A Wasp Tale........

While taking my morning stroll through our veggie plot-just checking on things,as we all do-this morning.I spotted something all over one of the tomato plants.EEEk! What the H-E-double hockey sticks is that ?!

I made a frantic call to my dad,who,from my description of these monsters,surmised they were probably some sort of parasitic wasp."Just leave 'em alone." I was told.

However,me being me,could not leave well enough alone.Oh no....not me.I just have to get involved....I grabbed the killer hose and blasted those suckers to kingdom come!

Then ,and only then,did I peruse the Internet to find out just exactly what those dastardly creatures were. They're Braconid Wasps.A tomato growers friend!Not foe.Ack!!!what had I done?I ran back outside,and thankfully the hosing had not deterred them one bit.They're they were,right where they had been before.Take that tomato hornworms!

And,just because I'm in a rambling sort of mood,this beautiful Florida spring day,I thought I'd include some backyard visitors.......

And,of course,I just have to include the daily snapshot of my favorite gardening buddy.Today,he was watching me plant some spinach.

After I had finished,he/she chirped and flew right over my head!Jon has taken to calling me the Hawk Whisperer.However,I think this is as close as we're ever gonna get.those talons are a little scarey!

I hope everyone is enjoying their spring gardening.......

The GreatWall's Day Off

With apologies to Ferris Bueller,but we called in sick today("I was up all night sick as a dog.").If people up north can have snow days,I think those of us,in Florida,should have "perfect Spring days."It's just so much more fun to stay home on a day like today,than to sit in some office with no windows.
Why shouldn't we be able to stay home and just relax,look around the garden,and enjoy all the hard work we've put in to getting it back in shape,after the cold and freezes of this past winter?
And it's way more fun to watch the back-yard visitors that we had,today,than to sit in front of a computer in a windowless office,don't you think?

A Red-Shouldered Hawk on our neighbors dock Debate is ongoing if this is a juvenile female Cardinal,or some type of wild parakeet.Thoughts anyone?Bueller,Bueller....?
Tufted Titmouse.
(Feel free to jump in,at anytime,and help us out on the identification,people.)

Pileated Woodpecker

(he just refused to give me his good side!)

Squirrel

I'm thinking we need a bird identification book......Any recommendations on a good one?

So,that was our day,at The GreatWall of Lutz.Tomorrow,back to work.Playtime is over.Insert wailing smiley here.