Bugs and Garden Update from 7 July

So the harvest and resulting food prep has begun. Yesterday we picked a lot of tomatoes, squash, peas, cucumbers and peppers and put up quarts of the same. We even made salsa and canned it.

First picking of the day artfully arranged by Holly and Judy.

The second picking of the day just thrown on the table by yours truly. The big tomatoes are Chrokee purples and they have a sweet purple flesh...we picked 4 more later on plus a bunch of peas.

Just one bunch of Judy's lillies that have started to bloom (she has many patches)

And the Hibiscus have started to bloom.

The first planting of corn is just starting to tassle, the second corn plot has about 2 weeks to go.

We will be harvesting pole beans in a couple weeks as well.

This is the first planting of giant sunflowers which are about 6.5 feet tall now. The second planting is about waist high.

We should be able to start harvesting the black eyed peas next week.

And now for the bugs. This is a huge Walking Stick that has decided our front porch is a nice home. When end is which?

And we have lots of Katydids...I dont really know what Katydid but I do know what I hope she wont do.

I am not kidding about how big the Walking Sticks are..they do seem pretty harmless though.

We have thousands of butterflys who seem to like the lillies.

And finally for gods sake can someone tell us what this is? Its about 3 inches long and I think its a lacewing but I am too freaked out to get too close. It speaks English and asked us what our blood type was...at least in my dreams. I swear, I saw it snatch a Red Tailed Hawk right out of the air and it looks at me like I am next on the menu.