Eliminate 'Parasites' from Your Life

The dog days of summer are pure bliss in my garden. No matter how lousy a gardener I have been that season, there comes a point when everything seems to bloom. I wade into the lushness of tomato plants that tickle my waist, step gingerly over the massive cucumber leaves that have grown big enough to protect their fruit from the harsh summer rays, and stoop to inspect many varieties of peppers that are growing vigorously.

One day, I came home from work, stepped out of my car, and headed straight for the garden, only to be faced with the horror that every sunny-day gardener has encountered at one time or another. There before me lay the decimation of my efforts. Every lettuce head was gone, gnawed right to the ground. Several peppers lay half-eaten, and at least five of my largest, juiciest tomatoes hung mortally wounded, bleeding seeds and juice out of their once-firm torsos.

I don't think there is a more maddening, hopeless, helpless feeling. Much of my summer toil was devastated in one short day by some nameless, faceless marauder who had sauntered into my backyard for an afternoon morsel.

The next day, the fence went up. Installed 2 feet underground and 3 ½ feet above, my new fence was my statement to the animal kingdom that I intended to protect my assets. That seemed to take care of the lettuce-eaters but I was still coming home to tomatoes that were partially eaten and damaged beyond salvation.

More frustrated than ever, I stood sentry by my window, awaiting the arrival of my enemy. Soon enough, along came a group of neighborhood crows, eyeing my tomatoes like some sinister gang that wouldn't take no for an answer. Of course, I flew out my door in a rage that sent them scattering in every direction. That was when I got the scarecrow, the mesh netting, and the bright yellow, one-eyed balloon that claimed to be the solution to my bird problem.

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