Mammals, weeds, strawberries here!

The capacity of the human mind to forget is amazing. All teachers can tell stories of their pearls just disappearing into the wind. Last week, as I lamented the gradual (not dramatic, so it couldn't be woodchucks) disappearance of my broccoli leaves, it suddenly occurred to me that I used to close the garden entrance with a one-foot chicken-wire fence because, as I have often said, "Rabbits can't get over a one-foot fence."

And this year I forgot! I did have it still in the garage after last year's great clean-up, so I humbly put it in place last Thursday afternoon. That seems to have ended the minor nibbling on my broccoli plants. How could I have forgotten?

Then I went inside for a while. When I came out, a woodchuck scampered across my garden! Oh, dear! How minor is rabbit damage! Just by luck, Stephane came by that evening. He blocked the new hole under the house, and I haven't seen any woodchuck damage since.

Maybe. We were away for the weekend and I came back full of garden anxiety. The pea plants have been nibbled. Nothing disastrous. Is this routine? I don't think I've studied my growing pea plants like this for many a year. My paranoia's worst fears have not been fulfilled, and I do have two small peas almost an inch long. Long live those peas!

Are other people finding weeds more prevalent this year than many? I keep weeding and weeding, and don't remember them being as persistent in earlier times.

The good news is that we are harvesting strawberries (early) and have some 1/2" tomatoes on the vine. So there will be things to see at the Open Garden this Saturday. About this time before each open garden I have those misgivings about whether it will be worth coming to. With luck, it will be.

Pat