The groundhog did it!

I'd planted four little red Russian kales, very pretty and promising to provide good fall color in the raised bed (which mostly looks like hell right now), plus providing delicious home-grown kale (for heaven's sake). I have been watering them faithfully every day during the drought, and after a week in my care they were thriving.

Yesterday afternoon I spotted a groundhog in the back yard. I opened the back door to look more closely, and he lumbered quickly away (interesting how they do indeed lumber but move so fast). Guilty conscience??

An hour or so later, I wandered over to the raised bed to congratulate myself on the kale, only to shake my head in disbelief. Where did it go? It has been nibbled down to the ground, and I can only conclude that the mysterious ravager of my vegetable garden has been the groundhog all along. Wikipedia quotes the Cornell University Press as saying, "Mostly herbivorous, groundhogs primarily eat wild grasses and other vegetation, and berries and agricultural crops when available." Seems to fit the bill. Do not be fooled by the charm of the groundhog in the photo, they are clearly evil.

I remember that Mom, that pacifist, thought that shooting groundhogs was perfectly appropriate, although I think they hired trappers to take them away. As for my garden, it's time for some fencing!