As if to say "We cannot be defeated!"

Walked out to the backyard this morning to find the umbrella tie lying on the patio table.  The squirrels had eaten the shoestring with the mothball sock that I've used all summer to keep the umbrella closed tight.

Also, an apple had been picked from the tree and half eaten.  I am hoping that just the potency of the mothballs has decreased so I'm adding more mothballs to the socks.

So far the mothballs are working

At the risk of jinxing it, so far the apples are doing fantastic this year with the mothball sock sacks keeping the squirrels away.

Some of the apples have little nibbles which I think are from the birds.  Roxi feeds the sparrows and there are probably a flock of hundred..no kidding..that hang around and sometimes land in the apple tree.

These in the pictures are nearly the size of my fist now and there are probably about two dozen all together.

Keep your fingers crossed and hope the squirrels stay away.