Squirrel!

"Squirrel!" We wonder if other animals are talking about the new movie Up that features the crotchety old widower who ties the helium balloons to his house and lifts off with a stowaway boy scout inside. We are most interested in the dogs who have collars which speak their thoughts, and because they are so easily distracted, the collars are constantly shouting," Squirrel!" Well, we ae not as easily distracted but the squirrel in the back yard was very entertaining today. This afternoon the keeper was sitting out on the deck reading with us and we heard all of this noise in the tree. She thought it was the raccoon, but it was a squirrel, stripping the leaves off the upper branches of the red maple and carrying them in her teeth to a nest she is building in the elbow of the tree. She must have ripped 100 leaves. We stood underneath and could see them all stacked up in a pile on the elbow. The camera couldn't catch it though. Does this mean baby squirrels soon? or will all our seeds and fruit disappear?

We don't have to worry about the bear anymore (as if we were); it was captured and moved out to the mountains yesterday. We hope it survives out there.

Our keeper made us watch the continuation and finale of the Susan B. Anthony And Elizabeth Cady Stanton DVD tonight. Actually, it was very moving. They were friends for 50 years, and died without seeing their huge dream of women's suffrage come to fruition. Women wouldn't vote until 12 years later. It's hard to imagine, but the seering passion and the steely resolve of those two to bring about justice was incredibly prophetic, pain-filled, and now, taken for granted, with their names and stories barely remembered.

Tomorrow is Pentecost. We may get to wear red collars. The keeper will wear red shoes. Ven, Espiritu Santo, ven!