I'm really not very good at landscaping my flower gardens. I'm the kind of artist (if I can even use that word) who needs a good eraser. Plus, I've never been good with colors. Anyhow, when you garden, you really can't erase. At least, I don't have the heart to pull up perfectly healthy flowers just because they don't look good where they are. So most summers I have to spend three months looking at my bad designs.
This summer I finally got an arrangement of petunias, dusty millers and salvia that I really liked. With a grass spike to set everything off. I was so proud. It stood right by the mailbox where people could look at it as they drove by. Then the petunias began to disappear. Maybe disappear is the wrong word. Most of the plant would still be there, lying on its side in the dirt. The base of the plant was still planted there, and it looked like some animal had feasted on the meat of the stem base and left the rest, including the flowers. A rabbit? I hadn't seen any around this year. Last year we had lots of rabbits and they never bothered the petunias.
Then more disappeared. Each morning I would find 1-2 plants in the dirt. Finally, I was left with no petunias. The only color left was the salvia. And once again I'm looking at a garden design that I don't like. I'll be looking at it for the next three months.
Last week I saw a raccoon sneaking, catlike, along the woodland fence that marks the back of my yard. That's him! I know it.
Now the critter's attacked the back garden, taking out a petunia or two each night. The last straw was two days ago when my 4-year-old daughter found her own three petunias plants missing.
A rotten egg cocktail is now mouldering in the garage. My brother-in-law told me about it: 4-5 eggs, a gallon of water, and 3-4 tablespoons of hot sauce. Let it rot for a couple of days, douse your flowers with it, and no animal will touch them. I should think not! That stuff is horrible. I'm dreading the application, but I want to save what's left of my garden.
Petunias are cheap right now. Maybe I'll get some more.
* * *
I just finished the Biblical book of Numbers. It was some hard reading. When I was single, I worked second shift for a long time. I would read for hours in the morning, and got through the Bible a couple of times. Genesis is pretty interesting--it's about the beginning of all things. Then there's Exodus, which talks about Moses and the beginning of Israel. Both books have interesting stories to keep you engaged. Then you hit Leviticus, and things go downhill for a while.
Our Bible study teacher loves Leviticus. She says Leviticus and Hebrews (a New Testament book) go hand in hand. So I tried reading Leviticus and Hebrews together. For every Leviticus chapter I read a Hebrews chapter. Back and forth. One from each book every day. It actually did help, because Hebrews kind of explains Leviticus. And you read Hebrews twice when you do this, so I got more out of Hebrews the second time around.
So I got through Leviticus and hit Numbers! A whole book devoted to numbering the people of Israel. A sort of census. Well, at least there are a few interesting stories to keep you going. And now I'm done with Numbers and starting Deuteronomy. Well, I've read the hardest part of the Bible (for me). Now on to the stories!!
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2 comments:
Godseeker, thank you for sharing this method of Leviticus with me. I've decided that I am going to read the whole bible by the end of July, counting everything that I have recently read, too. And by no means in order. Yesterday, I started the Hebrews/Leviticus combo. Wow, it does spell out the symbolism for you doesn't it?
Good luck with that egg solution. Mothballs have done the trick in my garden for the bunnies, by the way. I've picked the first of the peas this week. The tomatoes and peppers are starting to set on. The cukes are blooming. I have one mystery squash in the cukes row, though :) And the Sunflowers are going to be passing me up anyday now, especially with the rain! The radishes and the peas will be done soon and I'm contemplating the possibliity of a crop of late beans, ssh don't tell :)
I read the NT last year and have gotten into the OT this year. It's slower going. I read a little in 2Samuel and then some Psalms. I love David's praises as well as his frustrations. He is so real.
As far as the garden..those of who buy are happy there are those that plant.
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