busy busy

the black walnuts are falling. and the squirrels are caching them as fast as they fall. i know this because i have a commission from the U.S. Botanical Garden to help them make a shadow box display about black walnuts for a show next year. so i have been out gathering black walnuts to save for the display. i feel like i am in a one-man race with the squirrels. we have a lot of squirrels. and they are perhaps the most resourceful critters i know. so, quite frankly, they are winning. i am looking for the walnuts still in their green husks. yesterday, i found this pile of chewed nuts. so the score right now is: squirrels 42, mary jo 3.

squirrel chewed black walnut shells