one more to go.........

Started out the day with a quick walk around the gardens.  Squash nibbled, cukes gone, peas almost gone, new damage to the rudbeckia and echinacea.   But all in all things were looking up.  The monarda had bloomed as had the daisies.  A new favorite combo:  drumstick alums pushing up through the daisies.  Alums have a tendency to fall over in the slightest wind or rain and the daisies are great support! No staking this year!

one of the last remaining rudbeckia bloomed...... the variety is Toto mix.

the first lilies bloomed this morning too.......

I weeded the vegetable garden, tied up the tomatoes and did a slow burn when I got to the peas and beans!  That's it, set the trap!  Clearly Mrs G. Hog was undeterred by a little shock from the fence.

I had an ear of raw corn and popped it in the trap, scattered the husk around and went back to the weeding.  Planted a couple containers of basil, parsley and lettuce and noticed the sun rising higher in the sky.  Ran in to get a tank of water and headed out to the studio.  

While sitting there trimming pots and listening to a riveting story on cd.  I heard... SNAP!  

My brain registered........ trap!  I dropped my tools and sprang from stool only to find Mrs. G. Hog pushing her way out of the trap to freedom!  NOOOOOO!!!  I had you in my icy grasp!   Curses and curse you and your evil children!  She had eaten the corn to a nub.  One more ear left....... kind of like your last match when lighting wet kindling on a cold winter morning.  

I thought how dumb can she be?  

Surely she would be so freaked out she would gone today.  

Back to trimming and my riveting story!  An hour later..........SNAP!  I sprang up, pole vaulted over the dog and ran out the door.  GOTCHA!  I slammed my foot down on the door as she rammed it with her nose. Her High Holy Queen of Mean-ness was flipping out!  She turned and rammed the other end of the trap which I quickly picked up and slammed against the woodpile.  She pivoted and rammed the trap door again.  Unbelievable!  

Now what?  How do I get this whirling ball of fur, teeth and claws to the truck?  

Walk 5 steps and drop the cage on the ground while holding the door shut.  That stunned her enough to walk another 5 feet and drop the cage.  I prayed to all that was sacred the trap would hold together just one more time.  Sorry but I got pots to make and you got stuff to eat so cooperate!  I heaved her into the back of the truck and slammed the tailgate and cap.  Ran to the studio and put everything under plastic and book on hold.  Grabbed my car keys and camera.  Off to the toxic waste dump!  Your kids are going to be so happy to see  you!  My hands were shaking as I put the key in the ignition after snapping her mug shot.  

Finally arriving at the super fund site I peered though the window on the cab of the truck and she was not in the cage.  Great.......  I had visions of dropping the tail gate and one fired up fur ball would launch itself onto my face....... shades of Monty Python.  I opened the cap door first and in the back of the truck in the corner was Mrs G.   Talking sweetly I told her I'm going to drop the tailgate now and you just mosey on out to your loved ones....... don't you worry about that 3 foot drop, you'll never feel a thing.  

I gingerly removed the cage to give her free running space and she just sat there.  

Moving to the front of the truck I pounded on the cap and said; GET OUT!   The second or third bang did it.  She took off on a run and was air born, if only she had had a little cape a new super hero would have been born.  In fact we were both air born and I hurled myself into the cab and slammed the door!  I watched her go through the review mirror.  

One more to go......... glad it's the last little one and not another Mrs. G. Hog!  

and now back to your regularly scheduled studio time..........