The Squirrel

For those of you who have never been to New York, you should know that we have squirrels. These are not the cute, fuzzy, little creatures from my childhood backyard. No, these squirrels are different. I've seen a squirrel run up a tree with, not acorns, but an entire slice of stolen pizza in its mouth. These squirrels are bigger, bolder, and hungrier.

Last year, my garden was regularly invaded by a squirrel that had taken up residence on my fire escape, and it had no mercy. I tried everything. I was told that sprinkling cayenne pepper would deter him, but he just thought it made my tomatoes taste like salsa. I planted peppers so the smell would drive him away; he ate those too. I hung CDs to reflect light - nothing. I used dog hair to create a "predator smell" - nada. I sprayed him with water, and he just stared me down. That squirrel was determined.

This year, maybe I'll take a different approach. Instead of wasting my time fighting a losing battle, I think I'll just plant a little extra, and plan on sharing. After all, I'm trying to invite more nature into my life, not scare it away.

If you can't beat 'um, feed 'um.