Wednesday, May 08, 2019

Old movies

Stinkbugs and can openers and a teenager – oh my! (Think Wizard of Oz.)




Petals on posies and puppies and ponies.... (Sing along to the The Sound of Music tune.)

How was that for tying together disparate topics? Just like life: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – ha!

Let's get the bad and ugly out of the way first. Stinkbugs: YUCK, we've been invaded by them since winter! We've had box elder bugs before, but these big, buzzy, stinky-dead-or-alive buggers are new, and very unwelcome. Can openers: Can't live with 'em; can't live without 'em. I'm about to resort to the hammer and chisel method. (Did you know that the can opener wasn't invented until 48 years after tin cans were introduced?!?) I've tried all kinds (except electric) and they all give me trouble sooner or later. Can anyone recommend one that's guaranteed to work or your money back??? The teenager: Can't live with 'im, can't kick 'im out (yet). 'Nuff said.

Now to good things. Flowers are blooming and the garden is growing, for starters. I just came in from planting four basil plants (three Italian Large-Leaf and a Napoletano Lettuce-Leaf), a packet of Blue Lake Bush beans, a hill of Black Beauty zucchini, and half a packet of Chioggia beets (will plant the other half for fall harvest). Tonight Brian and I will have a lovely salad from garden lettuce and kale (shhh, don't tell him) with our cheese and pepper quesadillas; Rick is away for continuing education until tomorrow morning so we can indulge in a little cheese.

Yesterday my friend picked up her horse; I'll miss having her in training but she made a lot of progress in three weeks. I'll also miss my puppy fixes! Glory has grown a lot in just ONE week, but continues to be the world's most amazing puppy. Yesterday she got to meet Dozer and Jackson, and while she was very excited, she was also amazingly respectful when they didn't reciprocate her playfulness.


"Kisses?"

"No? Okay then, I'll just sit back and look at you."

"How about if I lay down?"


We took Glory down to the barn with us, which drew the ewes.

The two-year-olds are probably just curious, but Vienna at least would pulverize that baby wolf puppy if given access!

Maybe I'll start riding Lance longer now that I'm back to just one horse to ride. It would help keep him from getting too fat from all that fresh grass!
Next up: a new episode airs on the Chuckie Channel. 😊

That's it for now from . . .

11 comments:

Mama Pea said...

What a fun post! That first blooming flower (under the stink bug -- eeeuuuw!) looks much like the hoya plant when it blossoms. Could it be?

Debbie said...

ugh to the stink bugs....we have sightings here...maybe check out some of the diy repellents for same. (btw, does not work with teenagers)

Glory has grown a lot. Your guys will miss the visits all the same.

My most reliable can opener over the years, a Swing-a-way which I think has only been replaced once in a lifetime.

Your garden photos are beautiful!

Lance looks very content with his fresh grass.

Jean said...

No stinkbugs here that I know of and no teenagers either, but I can happily recommend my Trudeau Stress Less Safety Can Opener --
Absolutely love it!

Michelle said...

Mama Pea, that's one of the many daphne bushes we have around the south and east sides of our house. Not quite as sweet-smelling as our daphne odora, but still scented. Never heard of a hoya!

Debbie, you're funny! Glory only got to meet the boys on her last visit because she was newly vaccinated and my boys aren't (except for rabies); Kate was exercising an abundance of caution.

Thanks for the recommendation, Jean; I'll have to look that one up!

Florida Farm Girl said...

We've been invaded by stink bugs this year too! They've about disappeared by now but we had a ton of them. The flowers look lovely.

Retired Knitter said...

I remember when stink bugs were a new thing our area - maybe 10 years ago. It was an invasion for sure. Disgusting. As I understand it, they started in PA - from a ship in port somewhere although I didn't know there with PA ports and then they just expanded outward. I will say that after the first 2 or 3 years they became less evident. I think Daddy Long Legs eat them - natural predators I believe. I think both originated in China - or maybe not. Not sure. Ah ... Mother Nature. When you mess with her, there is 'blow back.'

Loved the animal pictures - Dozer's face is too funny. Like he is thinking ... "so what is that squirt exactly." Love my bullies.

Leigh said...

Glory is adorable! And what good sports Jackson and Dozer are. :)

For can openers, I wouldn't trade my P-38 for anything in the world! https://www.amazon.com/P-38-Can-Opener-P-51/dp/B0078WMSZ8

Michelle said...

Now that you mention it, Elaine, I haven't seen any Daddy Longlegs in ages!

Thanks, Leigh; I just ordered a P-38 and P-51 (they come as an inexpensive set)!

Michelle said...

FFG, did your stink bugs just disappear on their own? Ours seemed to diminish – then I found a whole bunch in our attic storage space!

Florida Farm Girl said...

Yes, our stink bugs seem to have diminished on their own. The invading critters seem to have their own cycles -- the lady bugs, the big black ants, now the stink bugs. The brown crickets seem to have abandoned us, thank goodness. Now, if I could just get the carpenter bees and some of the squirrels to abandon us!

Anonymous said...

It's such fun to read the different comments!

I often read your blog before any others.