D'oh, There's a Deer in My Garden, Dear Maria, Dear Maria!
This is my paternal great-grandmother, Maria, in Hungary. My father spent many childhood summers, giving up his "city boy ways," living the "simple country life," with Maria (his mother had him late in life and, apparently, he was a handful!) and, according to my father, it was anything and everything...but, simple!
Still, as tough as Maria's life was, my father insists that she was the sweetest, kindest, most gentlest person on earth.
Unlike, her great-granddaughter (that would be me!) who is about ready to snare her some Bambi!
Exhibit A: Deer tracks (post-sprinkler) this morning.
No, I don't want to hurt Bambi (much) but, gardening is HARD work and, all of a sudden, after 17 years of fighting with aphids, hornworms and garden slugs (oh my!) NOW it seems like we've got deer!
Exhibit B: Hopey's prized-cabbage (she was growing to win a $1000 scholarship) beheaded!
Not just any deer (mind you) but, ravenous-militant-vegetable-swiping-giant-moose-of-an-animal that carries away an entire head of cabbage!?!?
Exhibit C: Tops of tomato plants chewed!
I went out to pick some tomatoes a few weekends ago and...OMG...where have ALL of my tomatoes gone?
Exhibit D: What was my parsley!
I know...so, we've got deer...no BIG deal, right?
Exhibit E: WTH is it?
All I kept thinking was...this is MY garden (DAGNABIT!) and WWMD (what would Maria do?) no question about it -- I HAVE TO DEFEND IT! So, Garth (not his real name) installed this sweet little motion detector smack dab in the middle of my Concord grape vine!
Just like Maria's (see picture at top of post) minus the motion detector, I mean.
Exhibit F: New growth!!!
Yes, Maria is probably ROIHGL (rolling over in her grave laughing) bless her squishy little heart!
But, when in Jersey...you know...and, combined with my new bontanically-based insecticidal soap (email me and I'll let you know which) it seems to be working.
Exhibit H: The vegetable bed that lived
Oh, and no, we are NOT crucifying anyone - that's just the clothes line that Garth (not his real name) rigged up by the pool, so that the kids can hang up their wet towels, which, unfortunately, they do NOT use...DAGNABIT!
[sound of crickets chirping]
Morale of the Story: Deer do NOT like eggplant.
Stupid urban/suburban sprawl!
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