Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 64
Stealth Squirrel
" He was a secret agent and still alive thanks to his exact
attention to the detail of his profession. " - Ian Fleming
TEXT AND ART BY GINNY NEIL
I
64 BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
am sitting in my second story office watching
Nature TV. That's what I call the view from
the window in front of my desk. In spring, an
oriole demonstrates weaving. In summer, the
Lamb Olympics begin, and in fall the wind directs
troupes of leaves in wild dances. But, winter brings
my favorite show. I call the drama Stealth Squirrel.
The stage is set as soon as the last walnuts finish
dropping off the massive tree in front of my house.
On the next warm day, I rake them up and pour them
into piles in my driveway. We'll run over them to release
the hard nuts from their juicy outer hulls. As the
season progresses, the hull pieces will disintegrate and
we'll be left with well-cleaned nuts for cracking-if
Stealth Squirrel doesn't steal them all first.
The day after I dump the piles in the driveway, she
appears. Stealth Squirrel conducts an anti-dog surveillance
drill from the top of the hill and then begins
covert operations. Slinking from tussock to tussock,
she maintains the best cover she can on a bare slope.
I hum the theme song from " Mission Impossible " as
she infiltrates the front lines and sprints across enemy
territory to walnut headquarters.
All the walnuts look the same to me, but Stealth
Squirrel paws and pokes until she finds one she likes,
sits up on her back feet, and goes to work. Her wiggly
tail belies her state of high alert as she removes
the last of the outer hull. Once the nut is spit-spot
clean, Stealth Squirrel takes the prize in her teeth and
sprints away.
The dogs still haven't noticed her. She bounds up
the hill to the woods and disappears behind a tree. I
http://www.BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 3
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 4
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 5
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 6
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 7
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 8
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 9
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 10
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 11
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 12
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 13
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 14
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 15
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 16
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 17
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 18
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 19
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 20
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 21
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 22
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 23
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 24
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 25
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 26
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 27
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 28
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 29
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 30
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 31
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 32
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 33
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 34
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 35
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 36
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 37
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 38
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 39
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 40
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 41
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 42
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 43
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 44
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 45
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 46
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 47
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 48
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 49
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 50
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 51
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 52
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 53
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 54
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 55
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 56
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 57
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 58
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 59
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 60
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 61
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 62
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 63
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 64
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 65
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 66
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/brc-jf-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-nov-dec-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-sept-oct-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-sept-oct-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-march-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-july-august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-may-june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/BlueRidgeCountryMarchApril2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/blue-ridge-country-january-february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/BRCND21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/BRCSO21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brcja21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2021_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_11_12
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2020_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2019_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2018_0102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_2017_0304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/brc_20130708
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com