The Daily Mouse

Those of a certain age will remember a tune by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young that begins, "Our house, has a very, very, very nice mouse...." Have you noticed since the movie Julie & Julia came out all of your cuisineista friends can't resist dicing bushels of onions and cooking gourmet chicken? It's the same with the mice in our neighborhood who saw the movie Ratatouille. They're donning little French berets, speaking with French accents and acting like vineyardistos among the vines discussing Dr. Guyot's pruning techniques and Dr. Durif's grape inventions. And, at the first sign of rain of which there's been plenty this year of the El Nino the mice jump the sinking ship of the vineyard plunging into the life raft of the winemaker's garage in search of refuge and a taste of the Blue-Merle's "Merleatage". Our routine each morning has become quite familiar. Put espresso on, take dog out, pick up newspapers at end of driveway, pick up mouse, keep barking dog from devouring carcass, admire cute look on mouse's face, dispose of properly, reset trap. Repeat.