Stuff happens...

One more tarantula... out front near the fountain. That makes three now that I've used the wasp spray on, with full intent to kill them. I don't care what sort of insects the spiders (or tarantulas) eat around the property. Bottom line-- I don't want them here. And heaven only knows how many are out there that I'm not seeing, so I don't intend to go outside anymore without my boots. No more shoes. Boots only. At least if I do step on a tarantula, I won't feel like it's so close to my feet..... the boots seem to give more of a barrier between me and the stuff that's out there.

And another scorpion today.... in the dishwasher of all places. I opened up the dishwasher to empty it and there was the scorpion.... hanging onto the inside of the door. And it had the audacity to curl up its tail at me.... how in the world did it survive the washing?  I scooped it up out of there (using the little dust-vac thing) and then turned on the dishwasher and let it go through the cycle all over again. Are these scorpions that resilient that they can come out of a dishwasher cycle without drowning in the process?

Well.... on the bright side.... with all the hay-mowing and grass-cutting and tree-trimming that's been going on around the property, the mama fox has taken her five little fox babies and moved on into the woods. We haven't seen them now for over a week.

The barn swallows are raising their babies in the nests around the porch. Most of the babies have fledged and are now flying around the yard, but they still come back to their nests to sleep. As a consequence, they're leaving piles of bird poop in every corner of the porch.  The bird poop will attract snakes...... it's only a matter of time.

The orange cat is still around... eating the Meow Mix every morning, and even spending time on the porch with Mickey and Gatsby.  The three cats take their naps within a few feet of one another, without howling or hissing. Orange Kitty is getting along with the outside cats, but I still don't trust him not to scratch or bite, so I keep my distance.

My husband is still spraying the wasp nests around the house.... under all the eaves, by the doors, underneath the railings..... seems that no matter where you look, there's a wasp nest that's either just being constructed or has been long-established and inhabited.  It's getting to the point where I don't want to touch anything that's outside around the property.  Actually, I don't even want to be outside around the property.