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Wow-98 today on my thermometer-heat index possibly reaching 110! I worked in the yard this morning early, and had the camera looking to see if anything was worthy of having its picture taken-AND I found that Something has been eating my hibiscus buds! The whole bud! Turning leaves, I'm infested with those durn white flies-they're in everything. I have a tree near my birdfeeders that has turned black with their smut! I sprayed last week with a "summer oil", and will have to do it again this pm. I wait until almost too dark to see, take down the bird feeders and SPRAY THE HECK out of everything! Then I water hose the ground, re-hang the feeders in the morning.
Well, I found the culprit eating my hibiscus-Actually Pretty Boy was playing with him-and I found more than one! Peanut got involved and there was barking and growling going on. They spread out their wings real wide and look real ferocious!! They do actually have a poison, and no known enemy!
I believe this is called an Eastern Lubber Grasshopper. Very common here around the river. Pete kills them by the thousands and I do mean THOUSANDS when they first emerge, about in May. They are actually little moving masses of black! They like the buds of the Milk & Wine Lilies, and the Swamp Lilies. Apparently, they like Hibiscus, too! They get Very Large (see his size compared to Peanut, a miniature daschund! )
Pretty Boy is getting back to normal. His little tail is starting to stick straight up again, showing his little A-hole. He's on antibiotics for 10 days, but he's pretty much healed. I tried putting his med. in his canned food (my cats get both), and by God, it worked! The first day I tried holding him down and squirting it down his throat--WHAT!?!?! That cat turned himself inside out and backwards and was gone before I knew what happened! For 2 days he wouldn't let me pet him! My old cats were easy-this was a circus!
I came in at noon, and had left over white beans and ham (I love that stuff), and took my nap. I looove weekends when I can take a nap! Just woke up and someone was knocking. It was a down the road neighbor with a big bag of just cut Okra!! I'm lovin' it! Some to boil, which I did right away, and ate it all! Then I've cut up a large pot to simmer down and put in the freezer and some to cook! Which, right now, I have deer sausage and okra going on the stove! I am eating well this weekend!!
It's starting to cool down in the shade-I have some houseplants I want to repot and then it's going to be water, water, water!
Later, Gators!
We dodged this Hurricane-though I feel for those in its path. Water, Water & downed trees! We were supposed to get a lot of rain from the outer bands; I had less than 1/4 inch in my rain gauge-Good watering, though! And they high today was only 80! Yay!
I believe my squash are getting the virus again. Looks like no squash in my garden this year :( I also think I have a fungus or virus attacking my zinnias and whats left of my petunias. They've turned brown on the stems quickly, and the leaves are almost see through. Oh, heck-it's too hot to garden, anyway-Might just cut the whole mess down this weekend!
Pretty Boy got neutered yesterday. Twice he disappeared at bedtime not to come in until midnight or so. Yesterday morning I noticed he wasn't running and jumping like normal in the morning,and when he tried to walk, he'd go just a short way and lay down. His tail is always,ALWAYS straight up in the air, and it was hanging low. (his tail is in the air so much, Pete said I should have named him A**hole, cause he's always showing it!) I thought maybe he hurt himself falling off the fence or something, but I came home at noon and checked on him. He hadn't moved from that morning. Off to the vet. He had gotten in a fight and something had bit him on the tail near the tailbone, and the tooth had gone almost completely through! Doc said it was a real nasty bite. He's 5 1/2 moths, so we neutered him a little early. There was a lot of licking going on when I got home with him. Motley had to clean him up, and even Peanut licked on him! He's got to have antibiotics for 10 days! I hope this teaches him to stay home!
Oh-I picked 2 pink tomatoes off the Heatwave today. Medium size tomato-perfectly round. Should be ready to eat day after tomorrow! That's good, cause I picked my first cucumber-but I don't think they're going to make it either! GRR!
Going to check the forums, then doctor Pretty B and head to bed!
Later gators!
For some stupid reason(me) I can't get my pictures from my photos to here. So, go to my photos to see them. ANYWAY-yesterday morning as I was doing my morning survey, there they were! THREE blooms. My hand is in one of the photos to show the size of the bloom. Some are supposed to smell, mine never does (I've got lots of smelly 'other' things though! :). I have another bloom this morning, and 2 small buds. I'll need to go around the yard and check the others, now.
My Bird of Paradise is producing a flower stalk even though it looks like I ought to pull it up. Still waiting on my first cucumber and my zuchinni ...My tomatoes that I trimmed back are blooming, and I actually have 2 small tomatoes on them. The HeatWave tomato is doing good, it has 3 tomatoes, also; I think it needs more sun, I didn't figure on the crepe myrtle getting as full as it did, too late now!! And Eggplant, eggplant, eggplant!
Lots to do today! Fertilizer day, watering (even though everything durn near drowned 2 days ago!), and CUT DA GRASS!! Peanut may get to ride in the gator again, today. My leg/hip is starting to feel some better with therapy; wish I could move around better, I'd get a WHOLE lot done!
More to come, later---gators!
So far this morning we have had 4 inches of rain, and it is still falling. My yard is totally, TOTALLY under water. I am lacking 3 feet from the front door and about 2 feet from the patio!! NOW I can tell where I need dirt! (what hasn't floated away!)
Yesterday PM, by brother called and I went to his house for boiled crabs and shrimp. Along with his field corn and some potatoes! Aw, soooo good! Real good Louisiana Food, Bill!! I think he took some pics-he may post them later.
When I returned home, dog and 1 cat greeted me. Pretty Boy was lost. Motley was antsy and never left my side (she usually runs away!) Pretty Boy NEVER leaves home, he's too lazy. Searched for him until after 10 PM. Went to bed and cried (Oreo disappeared that way). I have some problems with my hips and got up around 1:00 to take pain med and me and Peanut went on the patio and softly called him some more. Walked back in the house and the little devil was Layin on the Floor!! Right now, him and the dog are curled up asleep at my feet. It's still raining and it's about 10:30 AM.
I have some more pics under "July Hots" in my album, including pics of the buds of the cereus, passionflower and a few others.
It is now 12'30 and the rain has stopped. I ventured outside with the rake and hoe, and cleared some little "drain paths". Actually, I need BIG drain paths. The dog's swimming pool is full to the top-He jumped in and the water is under his neck! I saw 2 floating Fire Ant beds I need to treat. The rain wasn't too damaging. Everything is still upright, and Well-Watered!
Going out to check water damage-Have a "dry" day!
Caro
Hey, guys & girls-I have been a dirt moving fool these past two weeks. Borrowed Pete's "gator", and I fill it up, throw Peanut (the daschund) in the back and we move dirt around! Peanut thinks he's a big dog,now. He can see over the back of the gator without standing on his hind legs! Before I bought my house 11 1/2 years ago, the previous owner cut 11 pine trees down the year before. All those places are starting to sink into the ground, and you can be walking in my yard, and suddenly step into a hole and fall down. Yep, I've done that. Hope nobody saw me!
My cukes & squash I had to replant are barely growing. I guess it's the heat. I did pick and ATE one zuchinni. No more on the bush, yet. I did see 2 very small cukes. I have never had this bad luck with my garden before! My okra is growing slow, too. About 2 feet high, and no sign of a bloom-HOWEVER, I cut back my tomatoes (that I made loads of), and I HAVE NEW BLOOMS!! Bell pepper still making , and my hot pepper seemed to have stopped, turned yellow, and now the new growth is deep green. I guess the heat screwed it up, too! And the eggplant never quits!
My night blooming cereus has THREE buds on it, and I should have a flower before the end of the week. I will FORCE myself to put the pics on the computer, and show you! Things are kind of slow and hot and sultry here. 96 yesterday with an index of 101. H O T! Zinnia's are still going, Morning Glory tree is blooming, I have another red gladiola, passionflower is doing terrific, and my moonflower is blooming, but sure looks poor in the middle of the day! I had my first bloom on the white ginger this weekend, and the cats want to lay in that flower bed. Devils!
I will also take some pics of my Cockscomb, it is heading up good, now, IF I can keep the cats out of that! Is bee balm good for cats? My first time planting it, it was about 5 inches high, and Pretty Boy ate it to the ground! They leave the cat nip alone, but eat my other flowers-go figure!
Lots to do at work today-will check in during the week with pictures!
Later Gators!
Whew-I've been busy these last few days! We have had rain off and on, so every thing seems to be holding it's own! I started clearing a little bit of brush where the majority of my daylilies are and it turned major. Vines (including the dreaded HYSTERIA (wisteria) had taken over a small crepe myrtle, so I chopped on that , and with the animals help, we managed to mash most of the daylilies. They'll come back, I have no fear. I cut some branches off my biggest crepe myrtle, and she looks much better. I hauled a couple of loads of dirt, and started cleaning the front flower bed. BIG mess! I took out all of those wandering elephant ears(they'll come back, too, *sigh*, and some of that cast iron plant. Got most of it cleared out and ready to put my vining sweet potato plants in, and maybe a few flowers. Have started painting part of the fence that I never finished from the spring, and cleared vines off the fence where the Pitt Bull used to live. I put my moonflower in the ground, and it's not happy, yet. It needs babying, IF I CAN KEEP THE CATS OFF THE ARBOR!! aka "The Bird Blind". I have a bird feeder hanging close to it, and they hide in the vines to catch the birds...Kind of like a "DEER BLIND".
I will venture out to cut a few eggplant, and peppers, and finish the front flower bed. I took several pictures and I DONT KNOW WHERE THE COMPUTER HID THEM!! So, when I find them, I'll have a few pics to share.
HAVE A WONDERFUL SUNDAY!! REMEMBER OUR TROOPS!
Later! :)
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