Once upon a time, about fifteen years ago, Sparky the squirrel ran round our front garden, digging tiny holes with his teeny paws, and burying some of the neighbour’s acorns, then patting back the soil, and casually scattering dead leaves around to disguise his buried treasure.
At one point there were six little oak trees growing in the lawn. Three made it to a foot or so tall, but only one made it all the way to an oak tree; that now produces copious amounts of acorns of its own.
A new Sparky should come and take away some of these acorns; to plant in another garden, and so continue the propagation of the mighty oak.
Squirrels are Mother Nature’s nutcrackers – there is apparently no nut too big or tough for them to break open. We have a walnut tree which drops so many walnuts on the ground in the fall that the squirrels can’t keep up with them. I pick up the leftovers and save them to throw in the yard in winter. Though they become very hard by winter, the squirrels seem to have no problem cracking them open.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a lovely story 🙂 Yes, nature does design animals to be able to do all sorts. 🙂
LikeLike
Having acorns is the best way to temp squirrels to come 😉 I’m sure they can’t resist the temptation. Get your camera ready Sci 😛 😛 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah – not seeing squirrels much at all at the mo- more so in winter! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wait for winter then 😛 They will knock your door and say it to you soon 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
haha yes 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful post and pictures. I love oak trees. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 🙂 It is one of my favourite trees too 🙂
LikeLike
Everything has a purpose. Sparkey is an oak propagator!
LikeLike
And a taunter of my dogs! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, forgot that one. .. “dog exerciser”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
hehe Yep! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely story Sci 😀 Sparky indeed is a treasure. All good things in my territory 😀 These look raw,they change color to brown when they ripe ,right ? Are they edible ?
LikeLike
I think the acorns start out greenish, then go yellow like here, and when they fall from the tree they are browner. Squirrels eat them for sure – but I don’t know who else! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I knew it!! Sparky is a keeper!! 😄
LikeLiked by 1 person
He certainly is 🙂
LikeLike
Nature is always beautiful. In Germany we have lot’s of acorns, but we are far away from the fruits. We still have winter with a little feeling of spring 🙂
Beautiful photos!
Greetings,
Ulli
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah – and we have summer with quite a chill at night already!!
Thanks for your comment 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The acorns are so pretty with their caps! Every year on Arbor Day, my kids would bring home a seedling of a red oak tree from the town’s trees planting event. We planted them in the yard , but so far, not one tree survived the winter 🙂 We’ll keep trying though!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hmm- I wonder, with your harsh snow winters, maybe the seedling needs to be indoors for its first winter? Until it is a little sturdier?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think you are right. Will try
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good Luck 🙂 – Alternatively – get a Squirrel to plant one for you 😉
LikeLike
I love your photos of the acorns and oak trees and the story! Reminds me of Ice Age and that squirrel always trying to get that acorn 😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
hahaha I Love Scrat, the squirrel! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
We took a tiny sprouting seedling from under ‘Our Tree’ in the New Forest years ago. We cultivated it on the window sill until it was sturdy enough to go outside, where it thrived in its pot for over six years. We called it ‘Son of Our Tree’, but sadly it died when we moved.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw – sorry to hear it did not survive the move. Plants can be so sensitive sometimes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A beautiful tree. So straight and sturdy. Lovely picture and yard too.
There were some small trees in our backyard (just no good cedars). It is amazing how big they grew after about 20 years. And we didn’t even notice them growing. Actually I would like to cut the darn things down as they cause allergies….cedar fever. But it wouldn’t do any good to cut one tree as they grow all over the area. Just keep wiping eyes and nose until the season passes. 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is it! Some plants just really grow, and before you know it you have a massive thing. We have a marvellous old syringa tree – also gives us mad allergies, but I couldn’t ever get rid of it.
LikeLike
I had to look up syringa tree as I wasn’t familiar with the name. I agree…one to keep. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes – just make sure I have a supply of tissues handy! 🙂
LikeLike