Storing Acorns

As everyone knows, I have a sweet tooth for sunflower seeds. I can’t get enough of them. My brother-in-law, Carl, on the other hand is a bit nutty. I mean that literally. He can’t get enough acorns and other nuts. He is an acorn hoarder. He likes to spend all his time with squirrels rather than his fellow chipmunks. Does anyone of remember that old Dunkin Donuts commercial “Time to make the donuts”? Carl sets his alarm clock for the crack of dawn and is out gathering acorns at first light. He can stuff an acorn in each cheek pouch and one in his mouth (three all total). He has some stiff competition from the squirrel union. He keeps a sundial by his burrow entrance and has a self-imposed quota of 30 acorns an hour. There are rumors that his underground warehouse is the size of football field.

“Storing Acorns 101”

Starting in Morning

Popping up to see if it is safe to go out acorn hunting

Checking the time on the sundial while having a breakfast snack

Step 1 – Preparing the Acorn for Transport

Pop the cap off the acorn

Stuff it in your cheek (One in each cheek & one in the mouth – 3 all total)

Step 2 – Transporting to Warehouse

Sprint to the warehouse tunnel

Dive in head first

Annual Thanksgiving Football Game

The annual Thanksgiving Day Football game between the Woodpile and Watertown has been a rivalry going on for 25 years. It’s the biggest sporting event of the year. The Woodpile “Claws” have had a terrific season so far. They are 5-0. They are facing the Watertown “Pirates” who also have 5-0 record. We had a “minor” scandal about a week ago. The entire “Claws” team was suspended for one game for eating genetically modified sunflower seeds (oops). We were in real danger of forfeiting the Thanksgiving Day game! Thankfully, Chippy stepped in and organized a new team. They only had a week to practice. So, that’s why you got me, Bushy the squirrel, reporting on the game instead of Chippy. (Squirrels aren’t allowed to play. Something about an unfair size advantage).

Not much to report from the first half, it was scoreless. The problem was the grass was six inches tall and nobody could see the passes. (It wouldn’t be a problem if you let us squirrels play). Both defenses made the running game tough to gain any yardage. The Claws made up for their lack of skill and experience in their run defense by sheer determination … I just got word in the press box that apparently the groundskeeper is on vacation visiting relatives in sunny Florida and forgot to mow the field before he left. The officials conferenced at half-time and they asked Mom to use her scissors to trim the grass. The fans are fired up now that they can actually see their teams play.

In the third quarter, the Pirates scored three touchdowns in a row. The Claws had no clue how to cover the Pirate’s all-star receivers. The only good news was they missed the point after on the third touchdown. Score was 0-20. In the 4^th quarter, the Claws were receiving the kick, Chippy yells out “Free beer on the sideline” and the Pirates ran off the field, we score a touchdown on the kick return. I don’t think they will fall for that trick a second time. The Pirates got the ball back on at their 20 yard line on the next play. Chippy pointed to the Pirates quarterback and told #43 nicknamed the “Bulldozer” and told him to knock him on his [bleep]. Then he asked Jerry, a track star to follow the bulldozer and grab the ball and RUN to the end zone. Bulldozer plowed through the front line, chipmunks went flying evey which direction, and the Pirate’s quarterback never knew what hit him. Jerry snatched the fumbled ball for a touchdown! Score 14-20.

What follows is some highlight photos of the last drive of the game

With one minute left to play, the Claws got the ball back at the 25. The quarterback got sacked on the 3^rd down and is out with a broken paw. Chippy steps in as the backup quarterback. Facing a 4^th and 10, Chippy threw a bullet of a pass …

#87 makes a diving catching at the 50 yard line. Wow, what a play to keep the game alive! The Claws take a timeout to stop the clock at 10 seconds.

With 10 seconds left on the clock there is only time left for one more play.  … Chippy waits for the receivers to get down field, and throws a Hail Mary pass.

Hiding in the grass in the end zone unnoticed, #87 waits to jump up to catch the ball.

“Unbelievable, He caught it, TOUCHDOWN!!! …. The extra point is good … the Claws win the game!” … “The Claw fans are going wild and celebrating in the stands!”

 I almost forget to mention, this is the first time the Woodpile has ever won the Thanksgiving Day game.

Playtime in the Leaves

The students at the Woodpile Elementary School have a lot of energy. Like human kids, they need to burn some of it off at recess time. You will find a lot of activities and games the young chipmunk like very familiar. I am sure you all remember doing the same thing when you were their age. Enjoy the trip down memory lane.

A perennial favorite is the swing. We have an awesome tire swing at the Woodpile. (I have even caught a few adults trying it out when they thought no one was looking).

“How does this work?”

“Swinging is so much fun, you got to try it.”

Hide & Seek

Another favorite is the classic “Hide & Seek” game. Fall is the perfect time to play. The piles of fallen leaves make perfect places to hide. If you haven’t noticed, chipmunk’s fur matches the color of the leaves. Chipmunks have great eyesight and even better hearing. This presents a unique challenge for the game. The “seeker” can hear the rustle of leaves, claws climbing up a tree, and so forth. We have found a solution! We have a hollowed out stump that the seeker sticks his/her head into while counting. It is sound proof!

 

“You want me to stick my head where?”

 

“1, 2, 3 …” Chippy Jr. is counting to fifty while the other kids hide. (No he isn’t stuck).

“I wonder if I can hide inside the tire swing?” – (some kids have a lot to learn still.)

The Art of Hiding in The Leaves

“Can you see me now?”

“The art of camouflage”

“READY OR NOT, HERE I COME”

“Are they hiding in here?”

This is hard work trying to find where all the kids are hiding. It is time for a rest.”

“I win, you didn’t find me!”

Check out this short 1 1/4 minute video

Telling Time

Mom was reminding me it was time for the clocks to “fall back”. Some sort of funny pun to remember to change the clocks for Daylight Savings Time. We chipmunks have never understood this strange custom. Despite all the fiddling with the clocks, there are still the same number of hours of daylight. By now you’re thinking, chipmunks probably don’t even know what a clock is. I have to pick Chippy Jr. up after school, there are newspaper deadlines to meet, and of course there are all those chores the wife wants done. I could never manage without a clock to keep me on time.

Learning to tell time is one of the big lessons that chipmunks learn in their first semester of school. The teachers still use the old reliable paper clock face with moveable hands in their lessons. Here are some photos from the class:

“What am I supposed to do?” (Someone wasn’t paying attention to the lesson.)

This is the chipmunk equivalent of “spit balls.” Someone is getting a detention tonight.

Here is my son Chippy Jr. correctly setting the clock to 12:15.

Mom dropped by the kids class the other day. She showed everyone a device she got at the flea market. It looked really old. It had numbers on it like a clock and a shadow casting rod. She called it a “sundial” and said this was what creatures told time with before electric clocks and smart phones. Not surprisingly, the kids couldn’t imagine a world without electricity and batteries to power their phones, tablets, computers, televisions, and light their burrows. (Well that lesson will have wait for the history class).

One the students asked “how does it work?” The teacher didn’t know so the whole class went to the school library. They found a book on sundials.

Listen up kids. Tomorrow, we will be going on a field trip to the Woodpile to test the sundial. The forecast is for a sunny day. I know some of you have some doubts about this contraption actually working. We are going conduct our own scientific experiment.

[Next Day] Wow, it really works. Hey, it says it is time for lunch!