Meet Red, my complicated neighbor. Though we don’t always seem on the friendliest of terms, Red does greet me most mornings. She also gives loud chitters whenever she sees me nearby. They aren’t always the scary chitters though, I know those well by now from hearing her warding off other nearby squirrels, “go.a.way.go.a.way!”
Lil Red is the youngest in a long lineage of Red Squirrels that lived in our forest before we did. One of her ancestors attempted manslaughter when it rushed Cassidy as he stood precariously at the top of a ladder. Red Sr. yelled hisses and chitters right in Cassidy’s face as he steadfastly gripped the aluminum ladder with one hand and banged the noisy metal with another until Red Sr. retreated.
Other Red ancestors tried chewing into our home. Luckily they were deterred by the cayenne & vinegar spray. Another built a nest in our car’s engine bay, chewing through the wire harness for who-knows-why. We cleaned up that mess and rewired the harness ourselves to save several hundred dollars in repairs. Though each a worthy adversary, Red’s ancestors ultimately retreated, probably passing away after a life of mayhem. Now Lil Red, she’s different. She’s complicated, protective AND kind 
When we’re outside she’ll hang near us while she eats pinecones. She stops on our steps and lawn chairs to leave her crumbs for us. She buries acorns in our planters, and stashes pinecones in the crevices of our bikes and in paper bags in our shed. Lil Red is friendly.
It feels like all those years of turmoil and patient neighborly boundary setting have led to the day when this neighbor could be our friend. I love seeing her in the morning, no matter what mood she brings to her greeting. I know I will miss her when she’s gone, which makes me realize that I am glad we learned to coexist with her folks before she even came along
This 6”x6” piece sold at the Little Big Show opening. I am so pleased Lil Red can spread her joy beyond our neighborhood. You can still see her hanging with a bunch of other gorgeous paintings at MacRostie Art Center until June 27. You can make a day of it and check out more of my animal portraits at the Wild, Wild Life group exhibit opening May 12-July 6 at the Reif Center. Both shows are located in Grand Rapids, MN, almost within pinecone tossing distance of each other
