Our dogs rush out the back door and make a beeline for the squirrels eating the acorns on the ground. Each time a chase ensues, the dogs get closer to catching a squirrel. Today, I saved a squirrel’s life. A thread: 1/13

I do a warning knock on the window before I open the door, but these squirrels can’t be bothered to move until they actually see their predators. One lazy squirrel nearly got caught this morning because it was too busy munching in the grass. 2/13

The squirrels chatter/scold in the boughs of the trees while the dogs sit patiently at the trunks. I’ve watched one squirrel actually play with the dogs by running up and down the tree trunk as the dogs follow and bark. They are great frienemies. 3/13

All this to say: I’m prepared for the squirrels to be maimed or just dead from a heart attack at some point due to the terrifying dogs I keep siccing on them. And, the squirrels are used to us. They know our noises, and they like the game we play. 4/13

This afternoon as I stood at my desk and looked out the window, one squirrel was eating and rooting around in the middle of the yard when a hawk lit the fence nearby. The hawk was big, but the squirrels around here are big, too. 5/13

The squirrel looked up into the hawk’s eyes as if to acknowledge, but then went on poking in the grass, pretending like nothing was wrong – as if to imply, “I’m too big to carry.” The hawk sat, as if listening to the wind and watching the trees. 6/13

Suddenly, the squirrel jolted toward the tree and the hawk pursued. The hawk’s talons swung out from beneath its body – opened – and grabbed the air above the grounded squirrel as the squirrel zigged to the right and zagged to the tree. 7/13

The squirrel didn’t go up the tree; it just went on the opposite side of the tree from the hawk and clutched the roots. The hawk landed in the middle of the grass ready to lunge at the next opportunity. 8/13

The squirrel – still aware of the hawk’s presence – started in a quick spiral up the tree. The hawk CHASED it in flight AROUND the tree. The hawk was able to reach for the squirrel WHILE the squirrel was on the tree trunk. 9/13

The squirrel’s motions were small and choppy; the hawk’s were sweeping and smooth. They came to another standoff with the hawk in the grass and the squirrel at the foot of the tree on the opposite side. 10/13

I opened the window from where I watched the action and whistled low. The squirrel heard me, likely recognizing my noise as being from the humans who live in the house. The hawk perked up, not recognizing this new sound. 11/13

The squirrel slowly went straight up the trunk of the tree – still opposite from the hawk – and climbed out on a limb, sheltered by branches and leaves. The hawk remained still – just listening to my whistle. SQUIRREL IS SAFE at the moment. 12/13

Now, my dogs are the only threat to this squirrel. And, if the squirrel dies at the paws or jaws of my dogs, I’m going to have to clean up the body. The End. 13/13

Epilogue: I’m fairly certain the hawk got a chipmunk after the squirrel went to the treetops. So, I’m no Captain America, I guess. 14/13