My Tulip Culprit!

For the life of me I was flabberghasted at the reason why my tulips were not coming up! The majority of them look like the photo above, with the center flower bulb missing and the leaves in tact. I was even thinking we were having a late Spring, and my flowers were coming slowly.

A couple had the leaves sheered off like the photo above, also with no center flower bulbs. I counted TEN all together, that were like the two photos I've pictured here. I always wanted to have Spring tulips in my garden! Thankfully I took several shots of them last year, when they bloomed. The colors were magnificent, hot pink, lavender purple, orange and red, yellows, and bright red ones.

I just happened to look out my patio door yesterday and found my tulip culprit. He was chewing on some grass right near my flower garden. The groundhog made his way slowly around my garden, which surrounds my house. I shot this photo right from my window, I was surprised he didn't notice me. He just went about his business gnawing on the leaves growing in the grass.

My husband would've shot the groundhog, being so close to the house! I told him I don't care about the flowers, I don't want a life taken merely for flowers. I see groundhogs shot in the farmer's fields. They are a nuisance building their deep holes and the tractors get stuck in them. They are often hit on the roads around here too, tagets for idiots who try to hit them for fun! Groundhogs can sometimes become rabid, and bite so I try to stay clear just in case.

I believe every life has a purpose, and deserves to live it to it's fullest. Even though I love my tulips, I loved watching that groundhog enjoy his precious grass leaves. Scampering along the ground, on a beautiful Spring day. Happy to be alive, rejuvenated from a long cold Winter.