August 31, 2026
On August 21, we looked out the window and saw that the pig pen was still there.
I had started a new morning routine, I go out to the garden in the early morning and try to catch leaf-legged bugs (true bugs). “I hates them.” They are related to stink bugs and when grabbed, smell like stink bugs. They destroy tomato fruits and vines. Cosmetic damage, my foot.
There isn’t much you can do based on the research I’ve done. Picking them off in the morning seems to be the consensus. They don’t pick off like Japanese beetles. They are more active in the morning and will fly away quicker. I am getting faster at catching them and dumping them into a jar of soapy water. I still have to scrub afterwards to get the stink off my hand. I tried gloves and I am not fast enough with gloves on
About an hour later, I went inside, proud of my day’s catch and to scrub off the stink.
I looked out the window and the pig feeder was gone! Bruce was excited as well. Someone took it away. We hope they’ll use it to feed their pigs and not turn it in for scrap metal.
I looked at all the cucumbers I had and came up with the idea of cucumber salsa. After a quick online search, I discovered I had reinvented the idea. Still, it was a good idea, it used up some of the cucumbers, a tomato, and hot peppers. It was a success, it went great on the tostadas I made for dinner. An aside note, Bruce likes tostadas better than tacos.
After dinner, we had part of of the Crenshaw melon for dessert. It was so delicious!
The sunset was lovely and a little unusual. We watched it from the front yard, and it was splendid. We went through the house to grab our tomato hornworm hunting gear, and when we came outside, we noticed the clouds to the north. They were part of the splendid sunset.
Blackberry Homestead 