My goji berry plant (as posted about back in March) was alive and kicking! However, white flies and aphids started destroying its leaves faster than it was growing new ones.

Until I saw its recent new growth, I prepared to say “Adios!” and “Guess I’ll see you next spring, lol”. I’m assuming the two spiders hanging out at the top act as a deterrance. Yay!

(I would post photos, but Xanga photos is currently down.)

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“Ye shall know me by my poop”?!?

We adopted a cherry tomato plant over the Fourth of July and it’s not looking so hot likely due to a number of factors: (1) it’s too hot and the weather is not agreeing with it, (2) I may have underwatered it in the beginning, and (3) baby caterpillars!!!

I’ve since moved it to a place with more shade, and I’ve been giving it time to absorb water instead of draining it as before. Today, I had some time and decided to tackle the last problem.

I started noticing black tiny round er, droppings (though I wasn’t sure what they were at first) littered in and around the plant soon after bringing it home. Like poppy seeds, but not. Then I found a baby caterpillar lounging among the leaves. A lightbulb went off.

I recalled how the farmer would know there was a tomato hornworm directly above when he saw droppings on the floor. (To be sure, I’m glad these are not tomato hornworms because I do not want to touch those. He’d just hand pick them and stomp.)

So bam. Between yesterday and today, I must’ve dispatched 5 of these babies. It’s kind of like playing “I spy”. Unlike some bugs, they don’t try to run away. They hide, binding two leaves together with a sticky cocoon-like substance. Then they feed on the leaves, leaving them holey and tattered, while they grow, grow, GROW!

*Ahem.

Here’s to hoping I don’t see more “poppy seeds” tomorrow

We get til July 31st to “save” Xanga. Check out John’s post here: http://thexangateam.xanga.com/774253132/our-vision-for-xanga-20/.

The one part I wholly agree about is the second paragraph under “2. Community.” I just started over at WordPress (same moniker) but it does feel like I’m publishing to a vacuum. In a way, I like it — I get to just write. I always thought I did that here, but I guess after a while I was writing to blog, and not blogging to write, my blog held so much sentimental value to me.

At the same time, even if I don’t continue blogging with Xanga, I would love to see it continue in a new form. All the new features that come with Xanga 2.0!! It’s exciting just to anticipate the fired-up, full throttle blogging platform Xanga was always fit for.

See y’all around the blogosphere!