"Nature, Red of Tooth and Claw"

Charles Darwin on his treatise of natural selection/evolution.  We had a peak at Nature just last night.

We were sitting in the living room, contently watching an episode of "Law & Order" when from out on the balcony came a thundering CRASH!

"What the hell was that?" howled Richie.  "Squirrel must have over-weighted one of the hanging flower baskets..." I replied.  "But did his weight uncurl the hanger-style hook that holds it up?  Is that even possible?"

Richie, with some difficulty - Streak, our lap junky cat, was rudely disturbed and, of course, protested mightily - got up and flipped on the balcony light and the flower baskets were safe, but the hummingbird feeder lay, smashed, on the balcony floor.  

Apparently a local squirrel had an attack of sweet tooth.  I would bet the horrendous CRASH startled him/her as much as it did us.

This is more than likely the squirrel that loves to torment Fred the cat by climbing up the avocado tree next to the office window.   From his vantage point (freedom) he does the equivalent of flashing Fred who, frustrated, twitches the very end of his tail and crouches on the window sill, eyes mere slits.  Not for the first time, am I glad that we switched out the old single pane windows in the house and installed doubles.  After all, Fred weighs 20 lbs.  And is motivated.  Bad combination.