November 14, 2012 (vol. 123, iss. 43) • Page Image 4
… another squirrel to feed. This is what happens on Sundays during good weather for members of the Squirrel Club, like myself. For no more than an hour, I take a hand- ful of peanuts into the Diag and for…
… you gave it. Fat squirrels, skinny squirrels, groups of squirrels, loner squirrels who would rather crouch in the bushes near the Chemistry Building than come onto the Diag proper - getting one of them…
… and a squirrel snaps its head around to look right at me, sitting up on its hind legs. ERIC I kneel, arm FERGUSON extended, as it approaches the peanut slowly but determinedly, loping through the chilly…
… November grass. I accidentally jerk my hand a little to the right, and the squirrel scampers back a few steps in exag- gerated alarm but is not deterred from its quest. It comes right up to me and takes the…
… from its mouth to between its front paws. With practiced precision, the squirrel systemati- cally removes the shell to get at the nutty goodness within, while I grab another peanut and go search for…
… while. Plus, you get to make squirrels happy! Apart from being fun, it can be good for your health to have a lei- sure activity, whether it's feeding squirrels, playing basketball, vol- unteering around…
… a bad mood when feeding a squirrel, with passersby looking at you with a combination of curiosity and won- der and a sleek, grey-furred animal with the fluffiest of tails chowing down on something…
… to try it for themselves. While doing it by yourself is fun, spreading the joy of squirreling with other people can be even more entertaining. There are many leisurely campus activities to try out. If…
… feeding the squirrels isn't your thing, that's fine. It'll mean more squirrels for me, and there's no shortage of other leisurely campus activities that one can partake in. But whether you're stressed out…
…, enjoy small animals or are just plain bored, squirrel feeding is an activity sure to brighten your day. -Eric Ferguson can be reached at ericff@umich.edu. I believe that the ability to make choices is a…
