Tuesday

Because I Feel Like Talking About Animals

As I was leaving my parent's cul-de-sac the other night and heading down the street to my home, I noticed this sign at then end of their street.

The kids and I pulled in for a closer look:

My Mom explained that the little boy next door, found a dead squirrel in the road.

He wept at the loss of innocent life.

And then named him Fred.

He spent the entire day creating this memorial that reads:

R.I.P. Squirrel
Sad
5 years old

and then he glued a little red baseball hat at the bottom of the sign.

As I was taking a picture of the sign (my 8 year old was hiding in the back seat, bemoaning her embarrassing life) the little neighbor walked up and told us all about Fred.

Fred had a good made-up life, after his death.

And he loved baseball.

I couldn't help but think of the squirrels in my own back yard that I secretly despised.  Okay, not so secretly.


It makes one think, ya know?

Because if the silver puffy painted sign doesn't say "You will be missed," I don't know what does.

Stay tuned for TWO FANTASTIC GIVEAWAYS this week from creative Moms!

18 comments:

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

Is it more sweet or more hilarious? I don't know. This was great!

Anonymous said...

I have a ground squirrel aggravating me to death... so, I'm not so sure how cute he is. He waits until I'm walking from my garage to scurry in front of me =(

Tammy said...

Awwwww, *sniff* makes me think we didn't do enough when we had our Squirrel out of the nest disaster of 2008. I just piled mulching materials on top of the grave site.

Anonymous said...

I can remember having funerals with my dad and little brother in the woods across from our house, for the dead rabbits and moles that our cat would kill and leave on our door step. I am now not a real animal lover, but yet I can recall leading us in singing Amazing Grace and reciting the 23rd Psalm for those poor dead rodents. Bless my dad for humming along when I know he must have been laughing on the inside!

Svr said...

Awe! Poor little guy, the flowers! What a touch! My kids did this once. They even found a cinder block to make a gravestone. We lost that tree with Hurricane Ivan and that's the first thing they thought of (disturbing Squirrely's resting place)!

Valarie Lea said...

Makes me feel bad for hitting the chicken that was trying to cross the road and then leaving him there on the other side.

Anonymous said...

Thanks to my huge orange ball of fluff I've had to create last minute make-shift caskets for more little creatures than I care to admit.

Your post makes me feel slightly remorseful for all the poor squirrel and chipmunk widows my cat is creating.

a Tonggu Momma said...

Wonderful... a funeral for a tree rat. As you can tell, I am known around town for my tremendous sense of compassion.

littletoesandcheerios said...

Aw, this makes me sad for the boy. Death is such a hard thing for any of us to understand. Dread the day I have to try and explain it to my girl.

Sweet post.

Ryan and Melanie said...

Oh that is too funny! How great that his family supported his celebration of Fred!

Muthering Heights said...

Awww, what a sweet little boy!

Anonymous said...

That is pretty sweet. The baseball cap and puffy paint--I feel sad for him, while kind of chuckling at the same time!

Nancy M. said...

In our last house, we had squirrels in the attic, so I really hate them. But that was kinda sweet making a memorial.

Anonymous said...

Awww...

Kids seem to appreciate life more than adults do.

Dawn @ simply transparent said...

very sweet boy that was...and don't you feel bad now.

snickering

UtahJenny said...

I remember bringing home a dead squirrel to bury when I was a kid and my mom practically burning the clothes I had been wearing with a look of rabid terror in her eyes. Ahhhh - the memories! I really appreciate that kid's efforts!

Unknown said...

That is so sweet!

Kelly @ Growing.Learning.Playing. said...

I hate squirrels.

The end.

However, this story is pretty cute.