ANIMAL FARM

We’re beset by squirrels. At first I thought there was only one living under the Morgan shed, mostly out of sight and out of mind. But with my clearing out a lot of junk to hang a show, the squirrels are scurrying around trying to decide what happened to their hiding and feeding--because they seem to eat old cardboard and even plastic bags full of trash—places.

I am wary of them, inconsistent person that I am. I have a dearly held vision of humans living in glorified cages (quite comfortably) while other creatures take over all the remaining free space, with no walls to hinder their migration. So here I am shooing squirrels away when they get too close. I’m afraid they’ll bite somebody, or march into the house and take over. An old, emaciated coyote also seems to be taking a shine to the place. By storing all manner of junk in arrangements that resemble animal settings--wild—I invite wild critters to hang around. My gardening style is pretty wild also.

But my St. Francis complex is being challenged by simple fear.

The squirrels don’t so much resemble cute little animals as a bunch of naughty children who run riot on the substitute teacher. They climb on everything, crawl wherever they can, decimate my food plants by eating their roots. There’s got to be some order here! What do I do???