Pretty Flowers and Deer Deterrent Spray!

Yes, I'm alive and well, even if I haven't updated this lately! Spring is finally here, almost. It's cool and rainy. But at least everything is nice and green again!

I've still got three amaryllis bulbs that I planted in various years that my grandmother gave me at Christmas...(she gave one to each of her grandkids for several years).  I buried them deeply and they have lived thru the winter outside.  Here is one of the bulbs that has just sprung thru the ground.  I'll keep you updated on the progress and hopefully I won't miss the day it blooms!!

Some ivy that I "stole" from my buddies Bill and Kay's coastal cottage. 

My hostas are very happy this year....see the last photo for why the deer haven't nibbled them to nubs this year!!

This is a "deer victim"... it's the Sky Pencil shrub that we got as decoration at Miranda and Richard's wedding.  The bottom 3 feet of the plant are NOT supposed to be bare.  When I first saw this phenomena this spring, I thought the plant was dying or was diseased.  Closer inspection told me that something had just nibbled every single leaf  from the bottom 3 feet of the plant!!  So, I got really busy with my homemade "deer deterrent".....and now the leaves are growing back in nicely.  The deer have decided the McCraw property has "nasty tasting" leaves!!!  See below for more info....

Homemade deer deterrent - it really works!!  Drawback is that you have to reapply after each rainfall....

Just mix about 2 tablespoons "dollar store" cayenne pepper in a jug of water.  I strained it thru a very fine mesh filter to take out all the actual spice particles.  They will clog the sprayer.  Just put a few drops of dish soap in an empty spray bottle and fill with the spicy water.  Spray on plants - the dish soap makes it stick to the leaves a bit better.  It doesn't hurt the plants at all.