[IMAGE: https://i.ecency.com/DQmYNimKLkFgqAuWqj7heTzm9UYn8qmSa874ysBeCfUL26A/20260529_47.jpg]

There is a "belkin forest" in the town where my son lives. There is a certain pun in this. In Russian, it sounds like two things: a forest where squirrels live; a forest supervised by businessman Belkin.
When I was in this forest for the first time, I saw only one adult squirrel, which ate a mushroom and then climbed to the top of a pine tree, where it had a nest. That was 7 years ago. Last fall, I counted about ten squirrel cubs running on the ground and jumping up trees at the same time.

[IMAGE: https://i.ecency.com/DQmPYJhzGejj9PqAFHm2gyvpaGWi2wU65d2RUmanA1rDkmY/20260529_41.jpg]

Last weekend, I visited my son and only once took a morning walk in this forest, which can most likely be considered an urban park and it is located next to the lake, which is the border of the city. I was on my way to take a couple of photos of the swans that settled in this place last year. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught some movement among the trees. It turned out that a squirrel was watching me. They are used to people, mostly children, coming to the forest to feed them nuts. Well, let's play this game. But my pockets are empty.

[IMAGE: https://i.ecency.com/DQmfHLkhZHjiVX3npD41K83r91q5TLK8HzwhA3bydRpAKGM/20260529_44.jpg]

This nimble little fuzzy started his game first. He jumped on a big tree stump and posed for me like he was a professional model. As a professional photographer, I took shots in his direction with my Nikon D5300 camera. I took many, many, many shots.

[IMAGE: https://i.ecency.com/DQmTGPTHZ6H9Qzd3sCXaDAPAgLZxKjjWjFvVvTzs81AKBpD/20260529_45.jpg]

[IMAGE: https://i.ecency.com/DQmUE7UxZ67vNiZ8wRs7eZcNvUGR8zLwuceGgsu4YmnFUcf/20260529_46.jpg]

And of course, the full-length photo that I took as the title in this report.

[IMAGE: https://i.ecency.com/DQmNvybu8YsrZEkFqTkxWZZVMRPCyUd85da26TSSR4r7nBT/20260529_48.jpg]

That's it, the squirrel jumped off the stump and jumped on the house that was built especially for these red-haired guys. I thought he was tired of playing with me and would run off about his business. By the way, you can see that the spring molt has not ended for squirrels yet.

[IMAGE: https://i.ecency.com/DQmXdr56NuktbUdjZRDLMDAgMxKt6Ky9dRjxLbmgMmycB7m/20260529_49.jpg]

But quite unexpectedly for me, she jumped to the ground and quickly ran towards me. I was not prepared for such a maneuver. My large camera was inconvenient to work with in such a situation.
Realizing that I wouldn't treat her to anything, she turned around and ran away.

[IMAGE: https://i.ecency.com/DQmYQuhJqM7pJxDCni1fLSNBzN3AHeKc3AaYQ7DC9NG8e2J/20260530_110400557_ios.jpg]

[IMAGE: https://i.ecency.com/DQmXEMcoxSzpzqVw615mS6Xm7jkeD5qxLLhDfwdmT2ekoXa/20260530_111316395_ios.jpg]

I returned to this forest in the evening. More precisely, I was not alone, but we came as a family. I was armed with an iPhone in my right hand for close combat and nuts in my left hand. This tactic worked! The squirrel came up to my hand.

[IMAGE: https://i.ecency.com/DQmNwMoQ2CY4kehpUzD4xSiMFYaB3DRmS1ipmzvhdnnqwhY/20260530_111417498_ios.jpg]

But the squirrel didn't like my hands! She sniffed at them and jumped back, took a threatening pose with her tail raised and even started shaking it.
Then she came over again, but instead of taking the nut, she decided to bite my finger! It's likely that my hands have the smell of dogs and that scared the squirrel away. I stroked the dog before going for a walk in the woods.

[IMAGE: https://i.ecency.com/DQmPkSVEfmcsEPdoXv83j6KCNDLAo4jCUrkpBc1qzt9EUsF/20260530_111213476_ios.jpg]

My granddaughter decided to be offended by the squirrels and even cry a little because no one came to her hand.
But the walk ended safely.

Friends, goodbye! Until the next walk.

[IMAGE: https://images.ecency.com/DQmYbD5H7vX4jU6TiFbUKDRt1VvurE3tmJNBgpmF4jxEYkW/imagehive1.png]

[IMAGE: https://images.ecency.com/DQmdnr6CyN4mtmwyYLY8pARGkVVgkXFcvLZv62JTVLhKesF/image.png]

Don’t Worry, Be Happy (C) Bobby McFerrin

Text & Photography by @apnigrich
With love @apnigrich
Good luck and have fun

[IMAGE: https://images.ecency.com/DQmTaptAjVsgabYkFsYE2HhYkehE8Xyx6T7Ud2En1ELgm4g/image.png]