Ferocious LouieI will tell you why I smelled of salad dressing yesterday.
In January, I grew annoyed with the sound of blowers and having my topsoil all blown away. For the most part, gardeners here aren't trained. All bushes are clipped the same, and it's not unusual to see botched tree trimmings. So I let them go. Admittedly, after having such a magificent garden at my old house, when I moved here I couldn't get up the enthusiasm for more work outside. But now that I'm sans gardener, it's time to get with it and make it more than Home Depot dull. Now, Louie and I have been out there each day.
Where Motor is buriedYesterday, as I was hand clipping my azaleas, I found bugs. Little white bugs on the azalea and aphids on the roses. I remembered what I used to spray in the really big garden on everything from avocados to roses. Back then, I had a battery powered super sprayer that was on little wheels. I kept it in the garage. It could shoot really high, into the crowns of the fuertes. But now, in the less civilized suburbs and with a smaller yard, I scavenged through the cupboards and found my small hand held pressure sprayer. Then I went into the kitchen.
Water, Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap, olive oil, Tabasco and a tablespoon or two of cider vinegar. Shake. I sprayed it on the bushes with bugs, noticing that the entire garden, including me, reeked of
salad dressing. It was as if I were serving Salad Niçoise to an army.Made the concoction, stood in front of the rose to spray. But what's this? A clog! There is nothing worse than a sprayer that dribbles. I took the nozzle off the pressurized sprayer and the entire contents emptied out onto me! Cider, tabasco and all... drenching me. I directed as much as I could onto the roses but I'm afraid I smell like salad dressing again. And maybe this explains my present hankering for a salad with balsamic vinegar, tomatoes, olives and feta.
For the weekend, check out Dainty Crochet. I don't know about you, but I grew up in a house with antimacassars. They were made by my mother out of string and were the prettiest things. We also had covers for the chair arms, runners for the table and round
doilies for the dressers. I love antimacassars, they're so excessive in today's leather sofa and IKEA furniture world. She has free patterns and patterns for purchase. I found her things so beautiful, and when I see things like this I'm reminded of the smell of lemon wood polish.The hot part of the garden
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4 comments:
This used to happen to me! I sprayed tabasco, crushed garlic, and vinegar mixed with dishwashing soap. The garlic always caused the clogging, but it was an essential ingredient. But I always reeked afterwards. And that salad you mention -- with balsamic vinegar, tomatoes, olives and feta -- is my absolute favor. Thinly sliced red onions, too, romaine lettuce, and kalamata olives...ooh, I've got to go eat lunch!
My sister in Sacramento crochets the most beautiful antimacassars and doilies, so we are also well supplied with these. I can't crochet worth beans.
Garlic! I forgot garlic!! Yes, I remember putting that in as well.
I can't crochet or knit. Much to my regret.
Yes, I made a salad last night. Had it for dinner. I think I'll plant some tomatoes!
You should definitely plant tomatoes, they'd do so well in your climate.
I will try your bug spray recipe.
Crochet is incredibly easy, I taught myself from a book. It's much more rewarding than knitting as it's so fast. I find it really therapeutic.
There are worse smells:)
I still have my mother's MIL's and Gran's embroidered traycloths, place mats and runners and use them all the time. Oh and hand knitted tea cosys in different sizes. I'm just an old-fashioned gal.
BTW we spray roses with washing up liquid.
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