Squirrels in our Balcony

There is one part of our house that has not been cleaned since last summer... We think of doing it but find some excuse or the other not to clean it... like it's cold or windy or raining or it's sunny (we prefer going for a long walk on sunny days!).... 

This place... our balcony... or patio, as it is called in the US,  is filled with dry leaves, twigs and branches... The two chairs and one table are covered in dust... There is a kitchen mat waiting to be freshened and taken back into the kitchen... There is also a dust-covered drying rack. Our bicycle also stood here before it got stolen... We can see almost the whole of our balcony through our living room glass door/window.

I love to watch our balcony. Even though it may seem untidy for us, humans, it is a fun place for lot of other beings. Everyday some activity or the other takes place here. The birds come to pick twigs for their nests... I love it when the squirrels come. It is their play area. They first come in and sniff around... probably to see if there is anything to eat... then they run all over the place... jumping onto the chair's backrest from the table... from the chair to the railing of the balcony... then to the drying rack... under the table... they do not leave any place untouched! 

Once a squirrel even tried to pull the doormat and take it away with him. I went near the window and started talking with him as though he could understand me. I said, "Leave that alone!" in a sharp tone. He backed off a little and observed me from a distance. Then he came closer and closer till he reached the glass door (the door was shut...) and put his paw on it and stood on his hind legs and looked at me. I watched him silently. Then again he tried to tug at the doormat and I told him not to. He moved away but did not leave the balcony. As long as he did not touch the doormat, I did not shoo him or talk to him. In fact I enjoyed watching him run around our balcony...

Last evening the squirrel got a playmate along... (I keep thinking it is the same squirrel who visits us everyday... I can't be 100% sure though! :-D) Both the squirrels played 'catch' on our balcony... It was so joyful to watch them play... I just could not take my eyes off them... But I had to look disinterested, else they would run away! ;-)

We need not search for happiness... Happiness comes in bundles of little surprises like these day after day... We just need to keep our eyes open! :-)