It seems there is always something chasing something in our yard. I was enjoying a mug of coffee in the garden this week when a squirrel started poking around a gutter on the side of the house. He looked like he was trying to break in through an exhaust fan. We cook a lot, so I’ll bet it smells good there. When it saw me watching, it put up its tail like one of those birds of paradise from the show Planet Earth, jumping around and putting on a display.

Then our dog, Pearl, saw it. Cocker Spaniels were originally bred to flush game out of low cover, and while Pearl isn’t much of a hunter, she sure tries. Last week when her animal instinct kicked in, she nearly got her paws on a squirrel that was helping itself to our bird feeder. Anyway, she watched this squirrel more out of entertainment than anything. She and I just sat there mesmerized by the fancy tail display.

And it was all a ruse. That squirrel was only pretending to sneak into the house. What it really wanted was my bumper crop of jaboticabas, which is my favorite tropical fruit tree. Not this time, buddy. Me and my trusty spaniel are here watching.

Speaking of dogs, we truly are in the dog days of summer right now. The heat is on, so make sure you are keeping yourself hydrated, and of course, don’t forget about your plants. While this is rainy season, it doesn’t rain every day for everybody. New plants need water each day in the morning to keep them happy and thriving.