Guarding the Garden

Earlier this week, before I lost my voice to illness, which I picked up, of course, at the pediatrician’s office, from the pediatrician herself, I suspect, when the Professor and I took the baby in for his immunizations, I was reading tales by Beatrix Potter to Sprout. And I came to realize how heavily didactic they are: respect your elders and don’t stray where you aren’t allowed and always wear your raincoat when it rains OR YOU WILL DIE! Or at least lose your tail and be switched and almost get eaten by a giant trout. The collection included, of course, tales about bunny rabbits misbehaving and going into Mr. McGregor’s garden. And then I looked out my window and what do I see lounging next to my vegetables? Peter Rabbit himself, or perhaps Benjamin Bunny.

He’s already lost his coat. He’s going to be in serious trouble when he gets home.