Mine started at 4:45 am, when I first heard the thunder and then opened my eyes to lightning. I was happy on two counts: 1) I could sleep in and not do my 20-mile sunrise bike ride, and 2) we really, really, need rain. Really.
The rest of my morning was delightful, sitting on the front (covered) porch sipping coffee with a cat on my lap, piddling around the yard (post-thunderstorm), and such. Out in my grotto, I spotted a very large grasshopper helping himself to some banana leaf, very much to my dismay. My Flying Insect spray was out in the barn, and I was not ready to venture that far so early yet in my morning, so I went indoors and poked through what items I might have under my sink that might kill a grasshopper. (I can't schmush bugs.) In most respects I try to adhere to organic and non-pesticide practices. But when it comes to grasshoppers, I spray the daylights out of them with whatever is handy. This morning, only a spray bottle of grout sealant was handy. I thought it was worth a try. I went out and sprayed the giant banana-leaf eater, and walked away. About an hour later I returned, and the grasshopper was still on the leaf, sort of frozen in time. I guess I sealed him.
Later in the morning I did some minor landscaping (stacked rocks and such; photos to come...in September?)
This afternoon I went to a local place that sells everything under the sun, including plants and trees. I was hoping to get some bargains of the horticultural type, in that we have endured weeks of triple-digit temperatures, and I was thinking most stores are giving up the ghost with all things green. Or brown. (A place I visited a couple of weeks ago was giving away flats of plants and flowers! I loaded up my car!)
Well, today's place had all these trees for sale. And I do mean, for sale! I loaded up a Weeping Alaska Cedar (rather, the college kid who worked at this place did. The tree is so tall, the top part stuck out the front window of my car. It is easily 12' tall!), a Green Lace Japanese Maple, a flowering jasmine, and a passion fruit vine. Now, the latter is something of a curiosity. The Aussie inlaws have many thriving passion fruit vines which all produce a most incredible passion fruit. We love them. They are expensive here in the States. Our kids all have memories of going out at Gma & Gpa's in Australia and picking passion fruit off the vine to eat. (and oranges, almonds, lemons...) So I bought this thing, thinking it might produce some fruit sometime. Unless it's one of those "you have to have a male fruit/blossom and a female fruit/blossom, blah de blah blah..." Anyway: the big ol' trees were only $10.00 each. Zounds!
Weeping Alaska Cedar
(I hope it summers well...)
(I hope it summers well...)
Green Lace Japanese Maples
Jasmine
Jasmine
Passion fruit flower(and helpful pollinator)
And as far as I am concerned, my day is done.
3 comments:
Rich and I were laughing so hard about the grasshopper, he was on the ground and I am crying I was laughing so hard! Im glad to know where I get my anti-schmusing abilities from. Everyone at work looks at me funny when I tell them I cannot kill the spiders, rolly pollies, and wasps that get into the store...
Not only can I not smash bugs, I can't spray them with anything either! Especially not after I learned how that stuff actually works in my museum class. It's like nerve gas to them. Anyway, it sounds like you need to put your ducks in training mom! Pluck those grasshoppers off and stick them in front of your ducks.
I love Japanese maple. I hope the passion vine works out too. Lots of people have those here, and the flowers are so pretty!
Oh my goodness, Tricia, you made me laugh out loud! The dogs came running to see what was the matter! You SEALED the grasshopper!!!! ROFL!! Like you, I cannot kill a bug bare-handed. It just gives me the willies. I keep my Super Swat handy in the house...but outside, I just run away as fast as I can!
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