I have learned a lot of tolerance when it comes to insects...
let's face it, you have to when you live this close to the woods.
But what I can't tolerate are those teeny, tiny gnats.
You know the ones (and if you don't, you are oh so lucky!)...
they buzz around your head biting wherever they can,
flying up your nostrils and into your ear canals.
It's amazing to me how the tiniest of pests can be the most formidable adversary!
I have looked at the horses with envy at times...
safe and secure in their fly-masks.
I have even considered donning one myself to work in the garden.
I just cannot get the fit quite right.
Yesterday, as I was preparing to do a bit of gardening,
I remembered a mosquito net that I had bought for our trip to Alaska two years ago.
(Luckily, I remembered where I had stored it.)
Perfect!!
I can hardly believe that I have been battling these nasty little gnats for all the years of my life
and never once considered wearing a net.
Now, here I am gardening...
my hands in the dirt, bugs all around me...
my head sitting nicely inside a screened-in-porch!
Eureka!
Since we made the commitment to garden organically,
we have had to learn to live with the garden insects.
Some of them delight us...some of them, not so much.
Some of them delight us...some of them, not so much.
And for the most part, gardening organically has worked out.
It is always a race to harvest the squash before the squash beetles decimate the vines.
And you should see my pumpkin vines....horrible massacre by squash beetles!
I will still be able to harvest some pumpkins, however.
And you should see my pumpkin vines....horrible massacre by squash beetles!
I will still be able to harvest some pumpkins, however.
I just pulled what remained of zucchini vine carcasses from the garden.
The score is.... Bev - 10, Squash Beetles - 10.
After all, there is only so much zucchini one can tolerate, right?
Eventually it happens to us all...we give the zucchini away, right?
I harvested lima beans yesterday, and more Christmas limas for drying.
I spent a rather pleasant bug-free afternoon in the garden...
weeding and harvesting and enjoying the sights and sounds and smells.
If you, too, have been suffering at the wings of gnats and "no-see-ums"...
take my advice, and get yourself a head net.
Amazon has a lot to choose from.... HERE.
The MaryAnn Update:
MaryAnn seems to be doing fine. She is still wheezing.
She is also still doing everything she normally does...
eating, drinking, coming out to visit...
PS....Don't forget...
this afternoon Daphne and Chloe will be drawing a name for our giveaway winner.
I will post the winner tomorrow...Saturday.
Yes, we will have a Saturday posting this week!!
Picking them was easy!
Cleaning them took a little longer.
In the end, this bowl was completely filled.
weeding and harvesting and enjoying the sights and sounds and smells.
If you, too, have been suffering at the wings of gnats and "no-see-ums"...
take my advice, and get yourself a head net.
Amazon has a lot to choose from.... HERE.
The MaryAnn Update:
MaryAnn seems to be doing fine. She is still wheezing.
She is also still doing everything she normally does...
eating, drinking, coming out to visit...
I am much less worried about her now.
PS....Don't forget...
this afternoon Daphne and Chloe will be drawing a name for our giveaway winner.
I will post the winner tomorrow...Saturday.
Yes, we will have a Saturday posting this week!!
Comments
Glad to see MaryAnn is on the mend.
I'm jealous of your lima beans ;). I grew some the last year I was at our house and they were awesome! So tasty with the only seasoning I used what a bit of sea salt. My Hubby swore I cooked them in a ton of butter they were that good. Enjoy (and eat some for me!)!
I hope MaryAnn continues to improve. It's such a scary thing when our furry kids have an ailment since they can't tell us what is wrong or where they hurt. Crossing my fingers she'll keep improving and the wheezing will be gone before ya know it.
Also crossing my fingers that Daphne & Chloe pull my name out of the hat! Love all the giveaway items!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Glad Mary Ann seems to be OK..Ann has one of those net hats..I'm going to steal it from her..My bug suit works just fine...You don't have to be in the woods to be a victim..It's worse when you are freshly showered with clean hair..I almost bought limas the other day..Didn't feel like shelling them..:) Beautiful pictures...Have a super weekend..
#2, so glad Maryann if doing better...
#3, I miss you!
I can't remember if I told you, but the 'Rats w/Antlers' desimated my grapes,,, I have 3 little grapes hanging... all the bunches are Gone! But thank goodness my tomatoes are doing well,,, I see salsa, LOTS of salsa in my near (2weeks) future... so come on over & we can, 'can' together! lol!
Bugs are not a problem here it is to cold..lol. BUT..I am sure as soon as it warms up our friends will be back. May be it is time to order a net!!