With the temperature reaching 60 degrees yesterday (Wednesday), it sure was a great day to spend time outside! Fortunately, I live close enough to work to be able to go home for lunch (and let the dogs out). While pulling up the driveway, I was welcomed by a familiar face I haven't seen for awhile. One of the many chipmunks that call my yard home was sitting on the window sill.

I'm not only plant and pond friendly, I also like to help out my local wildlife whenever possible. So it was nice to see Chippy, after not seeing him since last November. We have had a large hawk in the area and I was afraid that while the squirrels seem to be thriving, maybe our chippies had met a terrible fate.

Yes, I know that chipmunks, moles and the like can reek havoc on a garden. But I still feel that it's their world too. So, I put out birdseed, though the squirrels and chippies tend to get the majority of it. I also put out corn, which is why I can never get any to grow in the summer (the critters tend to dig it up as soon as I turn my back).

The pluses outweigh the minuses: I love to sit out on the patio in the summer and watch the chippies run along our split rail fence to get to the seed. When they run across the lawn their little tails stand straight up, and every now and then, one will wander onto the patio, not realizing that you're there. Only to be startled when you make a move!



Also, while I've never had any luck growing fancy sunflowers (as stated above, the critters dig up and eat the seeds), the chippies have helped me out. They take great mouthfuls of the black oil sunflower seeds put out for the birds, and then burry them throughout the garden, not realizing that if left there awhile, they will sprout. Each year I have had 6- to 7-foot sunflowers, that I never planted, in places I would have never thought to plant them. And they were beautiful, thanks chippy!



Unfortunately I learned the hard way that ponds and water fountains are not always safe for our critters. More than once I fished out a drowned chippy or hapless bird. Since then I make sure I have stones or bricks piled up to the edge so they can find a way out.



The squirrels, of course, provide endless entertainment for my dogs. I have a 13- almost 14-year-old Maltese who doesn't act his age at all and two Bichon Frises who all love to chase squirrels!



And soon the rabbits will be out in droves! Each year we have at least one nest that I try to find before the dogs do. Usually a small wire garden fence around the hole will keep the dogs out, so that mom can get back and forth to feed the babies.



I take it as a great compliment that the animals find my garden as enticing as I do and hope they continue to come back each year.