A Little Luck

Fay Terry, LUCKY LADY, 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord panel ©2012

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Every spring when I begin washing all the windows, I invariably discover lots of ladybugs inside at least one of the window frames. I'm never sure how they get there but they quickly start flying out and I am assured of another spell of good luck.  I was instilled at a young age with the idea that these charming creatures bring good luck whenever you encounter them, and so far I have had a very lucky life so it must be true.  Not only that, but they are beautiful and varied, harmless, and very good for one's garden, because they eat aphids and other soft insects that harm plants.  In the 1800's they are credited with saving the orange and lemon crops in California which were being eaten by Australian scale bugs.  Ladybugs imported from Australia made the citrus crops totally pest free within two years.

French Marigold

French Marigold

The French Marigold flower is one of the more amazing ‘beneficial’ garden companions that will help a number of your garden plants to thrive with it’s potent pesticide-producing root system while also offering a rather strong aroma to confuse other pests.  Just be sure not to plant them beside beans. It can have an herbicidal effect on some plants, such as beans and cabbage. I plant lots of them and they are cheerful and hardy plants that bloom until the first frost.

6 x 6 in. oil on panel

Up-Beet Spring

Up-beet Spring

There is, in my estimation, only one time of the year better than Spring(and that would

be summer).  Where I live, it gets too hot to enjoy gardening after about June. So you

keep everything watered and just have to hope that all the work you did in the garden keeps it 

producing veggies almost til the first frost. Which of course gives you more time to 

enjoy summer by heading off to the beach every week-end. Just pulled these beets up

this morning and looking forward to having them for dinner!

6 x 6 in. oil on panel