August State of the Garden Address

Opening Address: The Squirrel Situation 

I am pleased to report that the state of the garden is strong. 

Well. 

Parts of it are strong. 

Other parts have been dug up by squirrels, baked by the Houston sun, trampled by tree trimmers, planted in the wrong place, moved to a better place, moved again, cut down to two inches in a last desperate attempt at survival, or thrown in the garbage. 

Perhaps I should say: The state of the garden is an ongoing situation. 

This morning I sat looking through my window and saw photograph after photograph I couldn't take. 

The doves were out. The squirrels were out. The wind picked up, and rain was supposed to arrive around four. Then the birds disappeared. The squirrels disappeared. 

That's generally a better weather forecast than my phone.

For a while yesterday, every time I opened my door, squirrels came running toward me. Apparently the squirrels now believe my open door is the path to the Peanut Department. 

The birdseed I put out yesterday contained sunflower seeds for the squirrels and smaller seeds for the Mourning Doves. The squirrels spent the day running the doves off while they ate the sunflower seeds. 

Today the sunflower seeds were gone. 

So were the squirrels.

The doves returned to clean up the rest.

I didn't get the Memo but I believe there is a system there. 

Stay tuned tomorrow for the Plant Report, including significant damage to the Airplane Plant and an ongoing investigation into the death of a Lilac.