On The Grapevine?

I'm always fascinated by the stuff in my backyard. Most of the stuff its there by happenstance - there's a strawberry bush near the neighbor's fence that likely grew through the cracks. Are they pickable? Not really - they're tiny things, but obviously strawberries.

There's a full-on maple tree back there as well, and a smaller version of it off in a corner. That small one, however, is there by choice. Several years ago, Marilee picked some mature seeds off the ground and planted three in the front yard and the one in the back. The three in the front yard are beyond yearling status and are well on their way to being landmarks. "The house on the corner with three maples". I've a friend whose house is identified by "the big pine tree in the front yard". You can't miss it.

But on the only "side" of the house is this, well, vine. Growing over from another neighbor's yard. Strong grower this vine is. Tried to pull it down one year and the next, and decided to just let it grow last year and this. It grows on the chain-link gate to the backyard and provides a great visual block.

In years past, it was just a vine. But this year there's a change. Sure, it still vines, but now there's fruit. Real fruit. They're round, they're purplish, and generally have no sheen - they're not shiny.

Yes, they look like grapes.