Free Nature Show

Nothing like kickin back and checking out what's in your very own yard. We have of a late been treated to a variety of insect creatures in our neck of the woods.

Last weekend I saw my first praying mantis this year. He was actually quite "alien" like. As I was admiring the size of it, the darn thing very creepily pivoted his head and looked at me. Mind you only the head turned. I tell you it was right out of a Sci-fi movie.


We also have a very large spider web in which our resident garden spider lives and protects. She has been very successful in catching other unsuspecting insects and her ?abdomen has grown larger and more yellow. A smaller spider hangs out close by and we wonder if it is her mate. If so, he has made it a least a week and she hasn't killed him yet.



I should have taken a picture of the cow killer which had the audacity to sting me while barefoot last week. He packed quite a punch and my foot ached for hours. It has now made me afraid to strike out without shoes. Or should I say strike out without watching where I step.

Food Composting

I've been food composting now for several months.

It's going great and I am continually amazed at how much food scrap we produce.

Until you actually put all your waste in a container and start collecting it, you just don't realize the amount you produce in a day's time.

I'm currently adding my scraps to the flower bed which held the zinnia's. I am slowing pulling them up as they grow leggy and unattractive.

I also added some left over saw dust to the top. Most days I go out and dig several holes and empty my container. But sometimes I just sprinkle it the on top, mainly to discourage the cats from using it as a litter box. So far so good.

Automatic Garbage Disposal

Know what's nice about having chickens?

Well they'll eat most anything. Leftovers such as rice, potatoes, veggies are devoured by the girls and Jeff(rooster).

I love the fact the scraps aren't going in my trash. I love the fact the chickens get more variety in their diet.

It's a win-win situation.

Saving time

Nothing new really.

I fried up 6lbs of hamburger 90/10 today.

Packaged in 3/4lb packages - it's dinner made easy for the next couple of weeks.

Taco salad, burritos and spaghetti casserole.

I love saving time at dinner. Who doesn't?

But and this is a pretty big but.

I used the ziploc vacuum seal bags. Not so good for the environment.

After these are used up, I plan to use freezer paper only. I use freezer paper most of the time, only I've had these for a while, so might as well them and be done with it.

So:
1) I saved money by buying in bulk
2) I saved time by frying it all up today, making meal prep a breeze later in wk

All in all, I'm good, but working on eliminating plastic products for food storage.

Faux Fungus Among Us

This is really not a fungus at all, but the "dog vomit slime mold," Fuligo septica, which belongs in the phylum Myxomycota in the Kingdom Protista.

Kayla...aren't you proud of me, for googling and finding this interesting little tidbit about this happy little organism growing on my squash?

How nice of it to find my little garden spot.

One is the Loneliest Number

Bluebird update.

Our pair ended up laying 4 beautiful little eggs.

1 little baby chick hatched on Tues.

The remaining 3 eggs were not fertilized. We candled them and no developed embryo was seen inside.

Parents are breathing a sigh of relief. Only 1 mouth to feed. lol

Saving my Plants

Last week 3 of my pumpkin plants were killed by the vine borer. I slit the stem and sure enough the ugly white grub looking insect was inside. As usual you don't know you have it, until the damage is done and the plant starts to die. I have had very limited success by cutting the worm out and having the plant live but most times not. After googling and reading about this nasty little pest, I found a site that said panty hose wrapped around the stem at the base could be effective in not allowing the larvae to penetrate.

Not having a pair of panty house, I resourcefully used coban. It actually worked great since after you wrap it, it will self seal closed. Took me about 30 mins to cut strips and apply it. So far so good.

Coban comes in pretty flourescent colors and I only had pink and orange. Looks funny, but I hope it will work!