Summer Days Shorten

The bad news is that just about all the chipmunks have disappeared, even Rose, whose willingness to jump into my lap and whose fussiness meant that several peanuts simply wouldn't pass muster, no longer perches on my knee. I miss her.

Only one chipmunk seems to make very brief appearances. I don't know who it is, and that's the way it seems to want our relationship to remain. In short, either the chipmunks have gotten more wild, hide far more often, or have dispersed. They are loners by nature, so it's possible there were simply too many for comfort in a relatively small piece of real estate.

If there's any good news, the bluejay population, in all its raucous behavior and sounds, has ballooned, along with that of the grey squirrels. I enjoy the bluejays. Though somewhat abrasive to the ears, they are a beautiful and intelligent bird.

And they're fun to watch . . . but not as fun as the chipmunks.

Whatever happened to Rose, and Chip-Chip, and Chipper, and the 3 youngsters,

I will miss them all.