Garden Chores

I've been in the process of critter proofing the big garden.  Last year I wired about 80 feet of the 4x4 wire panels with about 24 inch chicken wire.  Chicken wire is rough on the hands and did not finish wiring the other side because it got too hot.  At first I thought there was only 60-70 feet left until I actually added the remaining perimeter which came to about 120 feet.  Time wise it comes to about 10 feet every 45 minutes to an hour and I finally learned to wire with gloves on.

This is a 50 foot side that needed the chicken wire.  I did have a bit of a start when I came around to this side.  I had just finished wiring the 30 feet at the end and to the left.  I had been working on the short side for about 3 hours, moved the wire, milk crate stool, and tools around to roll out the wire for this 50 foot side.  I was all concentration when I sat down on the milk crate when I happened to look into the garden:   a skunk was nosing around the veggies!  How it got in and how long Mr. Skunk was mosing around was a mystery.  lol  His tail was down and can only assume he did not consider me a threat.  I picked up my tools and left the area.  I was tired and my hands hurt anyway.  

I came back a few minutes later to see how he was going to get out.  It was then that I discovered that Mr. Skunk could wiggle around and get out through the smallest of openings left unblocked with a landscape timber and unwired near the gate!  In disgust and since it was time for one of my favorite TV programs, Gun Smoke, I retired to the couch with a glass of cold lemonade.

This is the last 11 feet of the chicken wire to be done plus that little space next to one of the gates!  Hallelujah!  

Next, I'm going to fire up the weed whacker to clear around the fence to see if there are any holes under it that are suspicious.  The wildlife camera is attached to a milk crate so it can be moved near veggies where the leaves are showing signs of nibbles. 

Could this be what is eating the radish and blackeyed pea leaves down to the stems?  If Mr. Sparrow and his sisters, brothers and cousins are dining on the leaves, well, have at it!  I'll plant more. 

BTW, pray that we get rain.  Texas is in a horrible drought.  I'm sure you've seen the news that over a million Texas acres are burning.  We've had cloudy skies for weeks but no rain.  Ok, since January 15 of this year, last week we had a little less than 2/10's of an inch. 

Until next time, God bless.