Saturday, August 22, 2009

The Return of the Stone Cold Killer

He lurks in the shadows. He strikes without notice and leaves nary a trace except for the occasional footprint, so light you pay it no mind until you spy a leaf with insect damage. The realization stops you dead in your tracks. The leaf on the left is severed. The leaf on the right is chewn off, the smallest shred still clinging to the stem. He has returned.



The cauliflower in the other corner yard has been visited by the same fiend. The stone cold killer knows no bounds. He attacks with abandon any small, succulent transplant left helpless by an absent gardener. This garden's terror is particular in his hunt. He chooses to concentrate his efforts and prey on solely tomatoes and brassicas. Their scrumptious stalks satisfy him initially, but he'll hunt again.



He always does.

It's been several months since he's struck with such virulent force. The tomatoes fended him off all summer, loosing only a stem or two, but he's conquered the cabbage and cauliflower once again.

And he knows he's done wrong.

At least I have two more transplants I can set out tomorrow. ;)


The morning comes early. Sweet gardening dreams.

11 comments:

  1. That dog of yours sure has done some damage! Ha! Jude ran through my big box only one time, and I feel very confident that she'll never do it again. Good luck with your next planting...

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  2. LOL! That poor pooch is in big trouble!

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  3. I've never seen such a guilty look on a dogs face.....but of course, he has an alibi, right?
    This was cute......

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  4. And I thought dogs were meat eaters only.
    Naughty little dog, but you still love him, don't you ? ;)
    Rosey

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  5. Oh what a bad dog. Mine never ate out of the garden. She waited until I harvested something and I cut it up for her to eat. She would occasionally trample things when she chased the bees however. That I couldn't never break her of.

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  6. EG, I always thought the instigator was the other dog who's now gone. This one was just the follower, or so I thought. He doesn't bother the full grown things, only the seedlings.

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  7. Sue, like I told EG, he had an alibi last year...now it's all on him.

    Rosey, the dog and I are both discussing things over in thereapy.

    Daphne, I think that's part of it. I think he's chasing the crickets and grasshoppers in there first and then having a little snack.

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  8. Poor brassica's. Good thing you have spares ready to take their place. I have yet to grow extra's which in turn usually bits me in the butt.

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  9. Awww, he looks so sweet and innocent! I'm sure any damage was purely accidental.

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  10. The best dog I ever had always gave it away if she'd done anything wrong, with that horrible guilty face.
    At least he's delicate with that big mouth.

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  11. Everyone loves a good salad... ;^)
    Poor pooch just needs to learn to wait!

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