Mrs. Lady (Bug)

Close up view of my garden.  One of the great successes this season, my tomatillos, still going strong. (Tiny tomatillo forming in the upper right of the photo.) I was clearing out some of summer plants that are finished, making way for some quick fall planting while the weather is still warm, when I spotted this cute little bug.  Next year I will plant fennel because I learned that it really attracts ladybugs, which love to chomp on aphids. Plus, it's tasty, so a win-win. 

A Healthy Farm

The Capay Valley is known around here for its organic farming.  And in fact, the orchard filled with this wild mustard is part of a large CSA farm.  The mustard fields were buzzing with bees, and full of ladybugs.  At any given spot I could probably find three ladybugs in my immediate surroundings.  Ladybugs are a sign of a healthy agriculture ecosystem; they eat a tremendous amount of garden pests.  I'm not usually a primary color fan. My favorite three colors in order are (green, orange, and purple).  Still, I really like the primary colors in this photo, maybe because I don't photograph them very often.  Maybe because they're just so cheery!