I got a very brief moment this afternoon to peruse the garden when we got home and I let the dog out right before I had to go upstairs to the incessant "MOMMY!!!"s screamed in a desperate and exasperated measure only to realize someone has encroached upon someone else's couch. Seriously? I SO could have watered and come to deal with that later. I'm seriously considering changing my name to Susan. I wonder if having the kids call or whine "Susan" incessantly would be as grating on the nerves....yet I know one day I'll be missing it all. Alas, I digress.
So I had this 30 maybe 45 seconds to myself in the garden and noticed that one of my baby eggplants had a CHUNK taken out of it. Not a hole, not a nibble, a chunk larger than my thumb. I noticed that a few of the newest leaves and stems had also been shorn off so I went looking for a worm or something, but realized nothing could have taken out a chunk like that except for a squirrel or the like. I didn't get a picture; remember the "MOMMY!!!!" being shrieked like someone was trapped on top of the ceiling fan?
Regardless, I know you, Mr. Squirrel. You're most likely the one that scaled the beams, crawled across the screened porch and lighted on the deck to eat my potted chard last year (oohh... reminds me. Must plant chard). We'll have a talk, you and I. One day. It will most likely be punctuated by a pellet gun.
The jalapenos right next to the flee beetle, squirrel feasted eggplants are sitting pretty. Not one bug, not one bite, not one misstep all year. They're only producing small peppers, but they're chugging along like champs.....and I just messed it all up by praising them, didn't I?
The morning comes early...really early now, and the under eye concealer is getting thicker by the day. Sweet gardening dreams.
Oh no! If I saw a bite out of my eggplant, I think I would start to cry. Argh! Dang squirrels. Sorry to hear about your "pests".
ReplyDeleteLOL I remember when my son use to yell for me like that I would yell back "your mom's not here". He would get so mad at me and say yes you are... My response "I'm not your mom I'm the maid" :-)
ReplyDeleteI had a chipmunk take a bite out of my hot peppers one year. Just one bite. It never happened again. I had a good laugh over that. Interestingly enough he quit the random nibbling after that. I'm sure he was afraid of repeating the experience. Sadly he still knew the tomatoes were yummy.
ReplyDeleteSquirrels absolutely hate being shot with a bb gun. However, it takes between 50-100 shots to kill one. Hehe....ask me how I know...
ReplyDeleteI started getting bites in every half-ripe tomato, so most of them got ripped out yesterday!
ReplyDeleteStumbled upon your blog today ! Mr. Squirrel has been at my garden spot also, managed to eat all my zucchini, squash,peppers, green beans and few tomatoes !
ReplyDeleteMy neighbor finally gave me a tip after seeing my whipping apples the Mr. Squirrel...Tabasco Sauce (4TB, mixed with water in a spray bottle )...spray around the perimeter of your garden area and it should keep them away. Be sure to make sure it smells.
I loved your under eye concealer comment. Ahh, men really have it much easier, don't they?
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about the squirrel problem. I haven't had any problems with them in my garden yet (knock on wood), but they cause all kinds of havoc in my mom's small backyard in CA. They eat big chunks and holes in oranges while they are still attached to the tree, leaving ghastly remains to rot and look terrible on the tree. The least they can do is just take the whole fruit back to whatever evil empire they came from!
Poor you.
ReplyDeleteI will go inside and ask where the severed limb is. Because seriously, screaming like that? There ought to be a leg flopping around somewhere.