The Little Garden That Could

​​AN INFUSION OF LADYBUGS IN THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN

​​​AMAZING RESULTS -- GIVEN THAT SEEDS WERE MERELY SPREAD

​IN A RATHER WILLY-NILLY FASHION.
​(AIN'T NATURE GRAND?)

​ANOTHER LADYBUG. I'M TOLD THEY BITE.
​(AND YET, IN 65 YEARS OF DEALING WITH THEM, I'VE YET TO BE BIT.)

​A WONDERFUL PLACE IN THE EVENING FOR A GLASS OF WINE.
AND QUIET.
​(DEPENDING ON THE TRAFFIC. IT IS, AFTER ALL, HARLEY SEASON)

GREAT THING IS ...
AS THE EARLY BLOOMERS FADE, NEW GROWTH APPEARS.
​IT'S A HAPPY PLACE.
​WE CALL IT "NORA."

​CLOSE UP OF A LADYBUG.
PERHAPS THE BAT-SHIT-CRAZY NEIGHBOR IS RIGHT.
​MAYBE THEY DO BITE.

​MR. BITTERMAN AND FURIOUS GEORGE LOVE "NORA," MAINLY BECAUSE ALL THEY HAVE TO DO WITH HER IS TURN THE WATER ON EVERY OTHER DAY FOR FIVE MINUTES AND PULL A WEED OR TWO. (WHEN IT GOT OVER GROWN A FEW WEEKS BACK, THEY WERE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND, LATER CLAIMING THAT THEY GOT LOST ON THEIR WAY TO WORK THANKS TO ALL THE DETRITUS IN THE BASEMENT.)
​
​AFTER WATERING, THEY CAN USUALLY BE FOUND HAVING AN ADULT BEVERAGE IN ONE OF THE ADIRONDACK CHAIRS, OR GNAWING ON A PIECE OF WHATEVER THEY FOUND IN THE BAT-SHIT-CRAZY NEIGHBOR'S VEGETABLE GARDEN. HE DOESN'T KNOW WHO TO BLAME FOR HIS LACK OF VEGETABLES.

​I BLAME THE LADYBUGS.