The Culprits

My poor buddleai plants have both been chewed to bits the past month and I finally realized that Japanese Beetles were responsible.  These pesky things are non-native to the US and are quite destructive during their brief time above ground.  I guess they are also pretty destructive underground in their grub stage too.  Since I refuse to use any pesticides my only recourse is to flick them off the plants into a bucket of soapy water.  Which is frankly just too much work.  Soon they will be done doing what they are doing.

Jax has been at Daycare all day in an attempt to wear him out before he takes the Canine Good Citizen test tonight.  Frankly, I'd feel better if it were a Canine Mediocre Citizen test.  

Since Jax was away, I headed out in the kayak for a few blissful hours on one of the nearby lakes.  I took a camera and monopod and got some okay pics, but it was windy so neither the kayak nor the vegetation were particularly stable.  To be continued another day.  It was just nice to be out on the water.

My loved ones who are sick thanks to someone else's ignorance or selfishness are doing much better today.  Anti-viral meds and early intervention have helped.  And Gary the Grackle's message stays the same (see yesterday.). 

I'm sitting on the deck right now enjoying a steady stream of baby woodpeckers and cardinals at the feeder.  And the buzz and chatter of tiny hummingbirds all amped up on sugar water.

Dark with ginger today.

xo
Debbi