di_h and David and Kasie, I'm so glad to hear you say so. I was thinking that maybe I was just imagining this. But really, I've been plagued by rabbits in my raised beds and squirrels stealing my apples, but so far none are around. I'm so happy to reveal this secret!!!!! This scarecrow was nothing more than one of those decorative full-size ones I bought at Halloween time last year at Wal-Mart. For sure, I'll be buying a few more this year. I'll station one at the base of the apple tree. Thanks for the comeback, folks.

Candy... my brain must have been 'Out To Lunch'..I don't know how I missed this table. You always set such great tables with such fabulous finds. Like everyone else - I love your CP and all your cute bunnies and chicks. Your candlesticks always look so impressive w/ea setting. The placemats with the embroidered detailing are lovely and compliment your place settings perfectly and to top it all off, all those cute bunnies and chicks make this such a fun table. jane

What Vince said! ^^^^ I really love animals but the squirrels have just gotten up too close and personal. Their population is out of control. It's gray squirrels by day and flying squirrels by night. I have not eaten a single strawberry from my 40 plants in two months since the squirrels will snatch the red ones and carefully eat around the green calyces when I'm spying and out of their sight, then drop the calyx like a feather or even in pieces. I work very hard tending my strawberries and don't find feeding the squirrels every last bit of my garden toil the slightest bit amusing. They eat with their mouths full without ever closing them, and fibers and fragments of fruit get spit out all over the place. Cleaning up the deck after a squirrel pig-out is disgusting. When they are done eating the ripe strawberries, they start on the green ones, and eat one bite and then throw the whole strawberry detached, away with their bite and teeth marks. The discarded strawberries stink of squirrel breath, too. The only good squirrel is a dead one. There's compassion and then there's survival of the fittest. Just because the squirrel wins doesn't mean I'm going down without a fight. Strawberries, unlike tomatoes, do not continue to ripen after being picked. Not a whole lot can be done. Squirrels are incredibly cunning and delight in stealing. No, I'm not imagining that! They learn by watching what I tend and stare from a distance. Then I come back and zap. It's eaten. Squirrels have taken a bite or two from my tomatoes, but they haven't yet developed a taste for them. That's why I do tomatoes now and not strawberries so much anymore. PC

Yes Jane, obviously a critter. As long as you're happy with your tree, now time to turn your attention to the ruthless bandit(s). My story : Had the same problem around 4 1/2 years ago,..my foes were squirrels, birds and a few rabbits. I had gotten in over my head with a couple of small avocado trees, a couple of smallish but fast growing peach trees and six young mango trees ! The birds were only interested in the peaches, so they're ( hopefully ) not a concern for you. The voracious attacks were almost daily so had to something ! After using " The Old Craigslist Trick " twice, I quickly got rid of both of the avocado and peach trees, and one mango tree. That left me with five mango trees, was not eliminating any more !! Critters ( except for the birds ) were still mauling, so that's when I bought one of those Havahart spring loaded metal traps. Using the appropriate baits, within the next five ( 5 ) weeks trapped six ( 6 ) squirrels and two ( 2 ) rabbits. After disposing of them ( no comment ) my critter problem disappeared ! Since then have only had to deal with an isolated sneak attack,...nothing like it was ! I think they communicate with each other, " Hey, stay away from that guy's yard, he's a whacko !! " ( smile ) Just my 2 cents ! Good luck !