Great for snow dogs, okay for squirrels, not so much for cats.

My human friend, Glenn and his family live on the eastern plains of Colorado with a spectacular view of the Rocky Mountains from Pikes Peak to Longs Peak and far off to the west.

The snowiest months in Colorado are:

• December - Often marks the beginning of the snow season with significant snowfall.

• January - Typically the snowiest month, with consistent winter storms.

• February - Continues the trend of heavy snowfall, especially in the mountains.

• March - Can bring substantial snow, particularly in late winter storms.

• April - Often sees spring snowstorms, contributing to total snowfall.

• November - Occasionally experiences early season snow, setting the stage for winter.

This winter season was anything but typical. The total amount of snow for 2025-2026 winter and spring seasons is very low. In fact, snowpack levels across Colorado are currently 37% of normal. Colorado's annual average snowf...

The other day I overheard my human friend Glenn, who by the way says, “How YOU Doin’?”chat with his friend (we’ll call him Earle) about the anxiety Earle has in these emotionally charged and frightening times. As they were talking Earle expressed that he ‘feels like he's holding his breath waiting for the other shoe to drop’.

From an enlightened squirrel’s perspective - that is NO WAY TO LIVE!

My heart ached when I heard that. Even knowing that Earle was struggling so much even after Glenn sat with him late into the night listening and asking questions that only Earle could answer.

• Can you relate to Earle and see what’s happening in the world?

• Can you feel where he’s at right now and do you share his perspective?

• If you could wouldn’t you want to help Earle and anyone else who feels the same?

How you can help.

Humans have great capacity for offering compassion to other humans. There are many stories shared in the forest about humans showing compassion for oth...

Isn’t it funny how nature doesn’t usually like picky eaters? Most animals, except for humans, usually go for the easier, nearby meal instead of the more delicious snack that takes a bit of effort to get. It makes perfect sense when survival is on the line; favorite foods often take a backseat to the more accessible, even if less tasty, options.

HUH!

But guess what? Some new research suggests that at least one species, the fabulous squirrel, is willing to put in the extra effort if it means getting a taste of their favorite dish. In a study recently published in the journal Animal Behavior, researchers at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, where my squirrel cousins bark with an accent, explained that wild gray squirrels will often ignore the food in front of them and climb to reach a highly favored alternative.

“This suggests that in natural decision-making scenarios, it may sometimes be beneficial for animals to wait or work harder for a better outcome,” explained study...

Who's a bird watcher?

Here is Colorado we've got some pretty cool birds. The magpies are so nifty - Heckle and Jeckle in real life. Does anyone remember them? They were a couple of jokers in tuxedos who happened to be birds, and were always wreaking havoc in the cartoons. It wasn't until I moved to Colorado that I realized WHY Heckle and Jeckle were wearing tuxedos.

Magpie in our barn, Heckle looking for Jeckle

There's also the Bluebird of Happiness. Saw one in our cherry tree today. I mean, bright blue. Didn't look real, except it was flapping its wings and flitting around.

 BlueBird in a Cherry Tree - photo by Skyler Ewing (Pexels)

And then there's Meadowlarks. We always know spring has arrived because the Meadowlarks have come back. We've got a lot of them this year, and they're like a chorus of rambunctious teenagers in our fields. They also sit on the power cables and look down at us mere mortals, serenading us all day long.

It's such a wonderful sound. I love the heral...

Squirrels' harmony with nature encourages you to connect with the natural world, find inner peace, and recognize everyone’s interconnectedness.

Have you ever noticed how squirrels often hang out with each other? We really show how important it is to be aware of your surroundings and work together. Just like we depend on our community, you can do best when you support each other. Building strong relationships takes empathy, understanding, compassion, and a lot of effort.

Squirrels teach that even small things, like sharing food or giving advice, can make your group stronger and happier. If you ever feel alone, squirrels are a great reminder to reach out and make connections that are good for everyone.



Watch out for that dog!


Using these lessons in your everyday lives can make your relationships better, both with people at home, your community and at work. Being aware of what others need helps you talk better and build trust. The squirrels remind you that being part of a community isn’t just...

It's a big effort to change locations. "What's wrong with where you are?" is a question you might hear. Most people like to hold still, liking the solidity of a known home, neighborhood, the people around you, your favorite grocery store. It feels safe.

I'm one of those people who loves where I'm at, for a while, and then it's time to move on. My brother, on the other hand, has lived in the same house, in the same small town, for almost 40 years. Did we really come from the same parents?

When I was younger, I moved a LOT. In the first 15 years I lived in Colorado, I moved 17 times. Gypsy feet. Looking back, pretty excessive, but it was fun while I did it.

Where we live now. If you do anything with horses, this is the place for you.

We've been in the house we're in now for going on 10 years. That is the longest I've lived anywhere, if you don't count the first 14 years of my life, when we lived in the same house on the same street with my cousins right next door. The furniture go...

Here are some traits of a resourceful squirrel:

• Agility: Our quick movements and knack for navigating tricky places remind us to stay agile and ready to react.

• Adaptable: We do well in different settings, showing how important it is to adjust to new situations.

• Resilience: We keep going strong even when faced with predators and tough weather, highlighting our ability to bounce back from challenges.

 

This shows how we’re clever and can change when needed, making the most of what we have. As opportunistic foragers, we grab whatever food we can find. Being adaptable is super important for managing resources because it lets us do well in different places. For instance, squirrels in the city have learned to use things like bird feeders and garbage bins for food. Ever see one of us munching on lettuce from a trash bin?

This shows how important it is to be flexible and creative when we’re looking for food. In our lives, be...

That's Furs as in animal friends, not coats or shawls. 

Glenn and I are traveling. The horses are covered always, since we have a barn manager and haven't actually had to go out ourselves and slog feed or manure for some months. But the dogs! The cats!

A good friend is coming to stay with them. She's an animal lover par excellence. 

The cats will be very unhappy, because when we're gone they're not allowed out the front door. Doesn't mean they won't try, though, and we'll have to make sure we emphasize how slippery and speedy Jackson can be. He's got that beaming-himself-out-the-door routine down. They can still go out onto the back deck - but it's not the same. No trees. No bushes to hide under. No mom or dad hovering near the door trying to coax them back in.

Jackson the potted cat.

The dogs probably won't be thrilled, either. Since Glenn has retired, the dogs have gotten used to daily trips in the truck. Doesn't matter where it goes, so long as it goes. They usually get to go...

It takes birds more than a day to migrate from one place to another. Besides having a great sense of direction, they need to rest. Some birds land. We’ve all had encounters with flocks of geese, honk honk honk, looking for a good place to spend the night (often some farmer’s recently seeded field). But there are birds who go non-stop - And you thought New York to Sydney was a long flight.

Several species have been identified as sleep-flyers; Frigatebirds, Albatrosses (get your neck out of the way!), the common Swift - which doesn’t seem so common if they can fly while asleep.

An Albatross. Photo by Pixabay

They have a clever brain that uses something called Unihemispheric sleep. One side of their brain sleeps while the other side controls flight and navigation. I can barely find my way to the grocery store sometimes using both sides of my brain, so I’m impressed.

When both sides of their brain DO fall asleep at the same time, it’s generally just a few seconds. Good thing, or ther...

Squirrels embody abundance and prosperity by managing resources mindfully and appreciating what they have.

Let’s embrace the abundance that’s all around us by recognizing that all our lives are already rich with prosperity, even when it might not seem that way.

Look into my eyes, or at any squirrel you spot in the park or woods. You’ll see that true abundance isn’t about what we have, but how we use what we have.

Abundance comes in many forms.


It’s also time to really focus on sufficiency, not scarcity!

By making mindful choices about money or time, you can break free from the cycle of not having enough and, more importantly, develop a deeper sense of gratitude for what you already have, just like my squirrel family does. 

The way we do this is so simple, but it often gets lost on you because, well, humans tend to make things more complicated than they need to be. We know this because it’s what you learned and became accustomed to.

How squirrels do this and we hope you’ll do the same:

- Fi...