Charlie, Harry and Bud on Rock – Photo © by Jim Ruppel 2026 

“What’s up? What ya say, Bud, you, me and Harry go up the hill and check out some munchies? Meet you back at the rock! “  

We’ve got some chipmunks in our backyard that scramble around most of the day scrounging for food and whatever they can find. I have birdfeeders on the upper deck, and the birds scatter the seeds when they land and feed, and the chippers have a heyday. 

When hubby and I sit out, we watch them and their antics zipping back and forth.  Sometimes, they run over each other trying to get to where they want to go so fast that they crash into each other and miss what’s right in front of them. I wonder sometimes if that’s what we would look like if we were giants and looked down on us. What a sight that would be. 

I remember being high up in an office building one time looking out the window at the traffic below and how it looked with people moving in their own traffic lanes, stopping when the traffic light turned red and turning when it was their time. It looked so structured and smooth with everyone moving in synch. Some would stop until the light changed so they could turn left or right. When it changed again, the rest of the cars would move forward, like it was perfectly orchestrated. I’m talking about what is mostly normal – what you should do – but we know that’s not always the case. 

It’s a different perspective, for sure, like coming out of the forest and looking back at the trees. These little guys have no idea what’s going on in the world, except for the occasional human shifting in the chair above them. Then they scatter off to safety. But mostly they’re not too concerned about all of that, only finding food, how much the other chipper is getting, and regular checks up in the sky for objects coming at them. 

They play sometimes. We see them chase each other around the trees and rocks and when they catch each other, they both jump up and run off as fast as they can in the opposite direction. Then do it all over again. Not sure if that’s playing, but it may be flirting. Anyway, it looks like they’re having fun. 

Other times, especially in the morning when the sun is rising and warming things up, we see them get on their rock, sit up and look toward the sun like they’re enjoying the warmth and giving their appreciation. They stay there for a long while doing that, as if they were meditating. It’s sweet.

Chipmunk on Rock – Photo © by Jim Ruppel 2026 

As you can see, we have a lot of time on our hands, watching the chippers, birds and even ants as they make their way going about their daily tasks. It’s nice to slow down and watch all these things zipping, flying, and running back and forth. It’s another world noticing all the life that’s going on around us that’s not human. 

Charlie, Harry and Bud Back on Rock – Photo © by Jim Ruppel 2026 

“Well, Harry and Bud, did you find much up there? Mmm, I did. It was some good eaten.” 

We’re just having some fun up here in the mountains passing the days and enjoying life. Hope you get a chuckle from this and take away a little joy for your day. 

Pat from the ‘ol kitchen table