Squirrel Appreciation Day is a real holiday and I set out to understand why we should celebrate these vermin. Always held on January 21st, this is an opportunity to sit on a park bench and toss peanuts (roasted are preferred) to the nuisance of the neighborhood. Christy Hargrove founded Squirrel Appreciation Day in 2001. January 21st was chosen because their winter stores of food may be running low and mid winter is the perfect time to hold a food drive for squirrels.

Are you kidding me? They are squirrels; they will find food. They will make their way into your garage in the coldest months to steal from your supplies of bird food you had saved for the spring. This year long assault on birds last throughout the year as they climb, knock over and spill bird feed. They will steal from your garden and chew on your prized plants.

Squirrels are part of the Sciuridae family, this makes them cousins to the chipmunk, prarie dog and woodchuck. These critters are not all cute and fun to watch. They often wreck havoc on civilization causing power outages by chewing on wires and hanging out on transformers. Squirrels are organized, working together to deceive the unknowing humans into thinking they are cute and harmless and their intelligence displays they could make a great pet. They also make a great snack and can easily be substituted for chicken or rabbit in most recipes.