15 August 2007
When I was little, I read "The Tale of Peter Rabbit," by Beatrix Potter. Of course I identified with Peter and his harrowing adventure in Mr. McGregor's garden. How I booed that mean monster who wanted to catch Peter. Years passed. I grew up and bought my own home and started to garden. The scales fell from my eyes as I watched rabbits devour expensive plants carefully nurtured. My anticipation while waiting for that first tantalizing bud to bloom turned to anguish, grief, then a raging need for revenge. At that moment, I became Mr. McGregor's Daughter.
I no longer lust for revenge (that was satiated when I saw my dog playing with a baby bunny that she had caught). Now, I just have to take sensible precautions: Red Pepper Wax spray & deer repellant. I had thought that I would not have to worry about rabbits this year, as last winter there was a fox lurking nearby & there have been coyote sightings. Around the end of July, however, I discovered 1 rabbit in the yard. I chased it out & sprayed the repellant (the neighbors questioned "that funny smell"), but the critter is still in the yard sometimes. There just isn't anything available that it wants to eat. Ha, ha! (Sounding like Nelson from The Simpsons.) Living well is the best revenge.