The grapes are an entity

There are so many grapes. More than any family could use. At this point, they look incomplete. They look as if something has been feeding on the bunches. But, that's not it. I've been watching these things and I've learned a little bit by observation. They don't all mature at once on the same bunch. Grapes are odd. The great thing about them is, you can always taste one to see if they're ripe. I don't have to do that anymore. These would be so sour. You wait until the entire bunch forms. When it looks complete, like they do in the supermarket, then you pick them. If you click the pics, you'll see what I mean. The ones that are tiny, will catch up and there will be no difference in taste or texture to the ones that formed first. Animals will not touch unripe grapes. I have no idea why. Maybe they're just waiting for the sweetness. But, when the bunches fully form, you have to grab them fast or they will be gone. You have maybe two days to get your grapes, so you have to watch carefully at this stage. Birds and Raccoons love them. Blue Jays swallow them whole and will gorge until they actually fall off the arbor. I'll only take what I need for eating and juice. I'm happy to share and there is nothing cuter than baby Raccoons fighting for sweets on the arbor. I'll try and get some photos.

The way grapes grow has been endlessly fascinating to me. You can stick a cut stem in the ground in fall and grow a new vine. This is called a hard cutting. I stopped doing this after I figured out it would work, because no one needs this many grapes. It's just good to know if you want some and know someone who has them. They have no true bloom either like most fruit. They form in bunches of tiny green stars that later turn to grapes. The old stems are very woody and barky, like trees. They young ones are soft and pliable. You can actually watch the slick tendrils curl and grab like fingers on a breezy day. They have no smell at all. They will grow and form in shade or sun. They don't seem to have a preference. The actual grapes form mostly in the shade of the plant's canopy. The young grapes are susceptible to sun spots. The plants are unstoppable, so if you decide to try them, be aware of that. A normal family would only need one grapevine. They're a very pretty plant without icky leaf turn until late fall. You never see yellowed or brown things and you never have to deadhead the leaves. Insects don't seem interested in them at all, except ants and only when they're overripe. Insects that metamorphasise and build cocoons put their young in the grapes. I think it's for protection, since other bugs don't bother with them, that would make it a safe hatching environment. Grapes are strange and mysterious. They definitely belong in my garden.