Mid-Winter Snack

You can't imagine how much homework I am buried under from law school. It ought to be a crime. suffice to say, the blog entry for this week will have to be short and bitter-sweet.

 Bushy invited me to join him and Spot for the annual mid-winter snack at the Woodpile. It is a tradition we started a few years ago. I had to decline this year. Spot tweeted this photo:

Law School

Humans sometimes attend “summer school” but at the Woodpile we have “Winter School”. One can either hibernate the long cold winter days away, or, do something more productive. I decided to apply to law school and I got accepted. The classes are held in a large cavernous underground lecture hall. I thought this would be an easy degree to get but the professor is really tough and there is tons of stuff to learn. (It looks so easy in the TV shows.) Apparently this is a three winter program (what did I sign up for!)

Professor checking that desk was all set

Chippy's Application (They accept all species)

Professor adjusting blackboard to perfect angle

Class clown!

That’s a thick book!

How do use a pencil? Everything is supplied, no excuses not to do the work.

Where do I sit?

Selfie for first day of school

Professor "Time to take your seats. We have a lot go through."

How many pages does this book have? 950 ... help!

I didn't realize how much studying was involved.

Valentine's Day

Chippy is stuck in his burrow because of all the ice and snow covering his front door. He asked me, Bushy the squirrel, to write something. If you haven’t looked at the calendar lately gentlemen, Valentine’s Day is almost here! (I hope Chippy thought ahead and stored something away for his wife otherwise he will be clawing his way through the ice to escape). All of the dads at Woodpile pooled our money together to do something special. We hired a photographer to do a Valentine’s photo shoot.

“I put on my tuxedo, lets go dancing.”

 “Godiva sunflower seeds for the love of my life.”

 “Will you be my Valentine chick-a-dee-dee?”

 “My heart grows 10x larger when I think of you”

Chippy thought this one was amusing “I am head over tail in love with you”

I don’t think the wife would agree with Chippy.

 “I love you with all my heart.”

[photographer’s note: there wasn’t a dry eye on the set – not that guys would ever admit to it.]

Super Bowl Weekend

It is Super Bowl Weekend!!! Now, I know your thinking the Super Bowl is in Minneapolis. But, I am thinking the Super Squirrel Bowl. For the first time in history, it is being held at the Woodpile. The Super Squirrel Bowl is the premiere critter sporting event of the year. It features some of the fastest, smartest, and most cunning squirrels in the country. These fellows can climb anything, jump the farthest, and defeat the latest anti-squirrel bird feeder baffles. Instead of robbing feeders, they put their talents to work playing football.

The typical flat perfectly level football field is simply not challenging enough for these squirrels. So, the end zone is a woodpile. Instead of running the ball into the end zone, they have to climb the ball into the end zone. Yes, they use a regulation size NFL football (it was “liberated” from the Patriots’ locker room).

The referees for this game have years of experience. Mr. Bluejay is known for his strict interpretation of the rule book. Mrs. Cardinal will bring you a bowl of sunflower soup if your injured on the field but don’t mouth off to her or she will give you a time out in the corner.

Tail gating parties at the Squirrel Bowl tend to get out of hand. They are total free-for-all events. The second you put out a spread of cracked corn and sunflower seed everyone shows up. The squabbling over the grilled sunflower seeds can be more entertaining than the game itself.

The Squirrel Bowl is scheduled for six hours before the two legged Super Bowl. This gives every critter sufficient time to go home to see the other Super Bowl. Two games, two sets of parties, what a day! It doesn’t get better than this.

 

TAILGATING PARTY

 Bushy is busy eating the roasted corn.

 Bushy’s cousin is munching Chinese sunflower seeds with his paws (so much for the chopsticks).

 

 Bushy invited his punk rock friend “Mr. Blue” who will is the lead singer for the half-time show.

 … who invited his entire fan club to the party

THE BIG GAME

 

Impartial referees for today’s game are Mr. Bluejay (who inspecting the end zone)

... and Mrs. Cardinal (who is checking the football is properly inflated)

 On the opening drive a member of the “Claws” tries to make a diving catch in the end zone.

It is ruled an incomplete pass.

The player wants a flag for pass interference but doesn’t get it

 Late in the 4^th quarter the game is still scoreless. The "Woodpile Grays” (our very own home team) has the ball on the 10 yard line. The audience is on the edge of their seats. Will they get a touch down?

The quarterback calls a running play … they push the ball through the uprights for a touchdown!

 In a celebratory end zone dance the player spikes the ball.

A young Woodpile Grays fan climbs up to touch the winning ball.

NOW BACK TO THE "OTHER" SUPER BOWL

 

GO PATS!!!!!!