During the summer of 2006, I found myself in the company of 5 chipmunks.
I don't honestly know how they all appeared at once. They may have simply been around all along and I was too oblivious to their day-to-day lives to take notice (a common problem, I'm afraid, among a lot of people). They may have been riding in the back of a truck loaded down with firewood, and when it lurched into gear, they all flew off and ended up in my front yard. They may have parachuted down from a low-flying plane in some sort of government experiment--that would account for the half-eaten chunks of paper towels and fish line bunched up in the back lilacs. Or maybe, sensing a downward spiral in their standard of living, they all packed up their sunflower seeds and migrated to my neighborhood.
Sometimes a move is good. In any event, how they showed up will always be a mystery. And that's probably how Chip-Chip and his siblings would want it.
Of course, a transition also means confronting the unknown. That 5 chipmunks all showed up at once may have created brand new problems. Apparently, that's what happened. Five soon turned to four, and well, the details are not pretty . . . nor is, for that matter, the life of a chipmunk (even one attempting to move up in life into a better neighborhood). Nevertheless, the chipmunk itself is sort of a cute little fella. Where humans are concerned, that has probably always worked to its advantage. The little critter is also a thief, true. But all wildlife are thieves, as are a disagreeable number of human beings. Proof that Chip-Chip--the last remaining one of the 5 chipmunks--is a thief and a rascal is well documented, beginning with the banner image on this page.
From this initial entry until I finally run out of ideas or energy or interest, or I'm incapacitated, or my computer breaks down, or someone talks some sense into me, I will proceed to track Chip-Chip into his second year as my tenant, including his experiences and behaviors and troubles and crises and conflicts with other little and big critters.
I will be honest about what happens, and I don't want you to feel too bad if once you get to know him you suddenly find you've come to the end of my posts. You'll probably get attached to him, as I have. And so together we'll probably both feel bad for awhile. That's because all things must come to an end. Sooner or later, the same thing will happen to Chip-Chip.
Until then, I hope you enjoy the story of his adventures.
I don't honestly know how they all appeared at once. They may have simply been around all along and I was too oblivious to their day-to-day lives to take notice (a common problem, I'm afraid, among a lot of people). They may have been riding in the back of a truck loaded down with firewood, and when it lurched into gear, they all flew off and ended up in my front yard. They may have parachuted down from a low-flying plane in some sort of government experiment--that would account for the half-eaten chunks of paper towels and fish line bunched up in the back lilacs. Or maybe, sensing a downward spiral in their standard of living, they all packed up their sunflower seeds and migrated to my neighborhood.
Sometimes a move is good. In any event, how they showed up will always be a mystery. And that's probably how Chip-Chip and his siblings would want it.
Of course, a transition also means confronting the unknown. That 5 chipmunks all showed up at once may have created brand new problems. Apparently, that's what happened. Five soon turned to four, and well, the details are not pretty . . . nor is, for that matter, the life of a chipmunk (even one attempting to move up in life into a better neighborhood). Nevertheless, the chipmunk itself is sort of a cute little fella. Where humans are concerned, that has probably always worked to its advantage. The little critter is also a thief, true. But all wildlife are thieves, as are a disagreeable number of human beings. Proof that Chip-Chip--the last remaining one of the 5 chipmunks--is a thief and a rascal is well documented, beginning with the banner image on this page.
From this initial entry until I finally run out of ideas or energy or interest, or I'm incapacitated, or my computer breaks down, or someone talks some sense into me, I will proceed to track Chip-Chip into his second year as my tenant, including his experiences and behaviors and troubles and crises and conflicts with other little and big critters.
I will be honest about what happens, and I don't want you to feel too bad if once you get to know him you suddenly find you've come to the end of my posts. You'll probably get attached to him, as I have. And so together we'll probably both feel bad for awhile. That's because all things must come to an end. Sooner or later, the same thing will happen to Chip-Chip.
Until then, I hope you enjoy the story of his adventures.
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