Jeana’s Journal

The grasses that grew so profusely in the fields during our wet spring are now very dry and they are home to billions and billions, and probably more than that, of grasshoppers. A mild winter (temperature-wise), with a deep snow pack that protected grasshopper eggs, has resulted in a grasshopper plague here of epic proportions. A month ago they were tiny and a minor annoyance. When walking from the house to our garden/orchard, that is some distance away, tiny white specks (baby grasshoppers) flew with every step in the dry vegetation.

Time has passed and the grasshoppers have flourished. Munching away on every available plant they have grown into positive monsters. Today, one or two steps along the path toward the garden sends a shower of the hopping demons in every direction. They don’t plan ahead (or look before they leap) and likely as not they fly into you as away.

In defense of our garden/orchard we have learned that they do not like to be wet and so we keep that area of our yard well watered. We soak the garden early in the morning and late in the afternoon which has protected our produce to some degree.

A flock of starlings has made note of our watering schedule and they arrive early in the morning and feast on the grasshoppers who have been caught unawares in the garden area. Water and cool temperatures hamper the quick reactions of grasshoppers, making them an easy meal for the birds.

  A few mornings ago, after a huge breakfast on the back porch, one of our outdoor cats, Queeny the great hunter, noticed the flock of birds in the garden and crept toward them for a bit of sport. I was working inside the house with all of the windows open. I had noticed the starlings busy at their breakfast in the garden and was half-listening to their excited chatter among themselves.

Suddenly there was a great outcry from the garden and I looked up just in time to see Queeny sprinting toward the house with a look of terror on her face. A large group of the feasting starlings was giving chase. I had to laugh, it is not often you see the tables turned and the hunter being hunted.

Meanwhile, we are combating the grasshoppers as best we can, trying mightily to save the trees and berry bushes by making them as unappealing as possible to the hopping monsters. Our vegetable garden is thriving on so much water and we are soon to have fresh tomatoes, yellow crookneck squash, onions, cucumbers, and beets on our table in spite of those nasty insects.

At the moment, we are longing for cooler weather because with it the grasshoppers will be gone!

P.S. I have heard your pleas for the Christmas quilt pattern and I greatly appreciate your support. I am still considering it’s feasibilty and the format for possible publication. If I do publish it may be next spring. That will give me maximum exposure and it will give me time to finish the quilt. I will keep you posted.