Greenwich Autumn Sun

21 November 2011
What a beautiful weekend we've just had. I went for a walk around Greenwich Park and took these artistic pictures to make you jealous. The park was full of falling leaves, dogs chasing sticks, stary Canada geese and thieving squirrels.

Yes, stary geese. The geese in the park are quite used to people coming up close but, just occasionally, they don't like it so much and they stare. At you. This is when to move quietly away. Quite quickly.

The thieving squirrels, on the other hand, don't leave you alone - especially at this time of year when they're storing up their loot for the winter. I've pointed this out before, but it's worth mentioning again that they are thieves and villains, the lot of them. And gosh there are a lot of them in the Park, particularly around the Wilderness where the deer live. That area is well protected from predators and don't they know it.

Up they come, playing the scampery cute card with all their might, in the hope that you've got some food they can nick. Frequently, if you're foolish enough to give one a nut, which I sensibly never am, his furry little buddy will scrabble up your leg in an attempt to half-inch the entire bag.

You can have some fun, though, if you pretend to have something in your hand, wait till the little robber is a foot away and then show him there's nothing there. He will be OUTRAGED. Literally open-mouthed at the very idea that you've had the gall to trick him. Generally he backs off at this point mumbling squirrel curses and spitting on your shadow as he goes. It's great.

So, if you go and see the deer, which I recommend, and you get mugged on the way by these little criminals, don't say I didn't warn you. Don't be fooled by the fluffy tails and furry cuteness. Remember this - thieves and villains. Thieves. And. Villains.

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