Aphids, aphids, aphids... again with the aphids...

Bird House Gourds
   
   My bird house gourds are incredibly huge and flowering wonderfully... but I am not seeing any gourds. I am questioning if the aphids as of now are the problem. My gourds are turning yellow in some areas and in those areas the leaves are overwhelmed with them..

   I figured that it has come down to having to purchase Neem oil. I have never used this before and and I think that it is organic buttt..  I also haven't purchased it yet... I keep using the soap water spray, but it isn't working...... (hello! It is the BIRD HOUSE GOURDS, that are in trouble...) I don't know what to doooo!!!

   So, Has anyone used this, and do you know what I could be in for, if I DO????

awhhhhh!!! 

BASIL, BASIL EVERYWHERE!!!

   I can't believe my basil plants, they are everywhere, and big and abundant and happy.. I can't believe how much I have... ha-ha-ha...

Opal purple basil

babies all over the place

more babies

One of the mom basil's

Another Mom Basil

Loads of babies in the compost pile

Flowering basil

and more basil

   So I guess more basil jelly will be made for gifts....Because it's coming out of my earssss..... lol...

BELL PEPPERS

    I have bell peppers, this one got um... spoken for but, oh well there is more where that came from...

One of the reds...

A NEW BATTLE

   Bird battle....


    I have a new battle, and here is who it is....

   This is a couple of woodpeckers and the battle is who will or can get to the Humming bird feeders without being seen, but the thing is I always see them and I try to get a pictures of them but they know... Are they that good at knowing???
   So this has been going on for more than I don't know two or three years... This couple makes the loudest noise...  ever.... Like they are proud that they arrived at the feeder before you ever did.... They seem a bit smug and have an, "I did it before you" attitude.



Creepy!

   Look whose peeking in to my Home!!!!


  I have a brand new visitor look who is hanging over my arcadia doors....

SPIDERS

Daddy long legs, maybe!!!

   Well only this one and I don't think he is to much of a bother,  so he can stay as long as it's there and not trying to come inside.... ishhhh.



My new Pumpkins in progress....

   Sigh, I know, I was hoping for these to be ready for Halloween, but well, beggars can't be choosers right?

   So here they are beautiful and happy and growing on there way...

September 16, new arrival but this is the third day.

and the other one for the 3rd day too...

    Now to research Neem Oil... eeeeeyyyy!!!
   

A Quiet Friday Until...

All is quiet at 7:00 a.m.  (94 degrees out)
 

   I decided to give myself, Friday morning off, you know sit in my yard read a little, "tinker" as my husband calls it.. yada, yada, yada!
  I know it is humid, the air is heavy, 94 degrees at 7:00 a.m. There is a little cloud cover.

  For AZ, that my friends, is the best it will be as Monsoon season comes upon the last month.

  I am taking notes of the things that I need to take care of throughout the yard. I am cleaning up some parts of the garden that needs it.

   As I'm looking though the tomatoes, Look Who I found?

   I knew he was lurking around. I found remnants of him all around, but I couldn't see him at all.. Then "lucky me", I pushed back some of the branches to pull up old debris, and there he was.


What a little booger! I got you sir, I got you!


 Lettuce Update!!!
    My lettuce experiment is going well. I love how soft and yummy it looks..

Grand Rapids

mescalin mix

How they look together

  

   But I really want to show this flower, I'm not sure what type of lettuce flower it is But the color is so vivid and pretty!

   I have an on going battle with my Beautiful, spiteful Bougainvillea. Where it is planted, it hides the A/C.. I have to keep it trimmed constantly, or it will take over, At every trimming time, It certainly takes a poke at me. I think that it heard me yell at it, threatening to yank it out by the very last root it sprouted. Maybe, I shouldn't have done that!  I donate blood at least 6 times a year... But here she is..

  

   There are gaps from the freeze this winter,  In January we had a real bad freeze that wiped out a lot of things in the yard, I thought for sure that the eggplant was affect, but, Boy!  I was surprised, when it decided to come on.

    This one shows beautiful muted salmon color flowers or Bracts as it is called, I think! It will show some flowers when it isn't so hot and humid..
   

    The hummingbirds love to sit in the branches, there is usually a spider web that in between it and Momma Aloe, and the Humming bird grabs at it for it's nest and the insects caught up in it to eat. It is really fascinating to watch..

My opal purple basil is growing very well, I hope to be able to use it as a border in the garden areas...

   How pretty will that be with marigolds mixed in!!

   The visual  scene will be incredible...

   I think If I play my cards right, I think that I will be able to get some to transplant out in the front yard container garden!



   I will be starting to plan my front yard with pictures and things for this weekend... Hooray, how much fun will this be for meeee!!! 


    On to my planning!!!

Catnip Enamoured

So like I said, I wanted to pick some cat-nip.  And I did.  But guess what? instead of drying it, what do I do? I grab a bunch of it, and put it in a vase of water.  I know!  But.. But..

It was so wild and crazy looking I couldn't let it go yet!

   Insanely twisting, flowering stems of crazy...


   In a day or so, I will pick it apart and dry the leaves and such... to give the girls... Just not now, not yet!!!





   I pulled some basil, the whole plant, Yes, I did.. I have it hanging to dry, I am not sure if that is the way to do it.. If not I have "like" 10 more plants to try methods on... 

 

Carrot Brigade!!!

   As I mentioned, I pulled some carrots on this workable morning,    but again, a few of them seem confused! Or could I be the one that is confused? hmmm... 

   Well, some of them look like little men trying to run, or  with great pause... have an extra appendage that is um questionable!  (ha ha ha!) (Blushing)...
   For the most part, they came up easy enough, digging in the soil, it seems soft and loamy, so why the mystery?

Crazy Carrots!

Mystery to solve...




 *** Heat warnings***

 None... but it will be a bit muggy, and partly sunny. Some weather masters say it will be 110° - others say 113°  Whatever it will be... Can I say, down right Yuck!  A 20% chance of rain later tonight, which would be nice for my garden but, we can't be to greedy right!




The menagerie of pots are doing well enough... Now! I put happy Habanero in the sun along with the Thai..

     The flowers like the lantanas and salvia are doing well! 

And the ever loving portulaca.......















    My Bird house Gourds are looking happy to be planted... and look like they will bring some wonderful projects...

   I have some, Yes! You guess it...Catnip planted there, they came because they wanted too... so I left them. I am not sure if they will do well there but... what the heck right? The gourds might like the company...

 I know I would!!!