I broke my flyswatter smacking spiders. Eww, right?
My shopping list now has "flyswatters" on it. I don't like seeing those mutant orange so-called lady bugs around either. My chickens won't even eat them.
Speaking of bugs, I'm gearing up for prosperous gardening season. I mixing up a different sort of bug repellent, supposedly safe for humans and pets. I'll give it a whirl and give you an update. It seems I'm either surrounded by mosquitoes, those nasty biting orange bugs, or gnats when I am in the garden.
Pretty soon I will also be mixing up an organic bug spray for the vegetable garden. My greens typically get attacked by bugs, so I'll be giving that a whirl too.
If I don't try new recipes, I won't know which one works, so I'm kind of excited to try them both.
As for the spiders, they are doomed if they even try to get inside. Especially, those ginormous, hairy, mammoth wolf spiders.
These are Oldest Daughter's "get well" flowers.
I surprised the kids.
I surprised them with a tradition I have not done for several years - Punch Bowl Friday.
(GULP!) I made Trisha's Green Punch (Foodnetwork). However, if I surprise them again some Friday, I'll dig out some much healthier punch recipes. I don't do this every Friday anymore. It originally started to motivate the kids into getting their chores done early, surrounded by a "fun" atmosphere, so we could relax on Friday nights. However, I may change this to "Fruit Bowl Friday."
I also brought home roasted seaweed snacks. They almost taste like kale chips. The kids all tried it and like it.
Rain started earlier than I thought it would yesterday. As I put the chickens in their coop, along with Sparta, I kept counting them. I was missing one hen. I walked around in the sloppy mess several times, not finding her. Then I did, and had to get an extra hand. It's kind of hard to hold an umbrella and carry a chicken (our rain coats got ripped last season, so I do need to get some new ones).
One barred rock is having trouble with either her foot or leg. She can't hop up into the coop, and she's moving around much slower (but looks good otherwise). I put her in the "emergency" coop and will take a closer look today. I had no choice to put her in there, as the others pecked at her immediately, so they know something is wrong with her. She started eating right away, so I wonder if she fell off the ladder we have in the big coop (made from large branches). Sparta took a fall one year. I guess we'll see.
The fog is back this morning, and today Hubby is to fly in early. I am praying that his flight left on time. We are pretty excited to see him again.
12 comments:
Gosh, your daughter's get well flowers are gorgeous. We all need a shot of color this time of year so thanks for sharing them with us!
Hooray, hooray! The only person happier than you to have your hard-working hubby home will be . . . your hard-working hubby! I'm sure you're all glad that stint is over! Have a wonderful weekend back together again. Hugs.
When we camp at our state fair to show our animals we collect all the free fly swatters booths give away. My house is crazy with lady bugs this winter. I have no idea where they come from but I happily return them to the natures compost pile of you know what I mean.
Mama Pea, the flowers are pretty aren't they? I just called to see where Hubby was. He tried to trick me, saying he was still in Boston, in and ice storm. He's already in our state...yay!
Lisa, those bugs are coming in already here. Ew...the dogs won't even go after them.
The variegated purple tulips are beautiful. I've never seen any like that. Isn't there something with peppermint oil you can spray for bugs and mice? I think I just read it somewhere.
They're stirring up at my house too and I have Terminex but the dogs and cat get them when they move but they play with them....I finally have to go over and put an end to their misery.
I hope your chicken is okay...poor thing.
I do Friday Punch too....with a bottle of wine! LOL! Actually just one glass....not the whole bottle! LOL!
Sam I am, I tried peppermint spray last fall, but it's not working as great as I thought it would (for indoor bugs). I had to laugh at your "punch Friday" (wine). Sounds good for us adults.
Glad hubs is heading home and dd is feeling better. That would be a perfect punch for patty's day! When I work in the garden and yard I alway take a dryer sheet(cheap ones) and rub them on me and my clothes. Then let it hang out of a pocket in my apron or tuck it under the trap of my "tanktop" Keeps the skeeters" away.
beautiful flowers!
I feel like I've missed so much here on your blog, life gets me busy!
First didn't know that your daughter had surgery-- hope she is recovering well.
Second didn't know your hubby was gone on a trip... I know you'll be glad to see him.
I like the idea of Punch Bowl ANYTHING! Fruit salad is always pretty in a punch bowl.
...I need to put fly swatters on my list. We've had so much rain-- I just know the mosquitos are going to be awful this year!
Will probably be catching up reading here, but maybe not leave a comment on every single one. ;)
Kim, I would love to simply use dryer sheets. I cannot though. My skin breaks out from the chemicals they use. I can't even use them if I do use my dryer.
Patricia, Hubby found work out-of-state, and just returned today. His company is still on strike.
The green punch seems rather apt for March and Saint Patrick's Day. When I had my daycare, I'd make green eggs and ham (with food coloring) for the children on St. Paddy's day for fun.
Unless they're ticks or are poisonous to humans, I usually try to coax spiders and bugs outside in jars before killing them. They're part of Mother Nature too, and if she wants 'em gone, she can get rid of them herself.
Will be very interested in hearing about those natural bug/gnat repellants, because we get overrun by gnats out here in the summer.
Hope daughter is on the mend soon. We're all hacking and coughing with something here too. Lord only knows what.
God bless.
RB
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RB, I can't wait to try the repellent. Flies and gnats are terrible here.
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