"There's been a change in the weather and a change in me..."

It is refreshingly cool this morning, after a series of thunderstorms last night and the evening before. All the deck plants look very happy, except for the pineapple sage, the single red hibiscus, and of course, the patchouli, which all show signs of Japanese beetle molestation. It appears the sage was a bit too strong-flavored, the hibiscus leaves were too hard-shelled and tough, but the patchouli, which has been the true problem child this summer, has lacy holes in several leaves. H has gone off to the PO, the grocery store, and the garden center for beetle traps. Neither of us can bear the thought of poisons, even for predatory beetles, as they just work their way up the food chain.

We've left the former half-acre vegetable garden to go wild, making a sanctuary of sorts for birds, field mice, rabbits, possibly possums (and no doubt rats), and dozens of insect species. It's tucked back behind the house so it's not visible from the street, and while it abuts the back yards of two neighbors, those yards are deep; one has a tool shed, pidgeon coop, and dog lot on that depth of land, the other a detached garage and weedy ex-vegetable garden. The back fence is shared by a third neighbor's field, which is rarely mowed or plowed, thus, two nature sanctuary plots divided by a wire fence and a hedgerow. So I suppose I can hardly complain about the migrants from the wild munching on my tame deck garden, can I?

I'd leave the windows open and turn off the ACs, but the house would shortly be damp and ooky feeling, and the damp would linger when the temperature rises again so, better not. But it is nice to be able to breathe when one steps outdoors. The whole world right now looks lush and green. If I could cast a spell on heavy machinery, maybe the kudzu would cover the scars.

"There's been a change in the weather and a change in me..."

It is refreshingly cool this morning, after a series of thunderstorms last night and the evening before. All the deck plants look very happy, except for the pineapple sage, the single red hibiscus, and of course, the patchouli, which all show signs of Japanese beetle molestation. It appears the sage was a bit too strong-flavored, the hibiscus leaves were too hard-shelled and tough, but the patchouli, which has been the true problem child this summer, has lacy holes in several leaves. H has gone off to the PO, the grocery store, and the garden center for beetle traps. Neither of us can bear the thought of poisons, even for predatory beetles, as they just work their way up the food chain.

We've left the former half-acre vegetable garden to go wild, making a sanctuary of sorts for birds, field mice, rabbits, possibly possums (and no doubt rats), and dozens of insect species. It's tucked back behind the house so it's not visible from the street, and while it abuts the back yards of two neighbors, those yards are deep; one has a tool shed, pidgeon coop, and dog lot on that depth of land, the other a detached garage and weedy ex-vegetable garden. The back fence is shared by a third neighbor's field, which is rarely mowed or plowed, thus, two nature sanctuary plots divided by a wire fence and a hedgerow. So I suppose I can hardly complain about the migrants from the wild munching on my tame deck garden, can I?

I'd leave the windows open and turn off the ACs, but the house would shortly be damp and ooky feeling, and the damp would linger when the temperature rises again so, better not. But it is nice to be able to breathe when one steps outdoors. The whole world right now looks lush and green. If I could cast a spell on heavy machinery, maybe the kudzu would cover the scars.