Caspar--the Friendly Squirrel???

We have a few beautiful trees that grace our lot and a half. My favorite easily is the large sour cherry tree that stands just northwest of our home. When we moved in April, the tree was bursting with white, fragrant blossoms, which fell like snowflakes with each gentle breeze. Early June brought tart yellow and red cherries, just out of our reach high in the branches. Those cherries may have escaped our grasp, but they could not elude the small squirrel community that calls the trees of Superior Avenue home.

I have watched many of these squirrels from the nursery as I fed Aveline. The cherry tree's limbs shade the nursery and the dining room. From the glider, I observed many squirrels gorging themselves on perfect, red cherries. They would scurry erratically amongst the branches, as if faced with so many choices, they had trouble choosing. A few nibbles on this cherry--wait, that one over there looks better! Drop. Scurry. Repeat nibbling.

One of the frantic squirrels I dubbed Caspar. He (major assumption, the only nuts I've seen have been black walnuts on which he's (she's) been munching) is a purely white squirrel. I dare call him an albino. He has a small baby squirrel running around too. Caspar resides in that sour cherry tree and sometimes vacations in the nearby magnolia, located by my kitchen window. I often watch him while doing dishes.

So after some research...ok, I just googled "albino squirrel", I have learned a few things. First, albino squirrels are considered good luck. Yeah for us, I guess. Second, that all albino squirrels are white, but not all white squirrels are albino. I think that analogy was on the SAT or something. I'm not sure if Caspar is truly an albino squirrel or not. I guess the eyes need to be red to qualify as an albino, otherwise, he's just white. The last interesting thing I learned was that there exists a legitimate Albino Squirrel Preservation Society. No kidding.

I don't think I will be starting my own chapter of the ASPS or anything, but I think I will be content to watch my good luck charm in his (or her) natural habitat. I will update everyone if I find out his (her) albino status.