One afternoon this spring my wife found a Charlie Brown style tomato plant, small and yellow, on sale for $1.00. She replanted it into a nice pot, gave it a great spot on the deck and watered it every day.
Last week (while we enjoyed dinner) a squirrel appeared and plucked the first full-sized tomato from the plant and ran away.
Cutting off some of the four feet tall heavy gauge fencing wire I keep, I enclosed the plant, then placed a tent of fencing wire across the top. I used twine to keep everything in place but very wobbly to keep the squirrels from climbing.
Last evening, my wife went out to the plant with her watering can: the squirrels had gotten into the enclosure and carried off the remaining five tomatoes on the plant.
To recap, final score Squirrels 6, Glenn -0-.
Yes, squirrels are among God’s creature and should enjoy the fruits of the earth…just not my wife’s tomatoes. Despite superior technology and a good bit if hard work, I couldn’t defeat the roof rats.
Meanwhile, out about Missouri, Republican office holders have stopped fighting the squirrels.
For example, on the PBS Newshour on Monday [8/9/21], Rep. Billy Long from southwest Missouri told the national audience that the Covid situation here is “dire.” Yes, he got vaccinated – but he refused to mandate that others get shots or wear masks. And, he even managed to tell of a friend who asked his doctor about the vaccine, with the medical professional advising against the shot, so, there. And, good ole Billy implied that the MMR shot required before Missouri kids to go to school ought not to be required.
Also in the news: a rural Missouri coroner admits he omitted Covid as a factor on several death certificates because that designation bothers some families. Yes, in Missouri an elected official considers family feelings ahead of scientific fact.
Now, my wife just spent an extended weekend in Branson with her mom, siblings and a whole bunch of offspring. She reports that most commercial premises posted signs saying ‘Masks Preferred,’ though almost all shoppers preferred not to wear a mask.
Mind you this is the same city where the new Mayor, performer Clay Cooper, got elected on a promise to repeal the city’s mask mandate – which he did! That’s in the same part of the state were good olde Billy said Covid made things “dire.”
The bottom line is clear. Squirrels can’t be defeated or denied. And, Missouri remains a squirrely state.
Glenn