The squirrel has returned and Brandi was the first to discover it. Sunday, after I had let her outside for her morning search of the premises for anything that moved (usually rabbits), she was excited to find something at the bird bath and water pan area. On closer observance, I saw it was a squirrel. It quickly ran up a tree and stretched out on a branch, and lay there, comfortable with the fact that Brandi could not climb that tree. At the time, I was able to get a couple of pictures of the little critter. Brandi hounded that tree for awhile, until the weather just got too hot for her to bother any longer.

The next morning, the squirrel was crossing the driveway, enroute to the watering pan. I ran to the office and grabbed my camera, but Brandi had already chased it up the arbor. The only picture I got that day was of it getting a drink. However, Brandi did get a bite in afterwards. When I got outside, the squirrel jumped off the arbor to get to a tree. I heard it squealing and yelled at Brandi to let go. She did and the squirrel escaped up the tree.

Tuesday morning, while Brandi was looking up a tree in another part of the yard, I saw the squirrel under the woodpile. A perfect picture! I grabbed the camera, which was now conveniently located by the door. I was ready to take a picture - but - the disk was full! I rushed back to the office, again, to get another disk. The squirrel by then had made itself comfortable on a cement slab under the woodpile, resting. I got a quick photo of it, and then went outside to see if I could get a better one. But alas, the swift Brandi had already sniffed out the area and was too close, so the squirrel ran up a tree outside the yard fence.

The chance did come for better pictures though. On Thursday morning I observed the squirrel leave a tree and make the trek to the watering pan, there to drink and drink and drink. I didn't think it would ever stop. It was as if the poor thing hadn't had any water since yesterday morning - and indeed maybe it hadn't. With the lack of rain a lot of the stock tanks have dried up, so there's precious little water for the wildlife. This time my camera was close by and ready.

We welcomed the little squirrel back to our yard, and we imagine it could be the same one Brandi played with last year...or else of the same family. I enjoy watching it but Brandi enjoys chasing it. I can only hope she doesn't get a good hold on it one day.

Or, after reading this story, as dear friend Sharon in Ohio said, "Brandi is having fun but I hope the squirrel doesn't bite Brandi. We sure don't want any infections, for we love our Brandi."