Sunday morning, with coffee

Found aphids on my tomato plants yesterday, populating the undersides of some of the leaves. I don't know whether they do as much damage to those as they do to roses--with roses, they munch on buds, which pretty much ends that story. One site mentioned that they can deform tomato leaves and fruits by munching, but nothing was said about complete and utter destruction. In any case, soapy water was administered, and it looks like it worked. I will have to keep an eye on matters, though. With small gardens, mention is made of allowing nature's predators to maintain the balance. I know there are ladybugs in the area, but they don't seem to come around when they're needed. They wait until autumn to swarm, so that they can come inside my house and die in my light fixtures.

I also have a Japanese beetle problem this year--they attacked my Rose of Sharon and my hardy hibiscus. I'm supposed to squelch those by picking them off the plant and dumping them into warm, soapy water, which both kills them and prevents them from giving off the pheromones that attract other Japanese beetles. I am afraid, however, that I upset nature's balance and resorted to a spray--they were tucked right into the half-open flowers, and I didn't savor the idea of digging in there to pluck them out. On most plants, they're content to munch on leaves--found them on the crabapple and one of the weed grapevines--but on plants like the Rose, they seem to prefer to munch on the crepe paper-like flowers. One site mentioned that they have no natural predators in the area, so maybe I didn't upset matters too much after all. I will try soapy water spray next time, and see if that helps. I want to keep the beetles away, but I don't want to chase away the bees wat the same time.

I also bought deer repellent--I think Bambi and friends were the culprits that wiped out my lilies and begonias. Well, this week they're going to get a dose of garlic and other stinky compounds, and we'll see how that works.

Sunday morning, with coffee

Found aphids on my tomato plants yesterday, populating the undersides of some of the leaves. I don't know whether they do as much damage to those as they do to roses--with roses, they munch on buds, which pretty much ends that story. One site mentioned that they can deform tomato leaves and fruits by munching, but nothing was said about complete and utter destruction. In any case, soapy water was administered, and it looks like it worked. I will have to keep an eye on matters, though. With small gardens, mention is made of allowing nature's predators to maintain the balance. I know there are ladybugs in the area, but they don't seem to come around when they're needed. They wait until autumn to swarm, so that they can come inside my house and die in my light fixtures.

I also have a Japanese beetle problem this year--they attacked my Rose of Sharon and my hardy hibiscus. I'm supposed to squelch those by picking them off the plant and dumping them into warm, soapy water, which both kills them and prevents them from giving off the pheromones that attract other Japanese beetles. I am afraid, however, that I upset nature's balance and resorted to a spray--they were tucked right into the half-open flowers, and I didn't savor the idea of digging in there to pluck them out. On most plants, they're content to munch on leaves--found them on the crabapple and one of the weed grapevines--but on plants like the Rose, they seem to prefer to munch on the crepe paper-like flowers. One site mentioned that they have no natural predators in the area, so maybe I didn't upset matters too much after all. I will try soapy water spray next time, and see if that helps. I want to keep the beetles away, but I don't want to chase away the bees wat the same time.

I also bought deer repellent--I think Bambi and friends were the culprits that wiped out my lilies and begonias. Well, this week they're going to get a dose of garlic and other stinky compounds, and we'll see how that works.

Sunday afternoon

The Cubs broke it wide open in the 7th against the Marlins after being down 0-2. It's now 8-2.

Chicken with pasta and wilted greens for dinner. I know many of you have been doing so for years, but there's something neat about going out on one's deck and snipping fresh oregano and thyme for use in one's dinner. If I could have used my own tomato instead of storebought, it would have been even better.

Hot day--mid 80s and dry. No rain expected through the week, and we could use some.

1157 words yesterday. I'd like to hit twice that today, but we'll see. It's not looking likely. Why is it 3pm already?

Sunday afternoon

The Cubs broke it wide open in the 7th against the Marlins after being down 0-2. It's now 8-2.

Chicken with pasta and wilted greens for dinner. I know many of you have been doing so for years, but there's something neat about going out on one's deck and snipping fresh oregano and thyme for use in one's dinner. If I could have used my own tomato instead of storebought, it would have been even better.

Hot day--mid 80s and dry. No rain expected through the week, and we could use some.

1157 words yesterday. I'd like to hit twice that today, but we'll see. It's not looking likely. Why is it 3pm already?

(no subject)

1116 words today. This is still the new first chapter, which still needs wrapping up. I am not 100% sure that it's necessary, but I need to write it. The events happened, those events drive the story, and are important later. Folks talk about them. The place where they happen is important. So for now, the new first chapter stays.

I have of course stuck myself with the challenge of making the POV character think of less than he knows. I think I can justify it, but it will require more delicate word tweaking than I can do at this point. I am hoping that stuff occurs to me as the story proceeds, and I can keep going back and adding layers. It's one of those baklava chapters. Onion chapters. And it may not even make the final cut.

Tired now. Sleep. Monday. *blech*

(no subject)

1116 words today. This is still the new first chapter, which still needs wrapping up. I am not 100% sure that it's necessary, but I need to write it. The events happened, those events drive the story, and are important later. Folks talk about them. The place where they happen is important. So for now, the new first chapter stays.

I have of course stuck myself with the challenge of making the POV character think of less than he knows. I think I can justify it, but it will require more delicate word tweaking than I can do at this point. I am hoping that stuff occurs to me as the story proceeds, and I can keep going back and adding layers. It's one of those baklava chapters. Onion chapters. And it may not even make the final cut.

Tired now. Sleep. Monday. *blech*