Flora and Fauna

1. Flora

The cherry tomatoes in the back yard have liked the rain and cool weather. They tower above us and are (by our standards -- which isn't saying much) loaded with fruit. We've had to put a wire fence around the plants in addition to the bird netting. The netting keeps the birds and squirrels out, but when he sees red fruit ripening in the midst of the tangle of green, Guinness is remarkably adept at finding a chink in the fence defenses. He stood there the other day barking at the plants, because he could see the red fruit and didn't at all like the fence that was keeping him from them. He would bark at the tomatoes and then turn and look at Trudy and then bark at the tomatoes again. He was quite distraught, and we now have no doubt where the (few) tomatoes from last year's crop disappeared to.

2. Fauna

I saw Guinness in the backyard the other day, in the corner by the woodpile near the tomatoes (undoubtedly contemplating the ripening fruit just beyond his reach). It was sunny and the sky was blue. A shadow passed over us. A vulture flew over the trees. Guinness stood still and watched it go by. Then he turned his head and watched it fly back around. He silently stood there for several moments watching the black wings against the blue sky. Although I suspect I know (more or less) what goes on in his head when he gazes at the tomatoes, I have no clue what was going on in his head then, but he was certainly deep in thought.

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