“The harmless squirrel and the friendly rabbit….”

There’s a new enemy on the horizon.

Last year, it was The Mockingbird, mocking me at every turn as he made his way to my blueberries.

This year, it’s the squirrels. Apparently they haven’t had enough of two bird-feeders in the backyard. Or the blueberries. Or the strawberries. No. Evidently not.

This morning as I was making coffee, I happened to catch a glimpse of one squirrel brazenly circling the raspberry bush that’s fully loaded with raspberries just starting to ripen.

That little bugger sat on the wall studying the berries, but I could see his intent. I wasn’t going to have any of that, so I ran outside and shooed him away. I picked the ripe ones and turned around, victorious, to stick my tongue out at him.

It was only a small victory. He knows I’m gone for the rest of the day.

Next week, though…squirrel stew.