Squirrels chase each other up and around tree trunks. They nap draped on the tree limbs. They scold cats, dogs, people, snakes. They don't seem to notice that the tubes and boxes filled with seeds and nuts are called 'bird feeders' by the humans who supply the treats. The squirrels just help themselves.

Squirrels bury seeds and nuts in the ground. If they run out of fresh food, they can always dig up something to eat.

But many of the seeds and nuts they hide remain in the earth. Some of these eventually sprout and reach up toward the sky, and reach down deep with their roots.

As the trees and flowers reach maturity, more seeds and nuts are created. By hiding nuts and seeds, squirrels provide food for their descendents. This food will also feed birds, humans, and other creatures. It's an investment in the future, in the continuation of life.

(Who knows. Many of our native pecan trees may have been planted by squirrels. And squirrels are not our only farmers. How many sunflowers once sprouted on our roof, planted by the woodpeckers!)