Nature. Feline and Final Friday Fiction: A Squirrel and a Hawk

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Thanks Comedy Plus for hosting Feline Friday

Thanks LLB Gang for hosting Nature Flower Friday

Click here for Feline and Nature Friday Post

This year FFF will be prompted by photos or images we have.

This month's FFF was prompted by the photo below from

my friend Janice, the roving photo journalist sent me this photo.

Janice and I are both retired from N. C. State University.

During my time at NC State University I worked in three different departments.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Chemistry and 1992, I transferred to Physics which is where I met Janice.

Long story short this photo reminded me of a funny true story.

Chemistry, Statistics and Physics were located in Cox Hall, 

Just a few feet to the left the Animal Science Department was in Polk Hall

NCSU was in walking distances to many cafes and restaurants. Being a life long walker,  I would walked to lunch at one of the cafes.  One day my route back to work was thru a small the courtyard  between Polk Hall (remember animal science) Physics passing under a large canopy of trees.  I was almost to the Physics building when I heard a shrill squawk followed by squirrel falling within an inch of my head.  It was so close to my head I felt a breeze.  I jumped back looked down to see a very stunned squirrel staring at me. A few seconds later, a bit wobbly it scurried in the opposite direction.   I looked up into the canopy of trees to see a young hawk over head.  Everyone working in the area around Cox and Polk hall knew each year hawks built a nest, ironically, on the roof of the animal science building. My theory is the young hawk was trying to learn to hunt!!  The squawking was about his glee to have caught a squirrel.  However he had not perfected his skills.  I think he had the squirrel in is tucked in his talons. Too late he realized he needed both feet for successful landing.  So he dropped the squirrel.  The squirrel lived to scurry another day and I'm sure the hawk learned a valuable lesson.  In my mind's eye, I could see Mom and Dad Hawk shaking their heads.  Junior obviously needed to repeat Hunting 101 before he could feed himself.

Feline Friday Flashback:

Angel Madi loved watching squirrels. She had perches located in several windows.

"When I'm very, very still and crouch very low I can watch squirrels scurrying.  They don't have a clue that a great game hunter is lurking just above them, but today this hunter is too happy watch."

We had one inch of snow early Thursday morning.  It was my kinda snow, 

did not stick to the roads just the trees and cars...very pretty

Below is a collage of our red maple

Left is right out of the camera right is black and white effect in LunaPic