The only plants in their yard were a couple of 'scrawny' bushes.
a 'scrawny' [='skinny'] kid
(..) which one is Whirlwind? Number Six. That's our lucky dog right over there. He's won his last five races. What? That scrawny little bag of bones? Come on, Dad. They're all scrawny little bags of bones. Yeah, you're right. I guess Whirlwind is our only hope (..)1989 TvShow: The Simpsons Title: Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire Season: 1 Episode 1