The GF loves zucchini. She can't get enough of it. But I'm gonna try. I'm growing two plants this year.
Zucchini has a reputation for being easy to grow in the garden. And it produces lots of fruit, which is a good thing. On the continuum of home garden crops that ranges from hard to grow to easy to grow, zucchini climbs right on into easy to grow.
And then it keeps going. It gives off enough zucchini and then gives off more. And then some more. It starts out by producing and abundant crop for the gardener. It then continues to do this for the gardener's family. Then the gardener's friends.
After the gardener's friends no longer answer the door, for fear of being showered with more "free" zucchini, it keeps producing, and the gardener has to start sneaking the gourds into the mail carrier's pouch.
This fall, you will be held up at airport security by some desperate gardener who has shoved surprise zucchini's into the carry one luggage of random business travelers.
"Sir, you are only allowed 3 ounces of obnoxious vegetables. You are trying to get on the plane with 32 pounds. And don't try to blame it on your neighbors...It's off to Gitmo for you."
This summer, when your Facebook friend sends you a zucchini through the Internet? It's not for your (Lil) Green Patch that somehow magically saves the rain forest. No, they are shoving the actual fruit straight down the 10/100 cable.
Or so I've heard.
The point is I am growing zucchini from seed. I moved the plants into their permanent pots, but the nights are still a little chilly (45 degrees) for me to move the pots outside.
Which is why I was so surprised to see this guy (or gal, I suppose) the other day.
I'm not sure how the Lady Bug got into my apartment. It's a little high up, so it must have hitched a ride on some groceries or something.
I don't generally like bugs in my apartment. They're creepy and they eat my plants. A few years ago, people would ask if I had any pets.
"Yes. Aphids."
For some reason, folks don't stick around to talk to me.
I did not care for the aphids. And yet the ASPCA and Humane Society wouldn't come pick them up for adoption. Eventually I went to war with them. We came out to a draw when the summer ended and they'd had enough of my basil. I haven't seen them in years.
But Lady Bugs are okay. They eat aphids, which gets them a nod of approval from me. I should probably become a fan of them in Facebook. I'm sure Lady Bugs have a fan page. It's seems every stupid mundane thing out there has a fan page.
I'm still not keen on them flying around inside the house when there are no aphids however. So I scooped her about and showed her the door.
How does the song from the playground days go?
Lady Bug, Lady Bug
Fly away home
Your house is on fire
And your children all alone
(We sang some disturbing nursery rhymes as kids)
4 comments:
Is that really a lady bug? Or some kind of false lady bug?
My mother was stopped at an airport due to zucchini in luggage. Be careful.
Love it. I miss growing my vegetable garden.
As for disturbing nursery rhymes, what about:
Georgie Porgie, puddin' and pie,
Kissed the girls and made them cry.
When the boys came out to play,
Georgie Porgie ran away.
Sexual harassment at its beginnings. LOL
In England they are called Ladybirds - they tend to be red with black spots from the Midlands down South and then further up North there are more black with red spotted ones. We also have yellow with black spots and the odd brown with black spots. The two spot is probably the most common and the smallest. It used to be the way to show young children that beetles were harmless as youngsters would play with them and allow them to crawl over their hands and fingers. Brings back lovely memories!
@LDK: AFAIK it's real. I can confirm it was a living biological entity and not made of plastic. Thought I suppose it could have been a Terminator. I didn't check its ID so it might have been a roach or bee in disguise, but I am giving it the benefit of the doubt.
@nipsy: Georgie would probably end up on a list that prevents him from living within 1000 feet of a school or playground.
@Kloggers: I remember playing with them as a kid, too. I recall counting spots. Lady Bugs and Spiders always got special respect when we were kids. We never killed the Lady Bugs. Spiders were always on the edge. We killed a few, but mainly the scarier ones like the large Daddy Longs Legs. Damn, those things could move.
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