Critters and Hot July Nights — A Delicious Summer in the Great White North
Tales from my first Canadian summer.
It was late June 2020, and I had been in Canada since September the year before. Having arrived in the fall, I had yet to experience a summer in the Great White North.
The winter had been long. Although I had loved everything about it — the snow, the Christmas lights, the short days and cozy evenings, I wasn’t yet accustomed to the length of a Canadian winter. I, along with many others, was jonesing for some warmth.
The Critters
As spring set in and critters came foraging, I started feeding a grey squirrel from my backyard window. I named him Turk in honour of the many Turkish friends I’d made through online teaching. Whilst Turk’s daily presence on my window sill was only out of cupboard love, I was more than happy to continue buying his love.
Soon a black squirrel started to appear, capitalizing on the bounty I laid out for Turk every morning and afternoon. I named him Gorgeous George.
Turk and George sent a few warning squeaks to each other as they crossed paths, one winning out before munching down on the window sill platter whilst the other yelled from the nearby tree. I’d wait for the victor to eat and leave before…
