The tale by Ms. Potter comes true, well, almost

In the story of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, he disobeys his mother and eats veggies out of Mr. McGregor's garden. Just before heading out to my favorite home and garden store, I stopped by my mostly neglected veggie garden to see what might be left of my yummy items to harvest this week. As I stepped into the zucchini patch, noticing a good size zucchini for dinner, I heard a soft rustle of weeds which I thought was coming out from under the pine tree near my garden. I moved towards the cucumber to find a small one sprouting from the mostly withered vine, but chose to leave it to grow a bit more. And, the grass beneath me moved. I thought I had startled a frog or something...which I really prefer to have around since they eat the nasty bugs that pervade my edibles.
But, sure enough, only as large as the zucchini in my hand - was a soft brown - very camouflaged rabbit. Small and cute, with long ears, and just a quick to scurry around my fenced in garden faster than I could chase it out towards the gate. Apparently, it must have jumped into the garden from the ill-fitted gate of my mesh fence - which normally sits two feet high...but the gate had been toppled and left open only a few inches from the ground.
As its fluffy white tail hopped or ran as fast as it could in circles around the inside perimeter...I tried to fully open the gate so it would hop out and around and be fully removed from anywhere near my lovely tomatoes.
And...sure enough, it worked. Thank goodness.
I don't know how long it had been there...but rabbits have no place in my garden. Especially since I planted nine tomato vines with barely anything to show for it in terms of actual fruit produced. Everyone said I'd have more than my fill to can and preserve, give away to neighbors, make salsa and spaghetti sauce, and toss with my salads. But, I've just had enough to keep a few on the counter each day, as my family devours the few red beauties I gather.

Hmmm...I'm planning on using home grown compost and additional soil amendments next planting season...but wondering how much time that will take to maintain it then next season. As this season is just about over...I reflect and have somewhat enjoyed not spending too much time in the garden this year. 

shocking...no, not really

My husband is just not your stereotypical guy. He is a first born - like me - and is obedient, loyal, and cautious about just about everything. He hates using jumper cables to start a dead car battery...he hates starting the propane grill...and he especially hates any electrical or mechanical work in our home. Perhaps he's seen too many action movies where those things explode or cause severe pain.

When a strange buzzing sound was coming from the light over the stairs - and the light was flickering even after installing a new lightbulb - he asked..."Who do we know that works with electrical stuff?" Which I responded off the top of my head two very well trained and experienced electricians who we know from church.

He just happened to see one of them last week, and as quickly as that conversation happened, this friend stopped over after church on Sunday to help us out. He checked the light, and replaced a switch. He looked at our outlet in the back of the garage that had been giving us trouble...only to find out it was connected to the GFI cut-off in the upstairs bathroom. He taught us how to remove and reinstall new light fixtures in the front of the garage...and then only charged us half of a normal service call. What a great deal!

So...after lunch, my husband proceeds to go back to the bargain light fixtures we bought from Menards, and evaluate how to install them in the front of the garage - and hems and haws - and continues to stare at it, and read installation instructions - and hesitates to the point where I just couldn't stand it. I, who he will admit is much more mechanically inclined, jumped in to help twist the wires together and screw in the fixture. I needed his help, like a surgeon needs an operating room tech - to hand me the tools and pieces, and to stand by in case I would get electrocuted. HA! Don't send my husband to do a job I should have done in the first place.

It's really okay...he's good at so many other things around the house - like filling the holes in the cedar siding left by woodpeckers - and setting out bait to kill rodents - and climbing on the roof to clean the gutters and check the roof for lifted shingles. I refuse to mow the lawn, or fertilize it, or clean the gutters. And, I insist he put up Christmas lights as we get closer to Thanksgiving... but since that includes electricity...I suppose I'll be helping with that as well. (smile)

My husband is not stereotypical...but his goofy fear of legitimately scary things is actually one of the things I love about him.  He'll actually do the dishes and fold some laundry if he sees it needs to be done. He's not fond of house cleaning, but he'll run a vacuum if I ask him to.  It's not shocking...but neither was the electrical work today.