Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy

Look what I found when I went out into my garden today! They are completely unmarked by the squirrels. I was harvesting all the nasty, nibbled on zucchini and found these three! I generally like them a little larger (Who doesn't?), but I wasn't about to tempt fate. This was a gift from above, so I took it. Nothing like a little zucchini to bring some sunshine into my soul today. And I already have plans for these little beauties. Chicken Pesto Pizza. Yum.

Mary, Mary Quite Contrary....

Mary Mary quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and rusted nails

And pretty maids all in a row.

Check out my bumper crop of rusted nails! I'm not sure whether

I should can them or make a pie. I'm open to suggestions.

I do really like to garden, but sometimes I am so perplexed by the randomness of it all. Such as my inability to grow zucchini, but to have such gorgeous dahlias.

But seriously, I have no idea how these nails got into my garden in the first place! This is not the first year I have had a vegetable garden, and I have spent hour after hour on my knees weeding, so how come I am finding them now?? Do they drop from the sky? Are they a gift from the squirrels? SERIOUSLY. My grandfather was the person that built my vegetable garden and I know he wasn't THAT crazy. He was an amazing gardener and had "The Knack". That, and the time.

I have neither. But I try.

Where is my zucchini? Or, why I hate squirrels.

I want to inflict some serious harm on these little buggers. We have an ongoing battle at our house with them. The last few years in October, I put our carved pumpkins out a few days before Halloween and they would gnaw the faces off within hours. Why? I don't know. Last year I put our pumpkins out the day before Halloween and put clear fingernail polish over most of the pumpkin. Results? Only one little nibble.
Last summer, I planted in my garden for the first time zucchini, pumpkins, corn and edible sunflowers. As we watched our plants grow, I noticed on each of the zucchini plants and the pumpkins there would be a small spot that had been nibbled. That's it. They didn't even have the decency to take the whole plant. I wouldn't have even dreamed of eating them after a squirrel had nibbled on it. All I could think of was rabies (I know I'm paranoid). It made me so mad to see our hard work wasted. As the time came close to harvest our corn (which looked beautiful), I had the joy of watching the squirrels climb the stalks and have themselves a feast! I would yell at them from the deck of our house, chase them and throw various items in their general direction (I promise no squirrels were harmed!) Then the sunflowers...same thing. Oh, the pain I suffered.
Fast forward to this summer. No corn, no pumpkins (the plants died), only unedible sunflowers, but I couldn't resist trying to grow zucchini again. The thoughts of stir-fried zucchini, zucchini bread, raw zucchini, grilled zucchini - it called to me. I had to have it. Well the little buggers tried a new line of attack to throw me off. They dug up ALL of my green bean plants. WHY? I have not a clue. They just dug them up and left them where they were. Grrr.
So, back to the zucchini. Same approach as last year, a little nibble here, a little nibble there. I am "supposed" to be overflowing with zucchini right now. I am "supposed" to have more zucchini that I know what to do with. I am "supposed" to be trying to pawn it off on unsuspecting strangers.

Harvested zucchini count for the summer - 0.

It's too much for me to handle.

It's war.