Our winter was mild. So far this summer, the temperature rose up to 80 degrees––some days in the 90s, not so often. Towards midnight it begins sliding to lower 60s.
During the day, it’s pleasant. Along with this pleasantness nature also brings additional surprises––weeds with stunning white, pink, yellow and purple flowers have overtaken the grass in our lawn. (We are letting them have their summer). And it has also produced snails . . . snails!! They gorge on my flowers and plants, endlessly ––petunia, Zinnia (really??!), beans, pumpkin . . . last year I grew pumpkins with no objection from snails and slugs. But I had to constantly deal with a different kind of visitors––TUTU (deers)!
My granddaughter Izara named them Tutu. We respect her choice of name . . .
Tutu in Hawaiian language means grandma or grandpa. The Cambridge English dictionary defines tutu as a female ballet dancer’s costume, or skirts worn by a ballerina.
. . . Tutu visits us often––alone, with family and friends, any time of the day and night. Some with antlers arrive with their entire harem. They feast on my flowers and plants. I have made a scarecrow, and keep sprinkling black-pepper and garlic powder on the vegetation to repel them. It’s a home remedy. Works till rain washes it away.
It was late afternoon. I was checking and pruning the flowers in my backyard garden. Suddenly one Tutu passed me fearlessly, totally ignoring my presence. I watched mesmerized as she grazed around––seemed like an adolescent-deer. I decided to "shoo" her if she ventured towards my plants. Luckily, she was interested only in the grass and the weeds.
What a beautiful creature––with devastating behaviors! I took out my phone and photographed, videoed Tutu. Izara was still in her preschool-day care. I knew she would love to watch the videos and listen to my encounter with Tutu––same story multiple times . . .
During the day, it’s pleasant. Along with this pleasantness nature also brings additional surprises––weeds with stunning white, pink, yellow and purple flowers have overtaken the grass in our lawn. (We are letting them have their summer). And it has also produced snails . . . snails!! They gorge on my flowers and plants, endlessly ––petunia, Zinnia (really??!), beans, pumpkin . . . last year I grew pumpkins with no objection from snails and slugs. But I had to constantly deal with a different kind of visitors––TUTU (deers)!
My granddaughter Izara named them Tutu. We respect her choice of name . . .
Tutu in Hawaiian language means grandma or grandpa. The Cambridge English dictionary defines tutu as a female ballet dancer’s costume, or skirts worn by a ballerina.
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| Izara & Tutu in our backyard |
. . . Tutu visits us often––alone, with family and friends, any time of the day and night. Some with antlers arrive with their entire harem. They feast on my flowers and plants. I have made a scarecrow, and keep sprinkling black-pepper and garlic powder on the vegetation to repel them. It’s a home remedy. Works till rain washes it away.
It was late afternoon. I was checking and pruning the flowers in my backyard garden. Suddenly one Tutu passed me fearlessly, totally ignoring my presence. I watched mesmerized as she grazed around––seemed like an adolescent-deer. I decided to "shoo" her if she ventured towards my plants. Luckily, she was interested only in the grass and the weeds.
What a beautiful creature––with devastating behaviors! I took out my phone and photographed, videoed Tutu. Izara was still in her preschool-day care. I knew she would love to watch the videos and listen to my encounter with Tutu––same story multiple times . . .
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| On my patio . . . |
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| . . . backyard |
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