Serve by Design

As we were pulling out of the garage this week, I looked straight out to the street area and saw a captivating sight. One, from our family of gray squirrels, was perched and relaxing upon the fire hydrant that sits between our property and that of a neighbor’s who just happens to be a firefighter! I loved the humor in this and wanted to send him the picture that I took with a caption regarding the legality of what I was seeing. Is this legal? Illinois law is specific about fire plugs and parking. You cannot block a hydrant or park a vehicle any closer than fifteen feet in any direction. This is for obvious safety reasons. Firefighters must have access to these “Johnny Pumps” during emergencies. (If you doubt the use of this Yankee synonym for hydrant, just look it up!). I wanted to ask my firefighter neighbor about the squirrel, “Is this legal?” I’m always curious about why the neighborhood squirrels like to get up a little higher while they’re nibbling on the acorns from my oak tree...

"Storing Up!" Image credit: clipartmax.com Fall officially arrived a few weeks ago. The temperatures are moderating, the trees are changing from their summer green to yellow, golden and deep red colors. Another sign of this transformation to autumn is how wildlife prepares for the harshness of winter.  Since my desk is next to our French doors, I have a ringside seat to observe the squirrels who may be God's best example of prudent industriousness. These speedy and ambitious tree mammals come in two main varieties: the nimble grey squirrels with white chests and the slightly slower-paced fox squirrels with their distinctive rust-colored coats. At this time of the year, they are doing what squirrels do. They are "squirreling away" nuts for the long winter months! (Hey! That almost rhymes!) I have a beautiful maturing oak tree in the back yard that has produced an abundance of acorns this season. They are falling all around the perimeter of the tree like one of na...