Prepping. The word connotes to many the idea that we (preppers) are a bit like Chicken Little (you know… The Sky is Falling, The Sky is Falling). It used to be if you ‘prepped’ for something like the SAT, or a big dinner party, that was a good thing and the action was smiled upon. So how did it happen that we exchanged the “d” for an “r”, and suddenly those who prepare for the unknown are thought by many to be a few Fruit Loops short of a full box? Just something to think about.
In the meantime, I’d like to introduce you to one of our farm mascots and the ULTIMATE prepper…. Henri! Henri was hand raised after falling out of a tree onto an unsuspecting friend (who may or may not have screamed like a girl). Her mother was nowhere to be found, and she had no interest in returning to her nest despite attempts to place her there. I’ve worked with animals all my life, even having had a short career as a zoo keeper, and this is not my first rodeo squirrel raising experience. She was still young enough to need milk replacer, but was becoming of age to move on to more varied foods. She really thrived on a product called Ningxia Red, as well as other food supplements that baby squirrels need.
Today, she is about 7 months old, and is quite the #oilyfarmsquirrel / farm mascot. We have 6 very large dogs, and not only is she friends with them, she has also become part of their pack, and considers herself one of their own. See friends, …. animals have this down…. no matter their differences, ideologies, and predator vs prey status, it is possible to work out a friendship. Seems like since we have bigger brains than both squirrel or dog, our world ought to spin with a little more friendship and handshakes if we bypassed prejudices like we do out here on the farm :).
Henri was raised and released once she was old enough. She has chosen to live alongside us, and we are happy to accommodate her. Her presence has gifted us with additional smiles and quiet peace. She reminds us as only squirrels can:
- Look both ways before you cross the path
- Plan ahead…. and hide and protect your nuts!
- Stay active and alert
- Enjoy the sunshine & value sleep
- Find your friends wherever you are, but know your enemies
- Adapt to whatever life throws your way
- Take care of the business and then take time to play
We might have bigger brains and opposable thumbs, but we can still learn a lot from our four legged friends!
Henri the squirrel Video, Enjoy your day!
9 Feb 2017 at 5:02 am
My this guy is cute, fair play to you and Henri 🌰
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9 Feb 2017 at 5:03 am
Thanks, I have many pics of her i will be adding soon!!!
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10 Feb 2017 at 9:08 pm
Thank you! She is pretty cute :)~liz
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9 Feb 2017 at 7:04 pm
Awwww, I loooove Henri 🙂 So cute! And NXR is amazing
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10 Feb 2017 at 3:45 am
Cute little fellow!
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10 Feb 2017 at 6:32 am
she is even cuter in person ;)!
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10 Feb 2017 at 3:49 am
Reblogged this on VikingLifeBlog.
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10 Feb 2017 at 8:18 pm
Thanks for sharing Henri with the world :)!
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10 Feb 2017 at 4:04 am
Have you domesticated this little gal Henri? Where did you find her? She is cute.
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10 Feb 2017 at 6:31 am
She was an orphan, and we handraised her. We’ve released her back into the wild, but she has chosen to stay with us. Her cuteness is a blessing to all who know her!
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10 Feb 2017 at 6:18 pm
Thank you for sharing the adorable Henri with us. He/she really is the best. Also thank you for the follow. I agree with you that we have much to learn from animals, they are so much smarter than people, especially when it comes to making friends and just getting along. I really look forward to visiting your blog often.
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10 Feb 2017 at 8:21 pm
Barbara, thank you! I totally agree. I am a much better person for living on a farm as we do. My life with animals keeps me sane and at peace. And yes, my animals never cease to amaze me ….I learn something from them all the time. God bless!
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11 Feb 2017 at 5:14 am
Cute little fellow
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11 Feb 2017 at 9:16 am
The entire article was great, but watching your squirrel open that nut–I’ve never before seen it. 39 seconds!
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11 Feb 2017 at 7:09 pm
It is amazing isn’t it Jacqui? It’s almost like that video is on fast forward. She can dismantle a nut with her teeth faster than I can with a nutcracker!
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13 Feb 2017 at 10:33 pm
That’s a great close up shot! I raised and released a baby squirrel years ago. Our dogs were very interested and we kept them away from the large cage we made. I’m wondering what strategies helped your dogs accept Henri as a pack member rather than prey or if this just happened naturally.
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14 Feb 2017 at 5:35 am
So adorable!!!!!
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14 Feb 2017 at 8:53 am
What a lovely post. Thank you for the follow. I look forward to following you.
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