June 21, 2008

Remember back in mid-May, I blogged about my herb garden? I had decided to pull out the green thumb I’d stashed in the closet and grow some herbs in planters on my patio: two different varieties of basil, parsley, rosemary, and even banana peppers.

Originally, my lush herb garden looked like this:

A couple of weeks later, I came home to find dirt scattered everywhere, and some of the basil plants had been dug up and strewn about - half-eaten. I asked Nick what happened - he told me he caught the neighbor’s dog in the planters. Next time I saw the dog and his owner, I gave him a piece of my mind. I also moved the planters to the inside of the railing, where they’d previously been on the outside.

Well, a full month later now, this is what I have left of the parsley and basil:


That’s right - weeds! Pitiful huh. Those weeds - are the stalks of parsley that were eaten by something.

Note the big open area of dirt on the right. That used to be basil. Someone or something came along and dug it up, tossing dirt everywhere - and all over my patio. Made a friggin mess, too.

After snapping the stalks with my iPhone, I went in the house to show Nick. He came to the door to look and laugh. And laugh more when he discovered the villian - there on the patio - ready to make his move. Climbing up onto the chair and crossing over the table, he hopped into the planter. Dumbfounded, we stood there watching the thief in action.

Realizing he’d already eaten all there was of the parsley and basil, he set his sights on the other planter with the peppers, rosemary, and dwarf basil. I grabbed the iPhone and snapped a picture of him in the act. As he started to attack the pepper plant, Nick (who is tending to the pepper plants) said ohhh nooooooooooo!! He pushed open the door and chased him off.

So then, here’s that thief:

You’re probably wondering - what the hell is that? It’s a baby groundhog! That’s right - a groundhog. Who knew they were circus animals that could walk balance beams! Not me! Apparently, he’s from the family of groundhogs that lives under my patio. I’ve tried to block up the hole with rocks and dirt, but the little shits keep re-opening the hole. And then I have to listen to Nick tell me “it’s nature - let them be.”

The day I see them out planting their own herbs in the yard, I’ll consider it “nature” and will most definitely let them be. Until then, I’m putting out pepper spray.

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