Squirrel of my Heart

Miss Nubbins resting during the release process

Did I tell you that I love Miss Nubbins?
She is the squirrel of my heart.

Miss Nubbins came to me late last summer
 and I knew she was coming...
The day before, I heard a name in my head. "Nubbins" the voice said.  And I knew that was the perfect name for a squirrel.  And then I thought.... oh no... I can't take in another squirrel right now... I've already got my hands full.

The next day, a fellow in south Austin phoned me up and said he found a baby squirrel lying on his driveway.
He brought her over and I sighed... Ah! Miss Nubbins!

Baby Nubbins

She was a sweet angel from the very beginning.
Somehow the squirrel gods just know what you need.
She was always a wild one...
very independent and fearless.
Her heart would race sometimes and she seemed extra hyper.  She would run off and bump into walls.  I wasn't sure if she had a brain injury or not.  Time would tell.

Little Nubbins

Then when she was a little older, she started losing hair on her tail.  Oh no!  I wondered if she had a nervous condition or an adrenal problem.  Then one day, a friend of mine told me how her cat used to pull out her own hair.  So I began to pay closer attention to my little girl.
OMG...  one day I caught her pulling out her tail hair!
So I began to apply lavender oil once a day. The scent of the oil did two things. It kept her from putting her tail in her mouth, and the lavender also relaxed her.

Look mom... no tail hair! 


Then little by little her hair grew back. She enjoyed being out of the cage and running on me, her personal tree, once a day so I could apply the oil.  She just loved to run all over me... and I loved it too!
And her tail got very bushy and beautiful! 

Beautiful Tail!

Even though she didn't need the lavender oil, I let her have her daily run on her "mama tree".  She would run on me as I made the bed each morning and she became my little helper! 

Sweet little girl

Then after Queen Earl crossed over in January,  

I was able to give Miss Nubbins what she really needed.. more space!  I increased the height of her cage by three!  Now she could really run up and down and all around!  

And she would rarely lay still!  She had more energy than all my other squirrels put together!

As the winter drew to a close and Miss Nubbins grew older and longer, I knew it would soon be time for her release.

Yes, it is an awesome thing to release these little squirrels so they can have a normal squirrel life, 

but it is so difficult to say goodbye to a squirrel child one has nurtured and loved from infancy. 

It is not easy to be a human squirrel mother.  We are at a disadvantage, not knowing how to climb trees and build nests.  And when they move out, we really never know where they build their new homes.

Outside on the porch

So when the time came, I wheeled Miss Nubbins' cage outside and placed it right next to Mr.Nut's cage.  After about a week of letting her get used to the outdoor sounds, I opened the door on her cage.

To my utter surprise and delight, 

Miss Nubbins stayed close to me and Mr.Nut for the whole first month she was "free"!

She would run on the roof, but always come running back home. She liked to run in the grass and bury nuts. She loved to jump on me and even liked to hitch a ride inside the house.  She continued to help me make my bed each morning!  I felt so blessed to be her mom!

Then one day she made that leap off the roof into the neighbor's tree. I knew that would be the start of her real independence: I was happy for her and somewhat teary-eyed that my girl was indeed growing up!

Miss Nubbins enjoying her squirrel life

I was so grateful that she took it slow and that we got to spend so much time together!  I truly feel her love and appreciation.  And I know that she knows she can always come to me if she needs help.

Nowadays, Miss Nubbins drops by unexpectedly... sometimes in the morning and sometimes at sunset.

But no matter when, she is always welcomed with nuts, fruit and lots of squirrelove! 

What could be better than that?

I love you Miss Nubbins!

The Squirrels ARE in charge!

Queen Earl Grey, Guardian of the Sun, passes on Jan.1, 2013

Never underestimate for one minute that we are in good hands and everything is under control!
How can I say that?

Many of you read that my housemate, Earl Grey, was the Grey-Squirrel-in-Charge ever since September of 2005, when she inspired a fellow from New Orleans to escort her to Austin. She had lost her entire family in Hurrincane Katrina and sent out a telepathic call for assistance.  And she KNEW where she had to be... Austin!

Why Austin? It is a place of great evolution... on the cutting edge of equality for all... which matches the mission of the squirrels: to raise consciousness! Austin is directly west of the Great Pyramid of Giza and directly north of the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihaucan. That makes it a vortex of amazing energy and change... no wonder everyone is moving here!
According to the Mayan creation story, it was a grey squirrel that escorted the Sun on its very first journey across the sky and built and altar to it in the West. The jaguars and wolves were jealous of the squirrel's relationship with the Great Light and killed the squirrel! And to this day, the Huichol Indians honor the grey squirrel as their hero god!

Austin is primarily graced with lovely squirrels... of the fox squirrel variety and doesn't have any grey squirrels. Because of the Shift that is happening now, it is so important to have a grey squirrel to oversee the evolution of consciousness in this auspicious location! Queen Earl's mission was to wake up the populace for the end of the Great Mayan Cycle~ December 21st, 2012. Earl knew her contract was complete and flew back to the Sun on January 1st of the new year! So who would take her place? A grey squirrel of great consciousness was needed! And a true squirrel avatar to assist with the continued awakening in Austin?
To my utter astonishment and great joy, I found out via Facebook, that a brilliant grey squirrel had, in fact, taken up residence here, synchronistically and in the perfect timing of things that squirrels are famous for! Drumroll please........!!!! 
Introducing~
Lady Winkelhimer Smith, the famous squirrel artist!

Squirrel Artist Extraordinaire ~ Miss Winkelhimer Smith

Many of you know her as the "squirrel who paints"! But how did she get her squirrel momma, Shyla, to move her from Jennings, Louisianna to Austin, Texas?

There is no doubt in my mind that Queen Earl Grey and Lady Winkelhimer had many a long telepathic squirrel conversation arranging the whole move! After all, that is what grey squirrels do... they guard the consciousness!

Shyla told me that after a tornado hit her house in Jennings, she moved into a rent house. The landlord at the new place was not animal friendly! Finally Winkelhimer had had enough and secretly communicated to Shyla's sweetie in Austin to come get them! Winkel knew that Earl would be flying back to the Sun on January 1, and urged him to drive down to Jennings at the end of December. He willingly obliged and escorted them to Austin.  And so, Lady Smith took up residence on January 2nd! (In Mayan Astrology, that day was a Blue Spectral Storm, representing change and liberation!) 
That's incredible Squirrel Efficiency! Queen Earl Grey stepped down on January 1st and Lady Winkelminer took her position here the very next day! WOW! 

Never underestimate the power of SQUIRRELOVE....

and Squirrel Genius!

Watch a master at work: 

Please visit Winkel's Facebook page 
and welcome her to Austin! 

LONG MAY HER TAIL WAVE!

A Squirrel's Simple Way

Morning chat with Mr.Nut

This morning, my little friend Mr.Nut asked me to jot down the words of this song so everyone could sing along. Then Mr.Nut said, "Why don't you ask Den Lilla Ekorren to play his great music for your song?"  So something even more awesome happened! The Swedish squirrel mystic and musician made a sweet video of our Austin squirrels for us to enjoy!  Many thanks to his great squirrel generosity!  Please visit and 'LIKE' his Facebook page! 




The baby squirrels are running everywhere
They're climbing trees and flying through the air
They're full of joy and glee,
As you can plainly see,
And anyone in their right mind would love to be this free!

And so one day the squirrels came out to play
I jumped and wrestled with them the whole day
We played and ran around
And put nuts in the ground
I learned to live each moment in a squirrel's simple way.

And just because a squirrel's brain is small
That doesn't mean a gosh darn thing at all
They always seem to find
The nuts they leave behind
And not even a scientist could fault a squirrel's recall.

And so on squirrels' behalf I rest my case
They're far more clever than the human race
They balance work and play
And take naps in the day
And never once ring up a debt that they cannot repay.

And so we should respect our little friends
They teach us to be hopeful to the end
They're gentle and they're kind
And you will even find
Whatever love you give to them will bless you in the end.

Thank you for loving the little squirrels!

Great Gentle Hearted One

On Wednesday Feb.27th, which was a Blue Lunar Eagle in the Mayan Caledar,  my little princess, Toofie, flew away with her dear friend, Earl Grey.  Princess Toofie had been missing her girlfriend a lot more than I had imagined.

Toofie had lost interest in eating and withdrew into herself more and more since Earl's departure.  I spent all of Tuesday with Toofie, petting her, massaging her, giving her nutrients and liquids, but she seemed to be gradually leaving this reality.  That night she curled up in her nest for the last time.  Suddenly in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, I was awakened from sleep by the sound of a vary pronounced 'gasp'!  Although I wear ear plugs when I sleep, and Toofie's bed is on the other side of the house from my bedroom,  I know that I heard her take her last breath.

When I went to check on her, Toofie was stretched out in the far corner of her cage, closest to where Earl would have been.  Toofie was reaching out with her right paw.  It was obvious that she had seen her friend beckoning her from the other side and willingly took Earl's paw. I'm so grateful Earl was there to help her cross over.  

Back in the fall of 2008, when Toofie came to live with me, Earl Grey was already living here, a refugee from Hurricane Katrina.  Toofie and Earl had hung out for the rest of their days together. They spent every afternoon together, telepathically confiding squirrel secrets to each other. 

We can never know how long we will be blessed with the presence of a beloved squirrel teacher.  I feel honored that Toofie lived with me for as long as she did. She was my kitchen helper, inspecting the grocery bag to see what treats there might be for her. She loved when I brought home bing cherries or rhambutans!  She was my late night companion when I would sit down to blog or catch up on emails. Toofie would lay on the top of her cage just above my left shoulder. It always gave me a warm feeling to know she as there for me.   

Toofie was very different from the other squirrels in that
 she didn't just love me, she loved everybody!  Perfect strangers could come in and pet her and would be transformed by the experience.  Toofie did so much to open people's hearts to squirrel love!

Here is my farewell tribute to my precious angel~

More than anything else, Toofie was known for her gentleness.  She loved to be petted and caressed and would close her eyes with pleasure as I massaged her and kissed her.  She was so tender and affectionate.  And so she was the perfect squirrel for my Reiki ad:

You can read about Toofie's healing story in this previous post: Toofie the Wonder Squirrel 

Wouldn't it be lovely if we could all show such unconditional love to everyone? Thank you Toofie for showing us how!

Farewell to a Mayan Squirrel Queen

Farewell, sweet Queen!

I am amazed at all of the synchronicities regarding the life of one extraordinary and precious grey squirrel from New Orleans!  As a tiny baby squirrel, rescued from Hurricane Katrina and brought to Austin by a compassionate animal lover, Earl Grey came to live at 2012 Gathright Cove. What a privilege to care for the original grey squirrel that escorted the Sun on it's very first journey across the sky (according to Mayan legend!) It was Earl's amazing squirrel telepathy that drew in her rescuer and her intense love directed him to drive her all the way up to Austin so she could live at 2012, the year engraved in her DNA.  Squirrels are known as "gatherers", so how perfect is Earl's address!  Gathright is an old English word that means "to gather rightly". 

Queen Earl was born for this mission... she knew the incredible opportunity for Awakening the humans... and participated in this with her whole being!  At the beginning of 2012 she announced her mission (see post: Mayan Squirrel Prophecy) and saw it through the very last day of 2012. 

Then on January 1, 2013, this sweet Mayan squirrel took her last breath and headed back to the Sun. She died on a White Planetary Mirror day, kin 218. In Mayan astrology, this kin is my perfect ally, as I am a Blue Planetary Monkey.  White Mirror is also the glyph of the date of death for the Mayan prophet King Pakal. It is no coincidence that on the day after her transition, our Sun was the closest it ever gets to the earth! Jan. 2 marks the time when the Earth is at perihelion, that is the point in its orbit when it is closest to the Sun! (see news article)

In the photo above, I am wearing a special chalcedony ring. On this particular stone, there is a tiny picture of a squirrel under the sun... it was my favorite ring, gifted to me when I performed a Mayan wedding ceremony in New Mexico some years ago. Just before Thanksgiving, my home was broken into and most of my jewelry stolen, including this ring.  That ring had always symbolized to me the Mayan legend and when it disappeared, so did Earl. From the afternoon of the burglary, Earl went into hiding and didn't come out of her nest for about three days.  And this began her journey back to the Sun.  

Perhaps all these synchronicities are like threads of a Mayan tapestry...  weaving a sacred altar cloth depicting the beauty of Great Mystery. In so doing, we are able to admire the intricacies of the Cosmic plan!

I am grateful to have known such a regal grey squirrel and honor her whenever I greet the Sun in the sky above!

2013 Squirrel Calendar

ORDER YOURS TODAY!


Q.What could be better than a squirrel photo masterpiece?
A. Twelve photo masterpieces, one for each month of the year!


Here's how to get your 2013 Squirrel Calendar!
Just send an email to Julie @ this address: squirrelady@gmail.com
or you may call 512-448-2374
Personal checks and money orders are accepted and postage is included provided postage to your location is $5.00 or less.
If you live far away, like Japan or the UK, then please go to www.squirrelplanet.org and on the homepage there is a PayPal donate button.  Click to donate $25. to cover the postage and email me the address where you want it sent.
(I am not using PayPal for domestic orders since I have to pay a percentage to PayPal and that would make the cost of the calendar go up by $2.~)

All proceeds go toward the feeding, housing, and loving care of our little orphaned or injured squirrels that live inside and the feeding of our local squirrels at Austin's hike and bike trail. 

Mr.Nut says,

"When you help a little squirrel,

you are helping the whole planet!"

THANK YOU

Kinzumido: The Way of the Squirrel

Young Monk Contemplating Kinzumido

My friend in Japan told me that there are many squirrels that  have taken up residence at the Temple of the Great Buddha and are referred to as the Zen Buddhist Squirrels.

The formal Japanese phrase for squirrel is Kinzumi and adding the letters "do", Kinzumido, means "to follow the squirrel way."

And what is the "squirrel way"?  To answer this question, I asked Mr.Nut if he wouldn't mind being interviewed, as he is a wisdom squirrel.  Here's what he said: 

Me:  Mr.Nut, could you describe in a nutshell what is meant by "the way of the squirrel"?

Mr.Nut:  Essentially, it means to walk in kindness.

Me:  Mr.Nut, how does one embody this teaching?

Mr.Nut:  For a squirrel, it is simple... we treat everyone like a squirrel, meaning there is no one higher or lower... all beings are the energy of Great Mystery. By respecting Great Mystery, kindness naturally results.  It makes for a peaceful existence.

Me: Mr.Nut, why are there so many squirrels inhabiting sacred temples around the world?

Mr.Nut:  Squirrels naturally gravitate to familiar energy. Squirrels originally came from the Sun and so the high frequency and radiant light of the Sun feels comfortable to us.  So residing in the sacred Temples on the earth feels much like "going home" to us squirrels.

Me: Mr.Nut, can you tell us a good way to grow in kindness?

Mr.Nut:  It is simple really... just love every being.  People think this is hard because they still believe that there is good vs. evil.  So what to do... just rest in Squirrelmind.  In Squirrelmind there is just LOVE and love means "not two".  

Me:  Can you give an example of how this works? Take a current situation that is difficult... perhaps hurricane Sandy.

Mr.Nut:  OK.. there is no problem with a hurricane until you make a story about it.  If in talking about the storm, a person says, "Many buildings were damaged and people injured" still there is no problem.  But when you hold the belief that there should never be any damage or injuries,  then you create the perception of OK vs. not OK or good vs.evil. If you remember "not two", you can just witness all that is in front of you... buildings under water, people, tree branches on roadways, etc. and see it all as one scenic view.

Mr.Nut exemplifying Kinsumido

Me:  What is the "squirrel way" of viewing a storm?

Mr.Nut:  Typically, squirrel nests will be blown out of trees. Mama squirrels get busy finding their young and making a new nest.  Some squirrels are separated from their families and are rescued by friends of squirrels.  Then the rescued squirrels go on to teach their caregivers Kinzumido.  Squirrels are not afraid of death... we live short lives compared to humans and we don't take anything seriously. As a result, we have more fun in life.  That's how we can run at high speeds in the uppermost branches of the trees... we don't care if we fall or even if we die.  Everything is just a passing experience! So when a storm comes we know it is all just part of Great Mystery. We welcome everything that comes. 

Me: Mr.Nut, do you have any advice for people who want to experience more peace in life?

Mr.Nut:  I would just tell people to openly embrace everything without a story.  Let yourself enjoy every possible experience that comes to you. If you make this your practice, you will always be in Bliss.  And Bliss is your natural state... it is the constant state of every squirrel 

Newpaper reporters interviewing Kinzumi

Squirrel Telepathy

Squirrel King of Austin

Well I think it was only a week after my last post

 about squirrel royalty that this graffiti showed 

up on north Lamar just before you go 

under the viaduct at 5th.

Squirrel sighting at North Lamar and 5th.

The amazing thing is that I didn't paint it and I don't even know who the artist is!  The point is this: squirrel consciousness is bigger than you think! I had just written about King Nut of Linderhof and lo and behold, a squirrel king appears in public! Squirrel telepathy is a happening! These days more and more squirrels are showing up to help facilitate the Awakening of humanity! Just up the street from this amazing squirrel art is Whole Foods Market and guess what's painted at the middle entrance?

Squirrel Marketing 

I'm proud to live in a squirrel friendly town like Austin and I love it that our squirrel art is being viewed by the thousands of music lovers that are here participating in Austin City Limits Music Festival.  Little do our visitors realize that while they are enjoying a smorgasbord of great music,  they are receiving cosmic squirrel blessings!  And they thought it was the music making them feel so good!

Never underestimate the ability of a little squirrel

to open your heart!

The Royal Squirrel Family

King Nut of Linderhof

What are the superior qualities of royalty? They are capable, compassionate, considerate of the needs of the whole, and contribute to the harmony of the entire kingdom.
King Nut, great leader of Squirreldom, has said: "Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." Of course he borrowed these words from Lao Tzu, but that is what makes him such a great leader!


Lord Pete
You may remember the Great Lord Pete, renowned squirrel diplomat and advocate for squirrel welfare. He is known to have said: 
"The career of a sage is of two kinds~ he is either honored by all in the world, like a flower waving its head, or else he disappears into the silent forest."
Lord Pete's great great grand niece is the famous Princess Nubbins. She was loved by the entire court for her sweet countenance and is known for her generosity and compassion to all beings. People would come to the young Nubbins and ask for her guidance.  She is most famous for her teachings on the topic of the Greatest Healing Power in the Universe~ Love!


Princess Nubbins

She would often quote Emmet Fox-Squirrel: 

"There is no difficulty that enough love cannot conquer;

No disease that enough love will not heal;

No door that enough love will not open;

and no wall that enough love will not throw down.

It makes no difference how deeply seeded may be the trouble,

how muddled the tangle, 

how great the mistake,

for the sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all.

There is no sin that enough love will not redeem, and there is no gulf too wide that love cannot build a bridge over.

If you could love enough, you would be the happiest and the most powerful being in the world."

2012: YEAR OF THE SQUIRREL!

Pucky in outer space: Messenger of Peace!

Yes, we've finally made it! It's 2012 and squirrels all over the Cosmos are taking their positions for the
GREAT SHIFT OF THE AGES!
You can see it happening everywhere you look!
From the Whole Foods Market in Austin,Texas: 

Whole Food's Trail Mix Display

To a remote town in Scotland....

Kilmarnock's Coat of Arms

Everywhere you look, squirrels are appearing to assist in this global awakening! Squirrels, being the natural guardians of Cosmic Consciousness, are finally taking their rightful place in the limelight!

From technology....

and sports events....

In food and beverage labelling, 

In clothing,

In restaurants...

And pubs...

Basically, everywhere you look, you will see an increase

 in people's awareness of their squirrel brothers and sisters!  It is squirrelove that will bring peace back to our planet!

It is with squirrel persistence and squirrel humor 

that a state of bliss and harmony will return

as this great cycle closes on Dec. 21st 

and the Golden Age begins!

And would you believe, what I found on Facebook? 

The Squirrels' Prayer! 

Global Love Project