It worked for several months anyway. Just LOOK at that! All the little green spat-out crumbles are on the hump of ground under the feeder - the hump made up of pounds of discarded seeds, looking very unkempt.
Pa Kettle to the rescue, using the finest of materials (lol). We had an unused vinyl newel post (hopefully slippery) in the garage. He drilled a hole in the pointy end so we could slip the top of the feeder post down, and match up with the piece in the ground. First effort to leave the pointy end up did not work -- couldn't see. Next, we turned in upside down, oh right - pointy end down - SMART, right?? -- and threaded it on the metal post that was already in the ground, then put the vinyl post over the metal post, then carefully slipped the upright metal post on that peg. Not easy, especially as we are laughing all the while, hoping no neighbor sees us struggle!
OK, now the vinyl post tilts. OK, wedge a short 2 x 4 between the metal post and the vinyl post to wedge it straight -- oops, it slipped down into the botton. (I had already given my dutiful wifely advice "don't let it drop"!) This is one of these projects that the more stupid and ugly it becomes, the more stupid and ugly it gets. I think this kind of thing happens when a man retires!
It will be interesting to see what the next plan of attack is by Mr. Squirrel.