Earthfire Stories

Tag: Ground Squirrels
Red-Tailed Hawk sitting in a tree

The Hawk and the Ground Squirrel

As I drive to town to pick up my daily mail, she sits there, high up on the right—an elegant hawk on top of a telephone pole. She has a grand view of her hunting grounds across the farm and

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White chicken standing in the doorway of a cabin

Brunhilde, the Office Crashing Chicken and Other Stories

We have on the property some very strong-minded, independent and exploratory chickens. There is little that escapes their notice or their investigative interest as they wander the property seeking treats. We are not safe when we leave the office door

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Two ground squirrels standing by the entrance to their underground burrow

A Ground Squirrel Spring

In many places the robin is the harbinger of spring. Here it is when we first see a bright-eyed fuzzy little thing poking its head up above the snow, looking around, apparently in disgust because it shortly disappears. But then a few hours later we see it racing across the snow to disappear in the wood pile. It is a Richardson’s ground squirrel. Soon they are a major fact of our existence, soft gray-brown furry little bodies racing around, popping up from holes in all kinds of unexpected places. LIFE has returned with a capital L. They are wherever you look, darting about in a short excited burst of life before they disappear again underground for seven to nine months. Five years ago we had none. Then we had a few. Now we have a thriving colony of hundreds, intensely going about the business of life during the short time they will be above ground darting here, there, everywhere.

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Red-Tailed Hawk sitting in a tree

The Hawk and the Ground Squirrel

As I drive to town to pick up my daily mail, she sits there, high up on the right—an elegant hawk on top of a telephone pole. She has a grand view of her hunting grounds across the farm and sagebrush fields, though I wish there were a tree she

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Face of a brown and black goat

Taking the Temperature of a Goat, and Other Earthfire Stories

Adrianna the goat wasn’t feeling well in the evening. She refused to get up. She had diarrhea. Worried, we called the vet. “Was she wormed? Was she vaccinated? Take her temperature and call us in the morning.” Easier said than done. Taking the temperature of a feisty goat regardless of

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White chicken standing in the doorway of a cabin

Brunhilde, the Office Crashing Chicken and Other Stories

We have on the property some very strong-minded, independent and exploratory chickens. There is little that escapes their notice or their investigative interest as they wander the property seeking treats. We are not safe when we leave the office door open on lovely days… Brunhilde doesn’t respect boundaries. (If only

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Two ground squirrels standing by the entrance to their underground burrow

A Ground Squirrel Spring

In many places the robin is the harbinger of spring. Here it is when we first see a bright-eyed fuzzy little thing poking its head up above the snow, looking around, apparently in disgust because it shortly disappears. But then a few hours later we see it racing across the snow to disappear in the wood pile. It is a Richardson’s ground squirrel. Soon they are a major fact of our existence, soft gray-brown furry little bodies racing around, popping up from holes in all kinds of unexpected places. LIFE has returned with a capital L. They are wherever you look, darting about in a short excited burst of life before they disappear again underground for seven to nine months. Five years ago we had none. Then we had a few. Now we have a thriving colony of hundreds, intensely going about the business of life during the short time they will be above ground darting here, there, everywhere.

Read More

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