Minnesota Prairie Roots

MY DAUGHTER MIRANDA, who is a Spanish major senior at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, claims that her campus is over-run by ardillas. They rummage through dumpsters, hog sidewalk space and basically make a nuisance of themselves.

That’s why I was surprised when Miranda photographed a squirrel this summer while working at the Concordia Spanish Language Village north of Bemidji.

I speculate that because she had been away from the squirrel-infested Wisconsin college campus for a few months, she had forgotten just how much she disliked the overgrown rodent with a bushy tail.

Or perhaps she simply could not resist this mischievous baby squirrel that tried to peek inside a cabin window.

Whatever the reasons, I am posting this blog now, because my daughter has been back at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse for several weeks.

Do you still think this ardilla is cute, Miranda?

Photo © Copyright 2009 Miranda Helbling