Fred lived on an empty lot in a dirt mound next to my house. When we moved into our home I delighted in watching all the little critters that inhabited the surrounding area. There were lots of ground squirrels. (Aka gophers.)
That spring a construction crew started a new home on the lot next to my house. I enjoyed watching the daily progress as they poured the foundation and put up walls, etc.
One day a construction worker brought his compound bow to work and was showing it off to the other guys. I was sitting at the living room window and watching the critters scampering around in the sunshine. That's when I noticed the guy standing there with his bow, string drawn taut and aiming at something.
At first I thought he was posing. Then I turned my head and saw Fred on the dirt mound, sitting in the sun and eating flowers and grass. All of a sudden my brain kicked in and told me to look away because I did not want to see what was about to happen. (I believe in trying to do no harm to all creatures.)
When I looked back I saw the man going over to the mound where Fred had been and watched as he wiped the blood off his arrow. Oh, poor Fred. I hope he did not suffer. I was sickened over what had just taken place.
Being a city girl, I was very upset and began crying. I called my husband at work and told him that one of the construction guys had just "murdered" a gopher.
To his credit, he did not laugh at me. Hubby grew up on a farm, he knew gophers were a nuisance to farmers and ranchers. He explained that most people found gophers and ground squirrels to be pests and tried to eradicate them.
So, I decided if I gave all the back yard critters names, no one should be able to kill them. Since they all looked the same, I named them all Fred! Thus, we have a whole hillside full of Freds and Fredrickas. Along with lots of Bun-Buns and Bambi's, and even a Bob-the-Cat.
I just wanted to post a memorial to Fred - The ground squirrel who loved sunshine, grasses and flowers.
Note: I do not intend to demean any memorials and tributes to our ancestors by posting this memorial.
Thank you for visiting.
Fred lived on an empty lot in a dirt mound next to my house. When we moved into our home I delighted in watching all the little critters that inhabited the surrounding area. There were lots of ground squirrels. (Aka gophers.)
That spring a construction crew started a new home on the lot next to my house. I enjoyed watching the daily progress as they poured the foundation and put up walls, etc.
One day a construction worker brought his compound bow to work and was showing it off to the other guys. I was sitting at the living room window and watching the critters scampering around in the sunshine. That's when I noticed the guy standing there with his bow, string drawn taut and aiming at something.
At first I thought he was posing. Then I turned my head and saw Fred on the dirt mound, sitting in the sun and eating flowers and grass. All of a sudden my brain kicked in and told me to look away because I did not want to see what was about to happen. (I believe in trying to do no harm to all creatures.)
When I looked back I saw the man going over to the mound where Fred had been and watched as he wiped the blood off his arrow. Oh, poor Fred. I hope he did not suffer. I was sickened over what had just taken place.
Being a city girl, I was very upset and began crying. I called my husband at work and told him that one of the construction guys had just "murdered" a gopher.
To his credit, he did not laugh at me. Hubby grew up on a farm, he knew gophers were a nuisance to farmers and ranchers. He explained that most people found gophers and ground squirrels to be pests and tried to eradicate them.
So, I decided if I gave all the back yard critters names, no one should be able to kill them. Since they all looked the same, I named them all Fred! Thus, we have a whole hillside full of Freds and Fredrickas. Along with lots of Bun-Buns and Bambi's, and even a Bob-the-Cat.
I just wanted to post a memorial to Fred - The ground squirrel who loved sunshine, grasses and flowers.
Note: I do not intend to demean any memorials and tributes to our ancestors by posting this memorial.
Thank you for visiting.
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