Small white/beige caterpillars have been eating all the leaves off my big pot of peppermint outside by the French doors.
This morning I went out and cut the peppermint way back and hope they won’t come back. I couldn’t stand looking at the thing with leaves fast disappearing.
Insects of some variety are eating the leaves of many of my plants right now. I just got my patio set up and planted and here come the insects to dine at the enormous buffet.
Yesterday Kasi, my youngest, saw her doctor and learned that she is going to have to have surgery again Monday on her wrist. He told her that he had underestimated the severity of the fracture. Apparently, even though it’s only been a couple of weeks, it was starting to heal in a V shape.
She just got the staples out yesterday and will have to start all over again in a few days. I feel so bad for her. Now that’s some really bad luck.
My other daughter Kendra had a procedure last Friday and is so far doing okay. Naturally she’s chomping at the bit over that flip house she just bought.
Yesterday I called her and she was dragging in groceries she wasn’t supposed to lift. Of course I scolded her about it.
I see so much of myself in her. I always strained the rules medically as well. Did things my body wasn’t healed enough to do.
I could have told her it will all catch up with her one day and she will pay for doing things too soon. But I didn’t.
The apple doesn’t necessarily fall far from the tree.
I have to tell you a funny story about Riley, my 16 year old grandson.
A few weeks ago (Kendra told me all this) he was over at his dad’s place and his dad was working under the kitchen sink trying to fix something.
Riley went over to the sink with a glass and turned the water on and yes, there was nothing underneath it.
His dad shoos him out of there and Riley then lights a candle. His dad is walking into the room where Riley is and sees Riley swiping his hands back and forth just above the candle, his cool way I suppose of blowing it out.
He accidentally hit the candle, which goes flying across the room. Right onto his dad’s work phone, wax dripping everywhere. His dad is about to flip I imagine.
Then Riley goes back into the kitchen for another glass of water and does the same thing. His dad says grab towels and get this water cleaned up. He somehow forgot the earlier mess he’d made doing the same thing.
His dad had been working outside all day, so he tells Riley to go pick up food for them to eat. Figured that would get him out of the house making messes for a bit.
Riley does as his dad asks, as he is driving now and has his own car.
When Riley comes back he goes through the garage and up the steps (apparently there are stairs you go up into the house). Somehow he lost the grip on the sacks or stumbled or something and splat, there goes dinner down the stairs.
I think his dad was probably about to have a heart attack by then. He’s got a big mess in the kitchen with all the water Riley turned on that went straight to the floor. He didn’t seem to understand that his dad working under the sink might mean that the sink was temporarily inoperable.
Twice.
He destroys his dad’s expensive work phone with candle wax, not to mention the wood floor. Then he drops lunch down the stairs.
Riley is tall and skinny as a bean pole. He thinks it’s fashionable to wear his thick bangs halfway over his eyes. Maybe that keeps him from seeing straight.
And I imagine clumsiness just goes along with being a teenage boy.
I’ve got to take Charlie to acupuncture.
Got any good grandchild stories to tell?
Brenda,
I just turned on my computer to catch up and read some of your postings. I can hardly type this I’m laughing so hard! The imagery of it all……. I just have no words (laughing) After the crazy carnage this weekend across our country.
Thank you for sharing; and your backyard is amazing!
Susan
Best wishes to Kasi on the second surgery. That is too bad and I’m sure frustrating for her. Kendra’s lifting things too soon is probably typical for most of us. When we want something done it is often easier to do it ourselves! When my son was about Riley’s age, he tripped while walking with my Mac Book Pro in his hands and fell on our marble floors. I always allowed him to use my laptop because he didn’t have one yet. I was at work when he called me to tell me the LCD screen was shattered. He was so nervous thinking I’d be really angry but I was not. I was only worried that he’d hurt himself on the hard floor but he was fine except for a bruised knee if I remember correctly. I was not angry about the damaged computer at all to his great relief! He’s 6’4 and grew fast from birth to early 20s so he was always catching up to his increasing height and feet!
Hi. I’m sorry Kasi needs another surgery, but, it is good to see that her doctor is staying on top of things. My husband broke a wrist back in his high school days and it wasn’t set properly. The result is that the wrist is not as flexible as the other one. He’s had to learn how to do some tasks with his left hand, such as using his fishing rod and reel, because the right wrist and hand won’t move the way he needs them to do. Riley’s misfortunes made for a very funny story, but I’m sure he and his dad do not want a repeat of that day!
How awful that Kasi has to endure yet another surgery on her wrist, especially so soon after that last one. I feel so bad for her.
Funny about Riley and all the antics, but yet as a parent, I could feel my boiling point start to rise, too!
I don’t believe I would have much confidence in that Doctor, did he do x rays or just l look at her wrist and estimate what he should do. I think I would have found another Doctor.
Prayers for Kasi ! I hope you can get the insects under control before they take over ! I have alot of funny stories about my grandchildren, but one comes to mind at the moment. I was making deviled eggs and my granddaughter, who was three at the time, was sitting on the counter next to where I was putting the eggs in a container after making them, and some how or other, she slipped and her elbow went right into the container of eggs. She looked at me with such a frightened look on her face expecting me to get mad, but all I could do was laugh !
So sorry for your daughter needing more surgery!! So young to have something like that happen!! As to bugs on peppermint…usually mint chases bugs away right?? Hope you figure out what to do!! As to grandkids…well, sometimes it is nice we are NOT their parents!! Heh…
Hey Brenda – I looked online and all the caterpillars on mint were green, however, one guy suggested for cabbage caterpillars to spray the plants with water and then just shake papper on the plants. Apparently, the pepper will be unpleasant to the bug chomping on it and they will find something else. Another suggestion from an organic grower was BT – Bacillus Thuringiensis (Thuricide) – It also controls “certain leaf eating worms and Gypsy Moths.
Sorry about Kasi and more surgery. At least hubby should be able to be with her this time!! Kendra sounds like me. I would have called “dragging in the groceries” physical therapy, and, yes, I am hardheaded, thank you very much. 🙂
You have encouraged me to “fling” some marigold and zinnias seeds out before our next rain is due. You should see our tomato plants here in a quaint small town (described as such online) in the foothills of NC!! I really like fresh grown tomatoes!!
What is the yellow petaled flower with a green center? Is that purple flower plant heliotrope? What smell does it have. I need to call our greenhouse and see if they have any, I’d forgotten about it. Beautiful plant, but You do know it is toxic to dogs, cats, and humans, right? I ENJOY Your photos of Charlie Boy, Queen Ivy, and Your Home and Garden!! Enjoy Your day, dear Brenda!!! 🙂 b
Yes, heliotrope. I know it’s poisonous but Charlie only eats pineapple sage when his tummy is upset. I go out with him. I think the flower you mean is cone flower.
Pineapple Sage – Must get some for the flowerbed, have regular Sage, but dogs would benefit from a “tummy” herb when the grass is too short to nibble. I saw our lil guy (jrt) eating the flower stalk of an iris yesterday. “Thankfully, iris toxicity is generally considered mild to moderate, and short-lived.” This is from an online article, I had no idea. I had no irises in our yard in Va, so when we moved here to help mother-in-law, she had already bunches of irises which we inherited! I really like the color yellow in a flowerbed, and red, and pink, and purple, well, You get the picture. Thanks for info and have a GREAT DAY. Going out to sit in the portico and look at the flower world and get up from time to time and pull a weed or say hello to one of the pretty flowers or plants (my rosemary broken from original plant is growing so good) growing and just enjoy all and sunshine to boot!! 🙂 b
Love that wind chime.
My grandson is younger,8 tomorrow but he took the “terrible twos” seriously,he locked his Mom in the basement while she was washing clothes, fortunately she had her cellphone and called her parents,who live just a few minutes away….that lock was changed quickly.
They thought they had “baby proofed” well,he found Mom’s nail polish kit,painted himself pretty good,everywhere,L.O.L.
So sorry to hear about your daughters 2nd surgery,must be a bad year,one of the screws in my daughters spinal fusion has loosened up, she’s in the back brace for awhile longer:(
16 year old boys seem to go through a clumsy phase, personally I think it’s their huge feet,seems like my son and his friends were always tripping over something.
About the Catapillars..
Please post a pic so perhaps with identification, we can help find a solution.
Possibly, you have planted a butterfly garden..
where butterflies visit, they leave eggs,,which hatch causing catapillars.
with identification, we can tell if they are friend or foe.
certainly understand your frustration about devastation of your beautiful garden!
good luck!
I for one, so enjoy your beautiful garden!
Good Morning. Ohhhh poor Riley he just could not get anything to go right. Glad both daughters are doing well. So sorry Kasi will have to have surgery on her wrist. I hope cutting back on the plant will help elevate the bugs eating. Isn’t there some kind of natural bug spray that is safe to use on plants? Maybe one of your readers will let you know what to spray on your outside plants to get rid of the bugs.
Mix 3 cups water, 1 cup white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of dishwashing soap. Mix thoroughly. Spray on plants including underside. This is not harmful for plants, but will keep the insects away. Use as often as necessary.
So sorry Kasi has to have another surgery!
Sarah, will this work on anything. I have something (haven’t seen the bugs yet) eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner on my dinnerplate dahlias (this didn’t happen last year.) I know what may have awoken the bugs. We had trees cut in the fall and the smaller limbs chipped and hubby put the mulch in beds in front and back, including my dahlias. As soon as dahlias came up something began to chew. Bummer. Will def try Your “recipe!” Thanks. 🙂 b