A lovely food chain flourishes here in Tucson. Critters abound. Each has its given position in a glorious daily struggle. Hawks and coyotes rule, near bottom hops the ubiquitous bunny rabbit.
We are not certain where my gentle brother fits into this grand scheme, but he may have found his place. Ever the optimistic gardener, he joyfully planted three colorful beds of pre-Christmas back yard pansies, chosen from the finest Home Depot stock. He recorded this good deed and posted the pretty photo, above. We applauded and anticipated a cheerful floral greeting in January.Upon our arrival, we easily spotted the bougainvillea, the spoons, the lovely desert cacti with their elaborate, spiky defenses against marauding vegetarians.
Pansies? Not so much. Old wives say that spreading coffee grounds about your tender plantings will discourage interlopers. Perhaps so, my dear brother, but sadly, they were no match for Peter Cottontail. Your beds are skinned.We join with nature in thanking you for your sunny, optimistic spirit. Somewhere in a nearby stony ravine, a fluffle of plump rabbits now awaits its fate.
