Sunday 13 December 2015

Looking for beauty in the ordinary

It has been a week of ups and downs which I am sure is fairly normal for most people. We have had some really humid weather which was followed by a day of rain yesterday. While I loved to hear the sound of the rain falling on the roof and was very appreciative of it as much of Queensland is in drought at the moment, I couldn't help dreading the thought of the weeds growing and needing tending to when it fined up as it is such a massive job. During the week I heard of several really sad stories from those I know and others who I will never meet and just felt today that it was time to head outside to the garden to find something beautiful that would cheer me up (I tried not to notice the weeds).


After a bit of searching, I finally found a dahlia that hadn't been half eaten by something as it seems that the whole 1/2 acre seems to be under attack at present from chewing insects of one sort or another.

 

This fig tree has lost all its leaves thanks to ....





....these bugs which have appeared in their hundreds.




 They make short work of the leaves and then start on the figs themselves. I am not sure if the heat has caused them to appear this year or why they have suddenly appeared as they certainly weren't a problem last year.




Of course we don't like using chemicals on our plants so the CEO has been trying to keep on top of them by squashing them but is losing the battle. Has anyone had any success with getting rid of them using natural pest control methods?




As well as the bugs on the figs these colourful ones were eating the horehound. 




They are quite pretty and seem large when you see them in the photo but are actually only about 1/4 inch long so are a lot smaller than they appear above. I have been trying to find out what the various bugs are and came across the link to a PDF download called ' Good Bug? Bad Bug? Identification Guide' on The Beatsheet  which you might be interested in having a look at. 




While in the garden I potted up quite a few plants and noticed that the chilli plants must be enjoying the recent rain....




...as they are growing like weeds. Unfortunately these are HOT so the CEO is the only one who can eat them in this household. 

Spending some time in the garden is always a great way to unwind and forget about the troubled world we live in for a time. There is always something new to discover and investigate and, despite the various pests that visit from time to time, it is so satisfying to sow a seed and watch it grow into a vigorous plant.


 We can learn a lot of life lessons from gardening can't we? Don't you agree?







19 comments:

  1. I agree. With our recent move from country to city I miss the rural beauty. It isn't the time of season for me to get to planting my own beauty but I'm excited to. This may sound funny but I like going to nurseries with plants. I go and just browse all the beautiful flowers and plants. I always feel amazed and uplifted. Love you and have a wonderful week!

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    1. Chrissy, I hope you are feeling better. It won't be all that long before your warmer weather starts I am sure.

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  2. You pose an interesting parable here Nanna Chel. Maybe life is not about the events so much as how we respond to them.
    Obviously these bugs are not on the menu for your chooks then?

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    1. I must speak to my hubby about giving the bugs to the chooks, Phil.

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  3. It is partly your photography talents, but the chewed leaves are quite beautiful. It is nature's way, but it would be nice if they stayed out of your gardens.

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    1. Yes J, it certainly would be nice if they congregated elsewhere apart from on our fruit trees.

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  4. You could try neem oil for the bugs. 5% in water with detergent should deter any chewing insect. There's a post on my blog about it :)

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    1. Thanks Liz, I will check your blog post about the neem oil. I think we did try to buy some from a local nursery last year but they were out of stock or not actually stocking it anymore due to it expiring so quickly.

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  5. Sorry you've had a bit of sadness and the weeds are taking over! Thank you for the beatsheet

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    1. I hope the bug identification chart comes in handy, Kel. I found another different bug this morning so will have to check that one out too.

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  6. Oops! Let's try again at a comment! Thank you for the bug ID information, I look forward to getting out in the garden with the kids and doing some identification. I hope you have some more happy news soon. I didn't realize you had a whole 1/2 acre to look after. That's a fair bit of weeding and work....plus a fabulous amount to play around with garden wise. Have a wonderful Christmas love kel

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  7. Nanna Chel I know what you mean. I find the garden and our animals do me a lot of good. In these times our homes are our havens and our gardens are a big part of that. xxx

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    1. Annabel, I hope you are coping with that hot weather down in SA....and I though SA always had mild weather. LOL!

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  8. We're really loving our garden at the moment too, I only wish for more rain!

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    1. Kelly, it is nice to have a balance but that doesn't seem to ever happen in Australia does it? :-)

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  9. Are the coloured ones Love Bugs? Ive lost the foliage on my pear from a "little sucker". One minute it was healthy and then a week later naked. Love the photos as usual.

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    1. I don't know if they are Love Bugs, Lynda. I sure don't love them at all. LOL!

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  10. I love spending time in the garden. It brings a not only a great sense of peace but a sense of plenty also, as nature is so abundant.

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    1. Nice to hear from you, Sherri. You haven't posted on your blog for a while. I think an update is in order :-)

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