OK. I'm Really Prejudiced Against Some Neighbors.

It all started when I discovered that some of the residents around here were allowing themselves to invade our privacy just a little too much. Now, you know your grandparents are rather generous with our space and our possessions, don't you? I mean, we LOVE to share!

But take the Japanese Beetles that frequent the Cedar Breeze vacinity! If they just took a little nibble of our raspberry leaves, our rose blossoms, and various other green and lovely scented plants, we wouldn't say a word or take an action! After all -- as beetles go -- they are kinda pretty. They have a green metallic color with bronzy-red wings. I thought they were rather charming until I found out their TRUE character. For example, I couldn't believe what they did to our pole bean leaves last year and in pretty short order! They helped themselves to the succulent green, leaving only the stems and veins of some of the leaves.

That put me on the warpath! My favorite method is to stalk them where the raspberries, roses, grapes, beans, and corn are growing. When I find them alone or hanging out with their buddies I pick them up and deposit them in a soda bottle or water bottle about 1/2 full of water. Sometimes I dump a little Dawn detergent in and eventually they die. The other day, Timothy, Joshua, and I had DOZENS of them all hand-picked and incarcerated in a bottle.

Now, you may not realize this picture is just a spoof. But I think you noticed that I filled Grampie's dump cart with PICTURES of the pests -- and not the pests themselves. Oh, I'm just kidding! Of course I know that you immediately figured out that I was playing with my photo program. Do you think if I made a poster of the Beetle Brigade and put it in our garden it would let the pesky beetles know they aren't welcome?

Another problem we have had is with the deer. They are crazy over Swiss chard, beets, peas, beans, turnip, and some of the other plants. And, again, if they just took one or two it would be no big deal. But last year while Grampie was in Alaska they just about devastated our garden -- all in one night. So I went to war! A Dollar Store radio was placed in the garden and left on a boring talk station at night; Knee highs filled with Emily's hair dangled from a couple of the pole bean poles; Ivory snow detergent was sprinkled on the grass around the edge of the garden and even smelly socks dangled from clothes pins here and there. And they took the hint!

So this year we didn't wait for them to visit. See the wind chimes in the first picture? There are two of those hanging in our garden and every breeze makes beautiful, but startling music. We bought a deer repellant that smells worse than anything you can imagine -- and it is regularly sprayed on some old socks that cap the poles where the tomatoes are tied. Uncle Stephen (or Dad if you are his children) gave us some garlic and we planted one whole row on the north side of the garden. And hanging on two edges of the garden are a pair of aluminum pie pans that clang and bang against each other and the metal poles that hold them. We've used the radio a few nights, as well.
So far no deer tracks in our garden -- and no free meals for those innocent-looking creatures.

But God has cared well for them. There is plenty or forage outside of our garden where they can feed and take their children out to lunch! And I really do like to see them when they are somewhere other than in our garden!

I'm sorry that they and the ants wore out their welcome -- but they really DID! I hope you aren't disappointed in my lack of hospitality in our gardens.