Rosendahl’s glossary does not contain an entry for “J,” but last evening Tim suggested “Juglone.” If you have a black walnut tree, then you know about this chemical secreted by the trees. Gardening centers and extension services provide lists of plants which are most likely to tolerate this onslaught — though not sure that any plant actually enjoys ingesting juglone.

I think that these walnuts–bookending our property to the perennial delight of grey, red, and albino squirrels alike–are beautiful, but they offer us perennial challenges, too. And for humans without access to a hydralic press, it is almost impossible to crack the shells and harvest the nuts. (Hammers and the rear tires of vehicles are ineffective.) I often ponder the strength of squirrel jaws–and am powerfully glad that they are not any larger than they are!