Eyebrow Raised

"All humans have a species of mite that lives in the follicles of the eyebrows on our faces.  I'll bet you didn't want to hear that bit of news!  But wait, there's more: another species of mite lives off the glands that branch from the follicles of these same eyebrows.  That's right, we have two species of mites living on our faces, and there is nothing you or I can do about it.  So, when I warn that it is better to be a laissez-faire gardener and to turn the other cheek (or eyebrow), you had better listen to me or else I'll have to tell you something that might really get your attention.  I don't want to have to be forced to do that." 
-  Eric Grissel, Ph.D., professional entomologist and amateur gardener.  Insects and Gardens, Timber Press, 2001, p. 32.  I've enjoyed reading this book, obtained from the Tehama County Library in Red Bluff, California.

One book on our home library shelves that Karen and I have enjoyed using for five years is:
Garden Insects of North America, The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs.  By Whitney Cranshaw.  Princeton University Press, 2004.  Index, appendix, 656 pages.  It includes hundreds of color photographs.  This book is "the most comprehensive and user-friendly guide to the common insects and mites affecting yard and garden plants in the continental United States and Canada." 

We are both always looking around in the garden for life on the move.  A microscope or magnifying glass helps with seeing our wonderful world a bit closer. 

Lately, we have been harvesting plenty of Swiss Chard for our lunches and dinners. Delicious! 

Insects and Other Little Critters

Quotes for Gardeners

Hey, Shifu Miao Zhang, "Do the bees have Buddha nature?"