Around the ninth of July To my surprise and wonder Scooper brought his brother! Scoop and Chomp they did Almost depleted the store And I asked in silent quest Are there many more???

JULY 20, 2009

Returning from a trek to Johnstown, PA for the closing of two of our churches in Cambria City, I was was saddened by the process of change which had brought such sadness to these wonderful people of the Laurel Highlands. Although saddened, my heart felt the love of these hard working, dedicated and faithful folks and I was uplifted by their patient courage.

While working on the photos from the events, my eyes shifted to some movement behind me. There he was - chomper, coming from behind the chair where I kept the sunflower seed. I was surprised to find chomper, the squirrel, in my room. He had gnawed his way to the screen in my bedroom window and slid through a 5 inch open window. Kurt replaced the screen. Two hours later...you guessed...he had chomped through the screen a second time. This brazen disregard for my privacy spawned a declaration of war. Antithetical to my spiritual love of nature, I am forced into abandoning any kind of fraternity with this little squirrel. From now on, it's "start hoarding your acorns, Chomps"

JULY 23, 2009

Chomper did it again. Eleanor from the Rosary Hour gifted me with a metal screen to prevent Chomper from entering my room. Coming in from the studios today, I noticed seed shells on the carpet of my room. "The war continues,"I said to myself with some reservation. I went to the window where I had installed the metal screen. Chips were on the floor. Chomper gnawed the wooden frame of the metal screen and was probably somewhere in the house because, although he was able to get in, he wasn't able to get out. As I pondered weak and weary over the whole situation, I heard a disturbance downstairs. Fr. Steven had cornered Chomper and managed to chase him through the garage door.The war continues, unabated. Should I wave the white flag and admit defeat or give up feeding the birds until winter comes???

AUGUST 4, 2009

Chomper is now Squirrelus Terroricus. Having labored at the Rosary Hour for 10 hours, I ate with the newly returned Fr. Ron and the Fr. Mark. Upon entering my bedroom I found Chomper on my already devasted screen, perpetrating another assault. Chomper, now Squirrelus Terroricus (in my book) on the top portion of my screen. Hanging upside down, he was removing the upper portion of my window screen in the attempt to enter my room where he thinks my bird food is stored.

I am now up in age (O quiet!!!) and have never encountered this type of determination. In my quieter moments, I seem to equate this as a little terrorist from squirreldom. Now, If I can apply this model to my life, I ought to put up a couple nitches in my spiritual life.
If you, my friend, have found Nature bringing her forces against your abode, please let me know.

You can easily see the destruction this little creature of God is causing me. My efforts to insure him that my feeder will no longer contain seed is of no avail for he has already gazed upon the seed which I had previously hid behind my chair and now have removed from by Office and thought that it would end the whole affair.

And I might mention that there is no lack of guilt on my part since the "Terrorist from Squirreldom" has done doo-doo on many of the screens in our Franciscan Complex. I may need to seek the help of Provincial Powers to instruct me as to how to proceed with this matter of grave concern.



There is always hope, of course. And there are friends who support you in dire needs.

The birds having been evicted by Chomper, I finally decided to execute my "coup". I replaced the feeder with a window box with geraniums. GeranicusRubicus has conquered Squirrelus Terroricus. Ave atque Vale to the Aves.