Tuesday, June 06, 2017

Bountiful Beauty




It's beautiful butterfly time.  And, the 'squiters aren't so bad this week.

Yesterday, I noticed that they weren't quite so ravenous because I was able to spend more than five minutes working at a couple of outdoor projects. 

It took only two sessions to put netting around my little apple tree and my dozen or so blueberry bushes. 

I totally agree with something my friend Ann said yesterday.  She hates netting.  The only thing there is to like about the unruly stuff is that the deer hate netting too.  

Humans like netting only because it keeps the deer from stealing so much fruit. 

Last year was the first time in ten years I'd ever seen deer go after my blueberries in the north lawn.  Seems that their preferences change from year to year.

After the first hint that something had been enjoying my berries, I bought netting and covered every bush.  The deer left them alone. 

I had to cut holes where deer might not look so I could reach in and harvest the berries, but that was okay.  We had berries, and the deer did not.

My little apple tree, which grows great big apples, has been attracting overnight theft for a couple of years.  So, it gets the netting too. 

Seems like covering those plants would be an easy task, but uncooperative netting seems to have other ideas about making our work easy.  

And, yesterday, the mosquitoes had decided I had gotten too much accomplished in one session, actually covering one apple tree and three blueberry bushes without their interference.

As Bill and I agreed, they seem to hunt us down and then go tell their friends.  After clumsily working with my netting while trying to bat away about half a dozen mosquitoes, I finally retreated to the house.  

Later, when I returned to finish the job, the 'squiters must have headed off and found another victim. Only a lone bee buzzed in an out of the berry bushes, but I got the job done. 

Over by Love Canal, however, the bloodsuckers were still lurking in big numbers, waiting for me to come by and take pictures of the pretty lupine.  

Needless to say, I did not spend much time over there, but across the yard, I truly enjoyed the time allowed by pests to watch butterflies flit from one lilac bloom to another.  

It's just a lovely time of year, where almost every move we make leads to a beautiful sight.  And, sunny summer evenings around farm country offer a whole lot better entertainment than anything on TV. 

It's a good time to be outside to take in the endless gifts of nature around us. Just keep the bug spray handy. 

Happy Tuesday. 













Kiwi's litter mate.  He likes to hang out at the end of his driveway leading to his lovely country home in Alberstonville on the Gold Creek Road.  

Great to see him last night. 








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