Wildlife in La Grange Park

When I walked outside the other day with my dog, Mitch for his afternoon walk, I heard rustling in our front tree. It is a large Norway maple, 30 years old with lots of branches and tons of leaves. Squirrels abound in our yard, especially at this time of year, when they are digging up my tulip bulbs for their winter meals. I figured it was a couple of squirrels on a chase down the tree.

Suddenly, I saw something fall from the tree, as if it were pitched at a great speed. It landed with a big thunk on the sidewalk. It sounded like a hammer had hit the deck. It was a baby squirrel, lying there, twitching. I figured he was a goner.

When we returned from our walk, I glanced at the baby and saw that its eyes were open, but the animal still was not moving. I told my husband, brave soul that I am, if I have a choice, I will ask someone else to cart away carnage. He went out with a dustpan and a broom.

When he approached the little guy, he was on all fours, a bit groggy, but definitely alive. He poked the baby animal with a broom and the poor thing started squeaking. Within a couple of moments, the mom squirrel dashed down the tree, grabbed her baby in her mouth and scaled back up to the nest.

As we were discussing this strange occurrence on our front porch, a parental squirrel was in our tree next to the house, chittering away. We figured she was thanking us.

Springtime in Fall

Last week as I was walking down my driveway, I caught a glimpse of purple on my aged lilac bush. In recent years, autumn clematis has crawled up the lilac and graced the top with lovely white flowers and the unique fragrance of fall. But purple? I thought it was one of my unruly morning glories that made its way up the bush.




I looked closer: it was a lilac! This bush is probably 60 or 70 years old and I have lived in my house adoring these lilacs for 34 years – adoring them in the spring. But the fall? Never.

I even cut one and brought it in the house so I could capture the delicious aroma. It was a small flower and there were just a few on the bush; certainly not the prolific flowering that is typical around Mother’s Day.



But this past spring, by Mother’s Day, the lilacs were already spent, having bloomed in mid March when we were “unseasonably warm.” March to September = 6 months.



Wonder what Spring 2013 will bring?