My strawberry patch is covered with a large piece of plastic netting with holes an inch wide. When I checked the patch, there was an extra large toad, tangled in the netting. I gently tried to free him, but he had moved forward through the netting. Although the toad was as wide as my palm, he was corseted at his middle by the inch square netting. I freed all his limbs and the brave fellow tried moving forward, only tightening the netting around his middle. So I used my scissor to gently snip the netting and free the poor toad. He seemed perfectly fine now and ambled off to the shade.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Garden Update and Blue Jays
With dirt under my fingernails, I am happy to report that our recent rain has helped the weeds spring back to life. And my vegetables are starting to perk up, too.
We've already been eating lettuce from the garden, of course, and I think our radishes and peas will be ready soon as well. I spent lots of time mulching the garden since hot weather is predicted soon and I want to protect the plants and soil from the heat.
Earlier this spring, I observed lots of activity in a small pine tree near the edge of our yard. A pair of blue jays built a nest, using lots of sticks and one of my broccoli plant markers. We set a milk crate nearby so the short ones in our family could peer into the nest as the baby birds grew. And grow they did. We could barely see the eggs, then we saw fuzzy heads with open beaks, later we saw a few feathers with eyes that looked right as us, and finally the crowded nest with the fledglings in their blue feathered glory ready to fly away from us. The next day they were gone. I miss them, and I watch the feeders looking for blue jay siblings in that awkward stage of flight.
We've already been eating lettuce from the garden, of course, and I think our radishes and peas will be ready soon as well. I spent lots of time mulching the garden since hot weather is predicted soon and I want to protect the plants and soil from the heat.
Earlier this spring, I observed lots of activity in a small pine tree near the edge of our yard. A pair of blue jays built a nest, using lots of sticks and one of my broccoli plant markers. We set a milk crate nearby so the short ones in our family could peer into the nest as the baby birds grew. And grow they did. We could barely see the eggs, then we saw fuzzy heads with open beaks, later we saw a few feathers with eyes that looked right as us, and finally the crowded nest with the fledglings in their blue feathered glory ready to fly away from us. The next day they were gone. I miss them, and I watch the feeders looking for blue jay siblings in that awkward stage of flight.
Friday, June 5, 2009
The Ants Go Marching
Suddenly I was covered in ants, like some insect horror movie. I brushed them off, fighting down a panicked scream.
Where did they come from? It turns out the door frame of our garage door was crawling in ants. The door is rotting from the bottom up and last fall I repaired the door as best I could, but it's had another winter and spring to continue rotting. We'll have to replace it soon.
In a wild guess, I filled a spray bottle with hot water and lots of soap. I sprayed the door frame, and so far it seems to have worked. No more ant showers.
I have absolutely nothing against ants, and if they lived in my yard (and some do), I would leave them alone (and I do). However, once insects invade my living space, well, let's just say I'm not so good at sharing with them.
Where did they come from? It turns out the door frame of our garage door was crawling in ants. The door is rotting from the bottom up and last fall I repaired the door as best I could, but it's had another winter and spring to continue rotting. We'll have to replace it soon.
In a wild guess, I filled a spray bottle with hot water and lots of soap. I sprayed the door frame, and so far it seems to have worked. No more ant showers.
I have absolutely nothing against ants, and if they lived in my yard (and some do), I would leave them alone (and I do). However, once insects invade my living space, well, let's just say I'm not so good at sharing with them.
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