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A Christmas nut for Larry and Nancy

"In December we had a snow storm. It totaled about three inches. Consequently, I had to use the snowblower and shovel. The snow crystals on the tree branches and shrubs were brilliantly reflected in the sunlight. The next morning, when I exited the side door, I noticed a perfectly round and undamaged black walnut placed outside, in front of the door. The only way that it could have been deposi . . .

Why Some People Don’t Like Squirrels

Squirrels are viewed by people in many ways. They are so much fun to watch. It is amazing how quickly they can climb up and down trees, seeming to use so little effort. It is hard to comprehend how they can jump from branch to branch, sometimes leaping 10 feet or more while over 40 feet off the ground. They construct their nests high in the trees, protecting themselves and their families, seem . . .

What Squirrelly Did After a Large Snowstorm

Squirrelly woke up and looked out of his nest. The entire area was covered by snow. He could only see the large oak tree and maple trees above the snow. When he looked down, he noticed the tops of the bushes covered by about 10 inches of snow, causing the branches to bend under the weight of the snow, almost reaching the ground.

He was very hungry. He knew he had buried nuts in the ground u . . .

Where Larry Friend Obtained Two of the Stories in Squirelly’s Book

There were many stories derived from watching the squirrels. Two of these stories I remember were humorous.

1. Nancy was watching one of the squirrels trying to access a bird feeder outside her office. This feeder was one that had a metal ring at the bottom of the feeder that would rapidly spin when it detected the weight of a squirrel. As she watched, the squirrel slid down the plastic . . .
   
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How Squirrelly the Squirrel and Starlett Originated

Nancy and I decided to leave the City of Chicago and move to Libertyville, Illinois. I have always wanted to live in a log home. We were fortunate to locate such a home on five and a half acres. The previous owners had made several changes to the log cabin and had constructed several additions to the home. I am certain one of the owners was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright.

The logs were cut . . .

How Icy’s Book Was Put Together

Nancy and I had a friend, Brian Behling, who lived in Burbank, California, at that time. Brian was working for DreamWorks. He had given us a tour of the facilities. I knew that he had been involved in the production of several movies. We were fortunate that Brian and his wife, Sue, decided to move to Illinois to be close to their families who lived in Wisconsin. They purchased a home close to . . .

How the Illustrations for Icy Originated

After I had written the manuscript for Icy, I wanted to find someone who could do the illustrations for the book. My sister, Beth, who lived in Denver had contacted my sister, Mindy, to help her illustrate a book she had written. This book never came to fruition. However, it gave me an idea to contact Mindy and see if she could help me.

I sent her the manuscript, but I heard nothin . . .

How Icy the Iceberg Was Created

Nancy and I were taking a sea and land trip to Alaska several years ago. The first part of the trip was an ocean cruise starting in Vancouver, Canada. The cruise ship traveled along the coastline of Alaska for several days.
During the days at sea, I sat on the outer decks, watching the scenery. I really enjoyed watching the snow and the piles of snow and ice. During that trip, we entered an i . . .