Thursday, July 29, 2010

Stealth Visit

Woke up before dawn this morning determined to make a stealth visit to the big garden to see if I could catch whichever varmint is sampling the cantaloupes.  Just about every cantaloupe has bites out of it; the other day I found only a shell of a cantaloupe with all the insides gone except the rind.


After finding the cantaloupe shell, I added more fencing which apparently did not stop the unknown critter because if you look closely, you'll see the top bite looks fresh, i.e., last night or early morning.  Needless to say, I did not see the culprit this morning. 



I have two more spots to plug -- the gaps under the gate and on the side of one gate.  Luc and I are going to Home Depot today to pick up some cement slabs to plug the bottom.  (Luc's in training for the Canine Good Citizen test which he has to pass next week in order to get into Therapy Dog training.  The class was postpone until next Wednesday due to a schedule change.)  But back to the gate, we are not professional gate hangers and the gates need a little work. :D In addition, both gates are only 4 feet high and I may have to come up with something to keep deer from jumping into the garden if the cement slabs placed below do not stop the raids.  I have plan to keep deer out but am hoping I do not need to execute. 

Actually there are three places to plug; one is by the tractor shed which borders one side of the garden.  Someone, who shall remain nameless, accidentally caught a mower on the side of the shed as the tractor operator was mowing down some weeds.  It's a small opening that some chicken wire stapled inside will plug.  Ya know, if you are not lying around watching TV or reading and eating bon bons, things happen.  lol

Nevertheless, as I was stealthly moving about the property, I spied these lovelies. I came back an hour or so later when the sun was higher to photograph.




Morning Glory



Miss Worker Bee on a watermelon bloom


Butterfly looking for its next drink


A butterfly getting a drink on a cone flower

We had about an inch of rain the past couple of days and the mornings are deliciously cool.  It's a good day to be alive. 

Until next time, God bless.

3 comments:

The JR said...

If you could find someone with a game cam you could get a picture of the critter.

That would help you figure out if it's a jumper or climber.

Are you finding any tracks? You could spread some dirt under one of the melons, that way it would probably have a track print in it.

Good luck at HD and GCT with Luc.

Lynn said...

I've been wanting and looking at a game camera. :D Also, I've been looking for tracks...the ground has been soft the past couple of days. No tracks or scat. Good idea about spreading dirt; if I have time today, I'll get some out. I suspect rabbits but deer are plentiful around here.

Al said...

The picture of the cantaloupe made me sad, it reminded me of the pests we have here at present, army worms which infested most of the rice fields here but your pictures of the flowers, butterflies and bees brightened me up!