CSI: Takoma Park

Back Yard, 7:10AM

The home owner (that would be me) steps into the yard to check on the dogs, Pappy and Molly, during their morning play date. The scene is dark, and there is a cool nip in the fall morning air. The home owner shreiks in horror as he sees the three-foot shrub (the bottom branches seen to the right of the downspout in this photo) reduced to a stump surrounded by a pile of chewed branches. The home owner scolds the dogs who stare at him blankly, and then crumples in a shuddering heap as a sense of futility passes over him.

This is the evidence we have collected thusfar: a) two days ago a witness (me again) found the dogs quarreling over a branch from the same bush; b) Pappy has some early history of chewing branches off of the small maple tree, but has been pretty good by himself out back for some time; c) Molly likes to rest in the vicinity of this bush; d) Molly has a bit of a chewing issue, and has to be crated at home during the day because of it. The circumstantial evidence points to involvement by Molly, with possible complicity from Pappy.

Last year, before we got Pappy, we pumped a lot of moolah into landscaping the yard. Since the wonderous Pappy came into our lives, this investment has been in decline-- the hostas are pulp, there are well worn paths through the lariope and ivy, and bushes have lost many branches to fast moving dogs. To have this disappointment driven home by a wanton shrub mauling was pretty distressing this morning. I'm left pondering the wisdom of these manic morning play dates. Molly's owner was pretty sad about it too.

The worst thing is that Molly's favorite pink ball (seen here again) might have prevented all this-- once that is in her mouth, she rarely puts it down. Molly routinely attempts to smuggle the ball out of the yard when we are taking her home, and it occurs to me that it disappeared earlier this week when I took it from her and left it out front. Note to self... must replace ball.