Catch more flies with honey than vinegar? An infestation of fruit flies in my kitchen sent me surfing for a solution on Father’s Day Eve. With everything on hand for a YouTube recipe, I had nothing to lose.
What a gift I would have for RonTom if it worked.
I poured an inch-and-a-half or so of apple cider vinegar into a quart jar and dropped in overripe fruit. Paper, scissors, and a little bit of scotch tape created an inverted funnel. My hand sealed the top rim. For good measure, I sealed it with a rubber band.
Two or three fruit flies were caught overnight. In the month since, with no fruit flies in the air, there’s a layer of tiny flies in the bottom of the putrid-looking liquid.
Outside, rotting bananas and watermelon rinds attract butterflies and small flying insects for the birds.
The premier bird attractant these hot summer days at our place is shallow, recirculating water.
A Screech Owl flew from his stair step roost to the roof of The Rector’s patio last week as Cindy ascended the stairway to their upstairs deck. Her husband snapped a photo as the owl stared at her for about five minutes.
After twelve years in Mountain City, The Rector’s saw their first coral snake this past week. A two-footer on their back porch.
The owner of an Austin-based carpet cleaning service, who has not been to our house in several years, placed us with, “Are you the ones who killed a large rattlesnake off your back porch and placed the mounted skin across the top of your piano?”
Cheryl & Jerald Babbitt on Maple have seen two rattlesnakes this summer.
The great shocker for me this summer, as I’ve walked around our block, has been the rapid wear and tear on our City streets. At first, when the substrate became compacted in the heat of early summer, it seemed a good thing. Week by week the streets look more and more worn.
What changed? As far as I can ascertain (in my knows-nothing about-road construction brain), it must be the heavy garbage trucks. Most of Mr. Green’s customers have divvied out between three or four companies.
These are Mountain City city streets paved with our city taxes. In my opinion, the City must act as swiftly as possible to lessen the flow of garbage trucks.
Down in Live Oak Drive cul-de-sac, several neighbor ladies, who’ve watched Julia Smith Burich grow since the time The Burich bunch moved in, were among a houseful of baby shower guests on Saturday.
The middle name of Julia’s daughter will be the same as hers, Rose. In Brett’s family, all females receive the middle name Rose. Beautiful.
From every nook and cranny of Mountain city, please send tidbits. ptom5678@gmail.com (subject: tidbit) or 512 268 5678
Thanks! Love, Pauline
