For a long time I covered up the neighbor’s chain-link fence with Morning Glories. A fabulous show. Granted, one afternoon I heard a little child ask her Mommy “What are those plants on that lady’s fence?” and Mommy answered “Weeds,” but that sting went away by the next morning.
This spring I killed the wee roses and planted morning glory seeds to cover the arched arbor outside the window. And somehow, I ended up with weeds.
I did something wrong. First off, I didn’t cull them, because I wasn’t sure they were morning glories, but even still the tiny ones at the top never seemed to grow into blooms. Still I check them every day to see if I suddenly have a glorious array.
So I checked them today. Looked out the window. Screamed.
Someone doesn’t understand the “ground” in “groundhog.”
The scream brought Gary out of the bathroom, I loudly whispered “GROUND. HOG.” and he got the camera.
Dun DUN Dunnnnhhhhh! Dramatic GroundHog on Portrait Setting.
My heart is still racing. Not what I expected to see perched on top of the arbor.
14 responses to “My Disappointing Morning Glories”
Now that’s what I CALL a morning glory! (Or afternoon, whatever.) How exciting! And what good photos! So much more interesting and memorable than a bunch of dumb flowers. Has s/he got a name yet?
There’s more grouch than drama in that countenance. Yes you have a grouchhog rather than a groundhog and grouchhogs are not limited to the ground. Is he eating your flower buds?
Boy that is one dumb looking animal.
Mmm-mmm! Now that’s what I call good eatin’! Whistle pig wrapped in a bed of morning glories…
Big Dot – per Gary’s initial description, the groundhog is now known by his native American name, “Tiny Bear.”Zayrina – He must be. I noticed a fully grown un-eaten morning glory vine in the front, not the back, and followed the vine directly into the warren entrance in the front. Either the MG is growing through the warren from the roots in the back to the uneaten morning glory in the front, or he planted a seed so he could find the front door to the warren.Hattie – How can you say that about Tiny Bear!Becs – Now that I’ve found his front door I wondered if I could poke a stick down there and make him whistle.
I never knew groundhogs were actual animals. I’ve heard that saying, ‘groundhog day’, but never associated it with an animal. You learn something new every day! Anyway, he looks quite a bit like a wombat.
Greenwords – A friend of a friend was nicknamed “Wombat” in high school. Still, your wombat has a pouch, and groundhogs / woodchucks don’t.
Ashamed about my ignorance regarding the existence of groundhogs, especially since you even knew about the wombat’s pouch, I decided to poll some Australians to see if my ignorance is shared. So far I have only polled one person (my husband) who said there must be groundhogs because of the saying, but he wasn’t too sure really, and he definitely didn’t know what one may look like. So, phew, it’s not just me. Still can’t believe it got to the top of your arch!
Greenwords – 1) Evidently they climb well, or so Wikipedia says. 2) Wikipedia told me about the backwards wombat pouch. I have seen wombats in the Chicago Natural History museum. 3) Do you or your husband know of woodchucks? They are the same thing. I would give you the points for that.
1. Intriguing about the climbing. 2. Bless that Wikipedia! The backwards pouch is a nifty invention. 3. We do know of woodchucks, so maybe we get half a point for that. I am going to ask a few other locals if they know of either groundhogs or woodchucks though.
wow. that’s rather awesome, and not what one would expect.
Greenwords – Oh, you get a full point for the woodchucks. After I told Gary that woodchucks and groundhogs were the same, he said, “and the same as gophers?” No. But those are the same as some prarie dogs. All confusing.Magpie – Not at all. I did scream quite dramatically.
Bonus point to Greenwords if she knows how much wood a woodchuck chucks.
Caroline – but, really, isn’t that a rhetorical question?