Hickory Heights has an abundance of wildlife. I enjoy every minute of it. This morning, I watched a black squirrel running around the yard. First, I saw him in the grass. Then he was halfway up a tree. I let my dog out, but the squirrel did pay any attention. I know there are at least two of them around my yard because I have seen them both at once.

They are fun to watch. They run a little, then stop and stand up to look around. If there is nothing to disturb them, they continue on their way.

One winter I watched a squirrel as it made its way through the snow. He would duck under the snow and then surface in another spot. I watched him go from one tree to another. Every once in a while, he would surface then go beneath the snow once again. He should have not been awake according to my calculations. He was supposed to be hibernating.

I have a shagbark hickory tree in my yard. This year it had no hickory nuts on it. It is now devoid of leaves, but there are no nuts to be seen. Although they are a nuisance, I enjoy watching the squirrels gather them for winter. When they took down one of my trees it was loaded with hickory nuts.

Deer are plentiful, too. Often, I find them laying in the lawn. When I came back from voting yesterday, there was one laying right by the driveway. He never moved as I made my way in. They are used to me and the dog. He does not bother them either.

Back in 2020 when we were homebound, Don fed the deer corn. They knew he would be out with it so stayed close by. He had such a good time feeding the deer. He even talked to them and they seemed to listen. They did not finish the corn right away. The turkeys evidently were nearby. They came to eat the remainder of the corn. If Don happened to be watching, he took out his trusty rifle and shot buckshot at them.

The next year there was an article in the newspaper saying we should not feed the deer. I think it was because of chronic wasting disease. Don was not happy about that since he so enjoyed his feeding time.

I happen to enjoy watching the turkeys. They are so awkward as they try to fly, but they manage to get off the ground eventually. Last Sunday I had to wait going down the road because the turkeys were crossing down by my neighbors. I think these same turkeys show up at my daughter’s place because about twenty-five of them travel together.

This morning the birds put on a show as I sat drinking my cup of tea. They flew as if something was chasing them so I went to look. I could not see anything out of order.

First, I had a tufted titmouse. Next, I saw a bluejay. Then a woodpecker came to visit. It was not long until my pin oak tree was loaded with grackles. Every so often I see a pair of cardinals. Of course, the crows are back. They did not bother too much during the summer but they are at it again. I wake up early because I hear them.

I love my birds, but I hesitate to feed them after two encounters with a bear last summer. Although I was putting my feeders on the porch every morning and taking them down every night they visited during broad daylight. One morning Snaps was in the kitchen barking. When I went to see what he was barking at, there was a bear standing on my porch. I hurriedly closed the door since there was only a screen door between me and the bear. He trashed my feeders that time too.

As they say, “Take time to smell the roses.” It is not always roses, but there is a lot of nature to be seen and watched. Someone texted me a quote about helping the young see and appreciate nature instead of playing video games and watching television.

I read a book called “Last Child in the Woods” by Richard Louv. It was excellent. It gave the reader a lot to think about. If you have never read it try to get yourself a copy and read it. The blub on the cover says “Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder.”

Ann Swanson writes from her home in Russell. Contact at hickoryheights1@verizon.net.