Neighbours

Years ago the huge old pine
resident at the bottom of the
hill just before the land dips further
to bank an old ravine creek, had a
resident of its own, a scolding red
squirrel badgering all passers-by,
but now long gone. Its habitation
came into the possession of a
wild bee colony which had no 
need to warn off trespassers. They
too are now gone and in their
place a pair of small black squirrels
named Heckle and Jekyll by a 
local wag, assumed proprietary
status taking up residence over the
mean winter months, aloof and
entitled to their secure nest and
the mindful homage to their
resilience left daily in the old trunk's
cracks and crevices to see them
through to the following spring.