove pipe baffles or the squirrels will be so fat they would explode! The little stinkers sure do like to push our buttons...

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  55. Skeeter, They are such little stinkers! I can't believe how greedy and destructive they can be. I think the stove pipe is perfect for The Saint's crabapple tree. I really wish them no harm, but wouldn't miss them, if most of them decided to move next door! gail

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  56. Cindy, Thank you...he did and since then I bought them their own food so they would leave the woodpeckers suet alone.

    Monica, In what universe! Not mine, although, they were hungry and I did set some very good tasting whole wheat bread out there for them!

    Rose, that is so funny! I have to share that the Cookie Monster youtube is adorable...I love Cookie, but I love Grover best!

    Pam, I am glad you liked it...I wonder if Sesame Street is still a staple for today's little kids

    Gail

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  57. LOL! That is the reason I don't feed the birds. Bushy-tailed pigs...

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  58. Gardeness, I love the feeder~~ my now all grown up baby gave it to me. The sales person told him that woodpeckers love to have a place to rest their tailfeathers. Who doesn't!

    Carrie, Welcome to C&L...there is a pretty nice group of TN gardeners...you can find links on my blog page.

    Jan, Yes, none of us are happy that the squirrels like our feeders. They are little stinkers!

    gail

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  59. Darla, I would never laugh at you! I have a huge supply of old sheets I got at a Goodwill store to cover the bloom each spring!

    Liisa, In the bluebird house! I bet you were mad as can be!

    Rusty, The charming rats! many people feel that squirrels are rats with busy tales!

    Sue, Yes the squirrels are so obviously the ones that don't belong! Wouldn't it have been fun to have some other critter there!


    Gail

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  60. MMD, I started to dedicate the post to you! I probably will continue to feed the birds...if it keeps the big pests out of the beds!

    Gail

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  61. Cindy, An alternate post title...was
    I Want What I Want When I want It with just the squirrel photo! They are so skilled at getting what they want!

    gail

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  62. Easygardener, Toes of steal and teeth to match...I think you could be right...Now I have an image of a James Bond villain in my head..It was the steel teeth!

    Lola, Destructive and cute...they are too able at problem solving to get at food!

    Joey, I think most of us have plenty of goodies in the garden for our critters...I feed to get the birds closer to the camera...and just in case they are unable to find anything in this suburban neighborhood.

    Katarina, Lucky you...are they perhaps visiting a neighboring house? No such luck here!


    Gail

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  63. Karen, Chili powder...I have some extra hot stuff, too! I might give it a try! Thanks for the idea.

    Anna, I didn't see him climb up! All of a sudden he was there! But they are so darn nimble...I wouldn't be surprised if they can soon fly!


    Hockinghills...They are cute and funny, but really destructive critters for our gardens...I've seen a few daffs that have been bitten off and blame them!

    gail

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  64. Dee, They are bad! Bad! Bad and cute!

    Barbara, Have you a recipe! No I think my Tennessee cousins probably already have it!

    Cheryl, That is just like an unwanted and insensitive guest! They move about the garden totally unaware they are uninvited or making a nuisance of themselves! They are still helpful critters...they do plant lots of oak trees for us.


    Gail

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  65. My kids were mostly Sesame Street deprived because we didn't get the right channel here, so I'm not familiar with this song. You really had me wondering :)
    Very cute pics and nice to see your birds, Gail.
    We haven't seen a squirrel all winter! They don't come around much because our cats scare them away.
    So when we do see one it's a treat. Imagine that! :)

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  66. Yay, yay, yay! Squirrels, I'm just tired of them too. Great that your birds aren't scared of those pesky ones, but here squirrels rule and would chase away lil' birds! Brrr... Nice to have cute winged-balls flitting around in the garden, ain't it!

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  67. Gail, I just happened to remember something. It's pepper that you can get at the big box store called "Squirrel Away". It' comes in a packet & will treat a 5 gal. bucket of bird seed. It doesn't hurt the birds but the squirrels hate it. I don't have a problem with them at my feeders anymore.

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  68. we got the same thing that doesn't belong. i need to buy some bafflers.

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  69. Now I'll be singing that song all day! "One of these things..." LOL

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  70. I just KNEW there was going to be a squirrel at the end of your post! Love the birds! Our feeders have been extremely busy these days! The cats have been loving every second of it.

    Cute post!

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  71. I would have agreed with you months ago BUT now I expect to see the squirrels trying to get on the feeders. I do try to make it as hard as possible for them.
    Like small wire suet cages and baffles above the feeders.
    Do give in sometimes and just put food on the ground. :)

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  72. Wonderful, Gail!
    I was singing along to myself as I scrolled down.

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  73. I am convinced that squirrels are taking over the world!

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  74. Gosh Gail, I have been in the garden so many hours this week that I missed a couple of your posts. GASP. So I must catch up.

    Love your birdies... your downy visits your suet... mine does not. those rascally squirrels are one of my most annoying nemesis to bird feeders... wish I could learn to love them but it just doesn't look promising. LOL
    Meems @ Hoe and Shovel

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  75. Oh! That has to go in the All-Time Squirrel Post Hall of Fame! :) Mmmmm, meee loooooove coooooookieeeeeeeees!

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"Insects are the little things that run the world." Dr. E O Wilson