Why I HATE, HATE, HATE Grasshoppers

photo by Pawel Kabanski/Flickr

Welcome to my nightmare!  I really, really have a thing about grasshoppers.  If they're the itty-bitty type, I will squish them in a heartbeat.  The giant ones send me flying into the house and then begging Mr. MoonCat to go out to extinguish them.  The sad, sad thing is that I can tell you exactly when this trauma-induced phobia started.  Please shelter the children from this story of horror....

It was a warm summer day when my mom, my sister and I were driving up into the foothills to visit my Gramma.  The fields were all golden brown with the breeze causing ripples that looked like waves int the dried grass. We had the windows down, the sunroof open and were enjoying the trip...until..a GARGANTUAN grasshopper decided to terrorize me and end my "live and let live" lifestyle forever.

photo by DRB62/Flickr

This mutant terrorist (easily over three inches long) was on his assignment to GET JULES when he bounced off of my arm and landed inside the car.  He was on the headrest behind me and managed to get tangled in my hair.  I was screeching for some help, but my horrible, unfeeling mother and sister were laughing too hard to assist me.  The foul creature then decided to travel down the back of my tank top, scratching me all the way!  (If you look closely at the photos of the horrible creatures above and below, you will see their hooks, claws, and spurs...)  Anyway, his mission was obviously a one-way trip as he made the fatal mistake of continuing his path south and ended up IN MY UNDERWEAR!  (So you don't think I was riding around in just a tank top and undies, my Wranglers tend to gap at the small of my back and my undies follow suit sometimes.)

photo by Bossco/Flickr

Now to add insult/embarrassment to my injuries:  Mom was slowing the car down to take an almost hairpin turn - while in hysterics, I remind you.  I took advantage of this to bail out of the car, drop my pants AND underwear and proceed to stomp the life out of the suicidal demon bug.  The mortifying part comes into the story due to the fact that there is a ranch house located right on the turn.  At that particular moment in time, standing under a tree with their horses, were 4 or 5 of the ranch hands.  They saw the whole dang thing and were laughing, whooping and hollering.  With absolutely none of my dignity left, I pulled up my drawers, waved to them like a parade princess and flounced back into the car.  I didn't speak to the other inhabitants in the car for the rest of the trip.

Once we got to Gramma's house, she was the only one who showed me any sympathy.  That is until Mom looked at my back.  I had vivid scratches all over my back with a couple of them even a bit bloody.  I think she felt a bit bad after that, my sister didn't.

So, now you know the cause of one of my most irrational fears.  This is also why Mom didn't say a word this morning when we were at the kitchen table and I suddenly went screeching at top speed outside with my basket of herbs.  Something similar to the photo below was sitting on top of my catnip, LOOKING AT ME.

Hopper from A Bug's Life/California Adventure

Sunday Selections

Garden Sanctuary

You who walk,

Maybe with troubled thoughts,

Come, enter here and rest;

And may the sweet serenity of growing things,

And the heavenly peace

Be mirrored in thy soul.

-Doxis M. Palmer

Growing Greenery Update

We're seeing a lot of green around here - and reds, oranges, pinks etc.  I'm really happy that so many of our plants and flowers are coming back in full force.  I was worried that I'd lost a lot in the move and with the neglect I showered upon them while Mom was in the hospital.  But they must be made of sturdy stuff.

One of the reasons for my latest neglect of this blog is our Herculean task of finding homes for the majority of the babies from THIS post about the rescued plants.  It has been a trial attempting to identify some of them and we're definitely not done.  We found out that the nursery guy was notorious for potting and replanting plants in whatever pot or tray he could find and didn't care how things were labelled.  (Do ya think this could have been a clue as to why he went out of business??) 

Anyway, so far we have planted about 25 butterfly bushes here along with an unknown number of jasmine - Mr. MoonCat's favorite.  I was thrilled to find that in addition to a gorgeous rosemary plant we'd managed to salvage several bay tree babies.  I love using bay leaf in some of my recipes.  We also have some agapanthas, canna lilies, African irises, boxwoods, spirea, and mimosa trees.  Still working on it.

Everyone in our life is benefiting from this little escapade.  I sent about a dozen of the trees that we think are maples out to the ranch.  It was amazing how all of these poor neglected babies just took off with a bit of water and some TLC.  Our friends are getting used to finding plants in their vehicles when they leave from a visit here.  Good homes must be found by all! 

As the rescues continue to get healthier and start to thrive, I'll show you some updated pictures.  But for now, here are some of my other little pretties that are enjoying the sunshine.

Peas

Our wedding mums

Nasturtiums

Our experimental potato/tater box

Volunteers

Beans

Tomatoes/Tomaters

Rescued Plants Breathe a Sigh of Relief

This is a photo-intensive post.  Lots of plant pictures also at the bottom of the post.

We have had one busy week leading into the weekend at MoonCat Farms. A large, local nursery went out of business a bit ago. Apparently they were still seeding and planting while the court battle was being played out. When the water was shut off, the plants were just left to die.

  
A friend of ours contacted us and let us know that we were welcome to come in and see if we could use any of the plants or supplies that were basically abandoned on the 30+ acre nursery.

The photos are just some of what we've managed to salvage. There are thousands more dead and dying plants just left out there in the hot sun. I was almost in tears at the horrible waste. There are so many charities that could have benefited and so many senior centers and other public facilities that could have made use of the greenery.  Not to mention that I have a thing for plants and it just hurt to see all the plants gasping for water. 

But, that's a done deal and we have a lot of watering, re-potting and sorting to do.  Identification is one of the largest tasks as NOTHING was labeled.  I recognize many of them, but there are some mystery plants that I will probably be asking for help from all of you with. 

Some may laugh at me, but after spending over two hours that first night soaking each and every pathetic little plant and tree, I really do swear that they heaved a collective sigh of relief and thanks when I was finished.  I just sat outside on the bench amongst them all for a bit keeping them company while it got dark. 
I'm a sap, what can I say.. 

  

Sorry for the photos getting all cattywhompous(sp?), but I couldn't get them to behave & line up!

What I See Wednesday

Damage from the last big storm

Promise of sweetness to come

Chandler's Serious Pose

Calien:  "Play?Play?Play?"

Valley Oak Scented Geranium

Yes, Mr. MoonCat is really a twelve year old!

What I See Wednesday

Garden in Progress

Mr. MoonCat has been toiling tirelessly (do I get extra points for that?) getting our veggie garden up and running.  He spent much time plotting and planning:

He consulted with the locals:

He put up fencing:

He laid out raised planting beds:

He fenced in the chicken coop and built the compost bins and a potato box:

He received approval from the overhead supervisor:

He received a well-deserved kiss from his appreciative wife - no photo!!

What I See Wednesday

My hydrangea actually survived my neglect & the big freeze

One of Mom's MANY frogs/windchimes

One of Mom's geraniums in bloom

I'm sorry, but if I was a bird this birdhouse would terrify me....

My strawberry babies are thriving

Herbs - B is for Bee Balm or Bergamot

Bee Balm

Latin Name:  Monarda didyma of the family Lamiaceae

Alternate Name(s):  Scarlet Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot, Bergamot, Scarlet Monarda, Oswego Tea, or Crimson Beebalm)

Description:  The flowers themselves vary in appearance and color from light pinks to mauves and deep scarlet.  The most often seen are the bright red variety.   The tubular blooms usually show in clusters of about 30 or so.  This hardy perennial has opposing leaves on square stems.  They are mostly dark green with reddish leaf veins. 

Habitat:  The monarda tends to favor areas with moist, well-drained soil.  Full sun is its preferred lighting.  Bee Balm is an excellent companion plant in the vegetable garden, especially for tomatoes.  It tends to attract the pollinators as well as some of the beneficial predatory bugs.  The fact that it is a very attractive plant just adds to it's appeal.

Growing: Bee Balm can be started by seed, division, or by cuttings.  Seeds usually need to be scratched up a bit before planting.  They can be planted directly outdoors once the soil has warmed up considerably (70 degrees or above) or they can be started earlier indoors.  Root cuttings are possible and suggested in the spring, but division seems to be the most popular way to expand your Monarda collection.  It is actually very beneficial to the plant to divide them every few years as they can get too crowded  and not get enough air circulating through the lower sections.  They will also become susceptible to various ailments such as root rot and mildew if not allowed enough space.  The plant can reach up to 3 feet high.

Harvesting:  The leaves and flowers are the parts used.  Harvest on a sunny morning after the dew has dried.  After gathering bunches, tie them with string and hang upside down in a darkened, airy room until completely dry. Once they are dried, the leaves and flowers may be removed from the stems.

Uses:  Can be used as a digestive stimulant and as an aromatic in potpourris or the bath.  The taste of the leaves and flowers are rather citrusy and can be used in teas.  The teas can be made with either fresh leaves or dried.  It is also an ingredient in many modern mouthwashes as it has antiseptic properties.   It is not to be confused with the Citrus bergami which is where we get the bergamot flavoring that is used in my beloved Earl Grey tea.  It can be a bit much to seperate the two since they're both called "bergamot" and both are used in teas and cooking.  The bee balm is from the mint family while the latter is from the citrus family.  A distinct feature of these flowers is that they will hold their color when dried.

Notes:   I really love growing these gorgeous plants.  While they do have many varied uses, I pretty much grow them for the dried flowers and for the hummingbirds.  It is a lovely sight to see the plants covered by butterflies, bees, and the little hummers.

Photos courtesy of: freeherbpictures.com

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Disclaimer: The information presented herein is intended for educational, informational, and recreational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. It is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider before taking any supplements, herbs, or other substances.