Vole Wars - 2013

These:

are the sole survivors of the Great Fava Bean Assault here at the Chateau.  They are the last, proud remnants of a once proud crop:

After a combined effort of sonar,

ground forces,

an interesting decorative approach that might have been mislabeled as having any chance of scaring even the most timid rodent but brings a rather festive touch to the garden,

 

and poison gas,

the voles showed no sign of slowing down:

 

 If the voles send operatives in to finish off the survivors, we are moving out for a week and calling the exterminators........