The little mouse and the big red strawberry

We've had some pretty good success with our garden this year. There are a few reasons that I would attribute this to:
1. I bought everything as plants...no seeds started here...I guess that's cheating a bit.

2. We water everyday. What can I say...it's not against the law in our city yet...so I am going to live it up.

3. I way over planted! Who in the world is going to eat all the tomatoes from 12 tomato plants, even if they are different types. (Those that didn't plant gardens may be bribed into liking us :)...)

So just for my own record, we planted 12 tomato plants (4 on the side of the house...one was pulled as a weed by the wee one), 2 pumpkin plants (one was planted outside the regular garden), 4 pepper plants, a couple of cucumber plants, 4 crookneck squashes (what was I thinking!), a couple of watermelons (one died), and a canteloupe.

We thought we had lost the cucumber and cantaloupe plants...but lo and behold we are out there last night and they are certainly producing.
We have had one ripe tomato.
The pumpkins are thoroughly thriving and we've got at least 10 with 3 of them headed to their "Big Max" stage.
The crookneck squash are producing far too many of themselves...I will go for zuchini next year.
The cucumbers are keepers.
And the cantaloupe. Those things are huge. We weighed the largest one today...at least 10 lbs!
The watermelons are so cute. You should grow them just to look at them when they are baby watermelons and look like real watermelons already. So Cute!
We also have some strawberry's working on their 3rd year. There is nothing. noth. ing. like a fresh homegrown strawberry. SO SWEET!
Which brings me to the reason for posting gardenish today.
I went out to record this beautiful garden today. I especially wanted a picture of the huge watermelon.
As I bent down to get just the right angle, out of the corner of my eye I saw something move underneath one of the pumpkin plants.
What?
A little mouse!
Not in my garden.
How in the world?
At least it isn't the coons that have been wandering through the nearby neighborhood.
But still...a mouse.
I hope it eats spiders or it is not welcome in my yard!
I no longer am comfortable searching freely for my beautiful strawberries.
I know mice and I know they don't like to share their strawberries.
Especially with bears.
Maybe I can work out a deal with it!