Postscript

The rabbits did it. This evening, enjoying a late dinner in the sunroom, the lawn and garden reddened by the sunset, we were enjoying the arrival of the neighborhood bluejay perched on a post. Movement caught my eye skittering in the garden, For a moment I suspected the jay of hopping from his perch and into the bean trench, but a second glance exonerated the bird. In fact movement on two fronts in the garden settled the matter. Two rabbits had breached my defenses. Hurrying outside I hoped not only to shoo the critters away but also to discern their access. It didn't take long. After narrowly missing the first one's escape, I searched the general vicinity of its exit to no avail. Nothing about the fence seemed out of place. But the second one was still inside. "Watch how it gets out," I called to Lori who had chosen an alternate approach. I hollered, and after a second's confusion, it bolted... ...across the garden...and through the fence. Through it. It took a flying leap and simply passed through one of the 3" squares formed by the mesh strands. I was incredulous. "How am I supposed to protect against that?" I wondered aloud. My only consolation was that it wasn't some worm or worse. I can't help but conclude that the solution will simply be to plant more beans.