I never knew

I never knew.

This summer two squirrels have been making themselves at home on our back deck -- most notably on the railing visible through our living room window, and I'm learning a few things I never knew.

I never knew, for instance, squirrels can make themselves that flat and seemingly lifeless when they bask in the sun.  Kind of a mini-version of a bearskin rug.  How amazingly and totally relaxed!

I never knew squirrels form friendships.  But I have no reason to doubt that the two squirrels I have seen on the deck railing through the summer are the same two squirrels.  That often arrive and leave together.  That also sometimes arrive separately -- one showing up first, the other a minute or so later, probably with some excuse about traffic or the kids or maybe that darned hawk that keeps circling the area as their reason for being late.

I also never knew squirrels groom one another.  Like monkeys.  And endlessly, carefully, day after day after day.  What an amazing and delightful thing to see. Two squirrel friends peacefully resting side by side on the deck railing like two friends at the bar, then over and over again giving themselves to grooming one another for 5, 10, 15 minutes at a time -- with hands and teeth carefully picking through and cleaning one another's scalp, back and sides.  Cradling each other's heads in their hands to get better purchase and just the right angle and leverage.  Not a single thing sexual about it as far as I can tell.  Not yet anyway.  Just amazingly tender, intimate and mutual care of one another.

And ... I also never knew this -- that this relaxed ease together, this faithful friendship, this mutual and intimate care for one another would happen so easily between black and grey squirrels.  For some reason I assumed that squirrels of different colours would not be such good and natural friends.  Would even be natural enemies.

I wonder where on Earth I got that idea from.  

The idea that creatures of one species but different colours might not get along well together, or would so easily take such good care of one another.

Makes me wonder about maybe learning from squirrels as well as about squirrels.