Goin' South

I'm wondering if Miami has had a large influx of ground squirrels recently.  It occurred to me that it's been maybe a month since I've seen even a single ground squirrel.  Not one scrounging a handout in the barn, not one chirping sentry in the field, not one running to home base under the brush pile.  I could understand a winter migration if there were snow on the ground or a deluge of rain, but this has been a warm, dry winter.  Eleven of the last fifteen days have been sixty degrees or above.  I think the last rain was in November.  Where did they go, and why?

I do know that my plans for early prep time for Christmas did go south.  I'm sitting here and still have packages to wrap before the Kids get here this morning.  It seems that the more time I have, I have more time to delay.  Ah well, what would Christmas be without that last-minute panic?