wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,

I have a bunch of gray squirrel in my yard. They've always eaten the
bird seed I put in feeder, but I really don't care about that.

Recently however, a gray squirrel was gnawing on a Burning Bush shrub
that has been under the bird feeders for about 4 years now.

I've never seen a gray squirrel try to eat a shrub before.

Does anyone know if this is a common problem, or just a temporary
oddity. The bush was just setting out new leaves as it is mid spring
where I live (coastal NH).

You may need 5 or 6 of the gray squirrels, as these are a bit smaller
than others. They are easily caught in a trap baited with peanut
butter. Our local red-tailed hawks tend to thin out the squirrel
population too.

SQUIRREL SOUP.
Wash and quarter three or four good sized squirrels; put them on, with
a small tablespoonful of salt, directly after breakfast, in a gallon
of cold water. Cover the pot close, and set it on the back part of
the stove to simmer gently, _not_ boil. Add vegetables just the same
as you do in case of other meat soups in the summer season, but
especially good will you find corn, Irish potatoes, tomatoes and Lima
beans. Strain the soup through a coarse colander when the meat has
boiled to shreds, so as to get rid of the squirrels' troublesome
little bones. Then return to the pot, and after boiling a while
longer, thicken with a piece of butter rubbed in flour. Celery and
parsley leaves chopped up are also considered an improvement by many.
Toast two slices of bread, cut them into dice one-half inch square,
fry them in butter, put them into the bottom of your tureen, and then
pour the soup boiling hot upon them. Very good.