I spent the evening baking a cake for our daughter who turned 17 today. We made homemade frosting and added homemade lemon extract this time (vs. vanilla). I also splurged and picked up two half gallons of organic ice cream. It's so hot and humid here, I did not want to attempt homemade ice cream. It was so hot in the house, that the frosting was drooping. We put the cake in the refrigerator last night. We only have one air conditioner unit in downstairs and the kitchen is pretty warm.
Our now 17 year-old, frosted the cake after I added the first layer. The kids love to learn how to do this, as I learned from my mother. In fact, Mom donated all her cake decorating supplies to the girls, and a two layer 9-inch round cake is traditional here.
Last night we also received rain. Woo hoo! Finally. The storms, thankfully were not too bad, and the rain came down. I am so thankful. The gardens really, really needed it. I attempted weeding the herb garden yesterday, but the ground was too dry to even do it.
The saga of the raccoon from h-e-double hockey sticks continues.
Every night it comes back, destroys the plant pots, forks and dirt are completely dug out of the pots, and now a flower pot with newly sprouted zinnias. I'm about to put a pot of dirt in the raccoon trap, since he likes dirt so much. I'm setting the trail camera again to see if the there is a pattern to the time of his gracious visits. We even gorilla glued a bowl of marshmallows into the cage, and wa-la, bowl is gone, trap is still set. The war is on.
I have since put in stakes around the only grape vine he was digging up, and wrapped it with chicken wire. So far, it's been untouched (thankfully). I'm about to put nails in boards around the plant pots, but have a few more ideas.
Yesterday, after Hubby got home, he took me on a short motorcycle ride. When we returned, that raccoon had made another day-time visit, and turned another plant pot. Yes, the war is on.
Oh, and I know why my squash seeds never sprouted. A snake made a nice hole (and trail) underneath all of them, and boom, down the seeds went into la-la land. I filled the snake trail, and re-planted. I also lost some pinto beans the same way. We filled that snake trail up too. I've had gardener snakes in the garden, but never made such a trail under it before. I can't believe it's water snakes considering it's so dry where the snake holes are.
Our now 17 year-old, frosted the cake after I added the first layer. The kids love to learn how to do this, as I learned from my mother. In fact, Mom donated all her cake decorating supplies to the girls, and a two layer 9-inch round cake is traditional here.
Last night we also received rain. Woo hoo! Finally. The storms, thankfully were not too bad, and the rain came down. I am so thankful. The gardens really, really needed it. I attempted weeding the herb garden yesterday, but the ground was too dry to even do it.
The saga of the raccoon from h-e-double hockey sticks continues.
Every night it comes back, destroys the plant pots, forks and dirt are completely dug out of the pots, and now a flower pot with newly sprouted zinnias. I'm about to put a pot of dirt in the raccoon trap, since he likes dirt so much. I'm setting the trail camera again to see if the there is a pattern to the time of his gracious visits. We even gorilla glued a bowl of marshmallows into the cage, and wa-la, bowl is gone, trap is still set. The war is on.
I have since put in stakes around the only grape vine he was digging up, and wrapped it with chicken wire. So far, it's been untouched (thankfully). I'm about to put nails in boards around the plant pots, but have a few more ideas.
Yesterday, after Hubby got home, he took me on a short motorcycle ride. When we returned, that raccoon had made another day-time visit, and turned another plant pot. Yes, the war is on.
Oh, and I know why my squash seeds never sprouted. A snake made a nice hole (and trail) underneath all of them, and boom, down the seeds went into la-la land. I filled the snake trail, and re-planted. I also lost some pinto beans the same way. We filled that snake trail up too. I've had gardener snakes in the garden, but never made such a trail under it before. I can't believe it's water snakes considering it's so dry where the snake holes are.
Comments
Document when he drives in and drives out. Get a dated photo if you're able to do so without him noticing. It might be helpful some day if someone over there tells the cops he isn't there anymore.
Prayers everyone has a great day!!!
God bless.
RB
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