Raccoons love tomates

They look so cute - little furry creatures with dark masks and ringed tails.
But they are INFURIATING little critters!!!!!

There is at least one raccoon hanging around my garden - you know, the one that is fenced 7 1/2 feet tall to keep the deer out - and he/she has wreaked havoc this year on (in order of disappearance) 1) strawberries 2) grapes 3) tomatoes 4)whatever is next on his/her dinner menu.

I am beside myself. Not only do I fight rain or drought, bugs, fungus and leaf spot, moles and voles, mice, rabbits, birds and squirrels, now there are RACCOONS! Argh!

Last weekend, I wound a second layer of fencing around the tomato beds (two of three anyway) and I actually harvested three, count 'em THREE regular sized tomatoes this week! Woo hoo! Sounds great, except for the dozens I have already missed because of that midnight marauder! Grrrr.

Even the Juliet tomatoes weren't immune from his/her destruction. So I covered them with bird netting too. What a PAIN...not only to drape but to reach into to GET those ripe tomatoes.

What I don't do for a little organic food each year!

Astilbe in bloom

I know I need to keep a garden log so I know when things are blooming - then I could plan for planting next year, right? But I am usually surprised by blooms, with the exception of daffodils and crocus.

So today, June 25, 2010, the wispy astilbe are starting to bloom. They last only a blink so I try to enjoy them every day. The pale pink spears almost don't qualify as blooms. No individual flowers are visible. But a collection of their tiny blossoms is almost ethereal.

Have to look up the name of this shorter variety - I know I had to special order it, but didn't label it. Next task: putting permanent garden labels on all my plants!