The B-52-sized cicada-killer wasps are hovering over my garden, and I must have 8 or 10 mounds of dirt now. They don't seem to be doing any harm, but they are certainly the most industrious thing in the yard. The toad that greets me on the porch is fat and mellow these days. I've picked him up several times to move him out of the way and he just rolls with it. Last night he hopped onto the sill like he was heading into the house so I picked him up and moved him aside. He has at least doubled in size in the last six weeks and he doesn't seem interested in eating wasps.

I figured out that the things I thought were mealy bugs are actually the weird white fuzzy stage of lady bugs, but they're still aphid eaters. I'll leave well enough alone.

SRS