Screened In

 

If you haven’t noticed the ‘out of control’ mosquito population at all hours of the day and night, then you’ve been screened in my friend. It’s been absolutely brutal to be outdoors, let alone to garden or to even pull a few weeds. And that’s in broad daylight, when mosquitoes should be sleeping.

So what outdoor activities have you successfully accomplished with this overrun of mosquitoes taking its toll on our summertime fun? Okay, just for the record. Here’s a $20.00 endeavor I just had to share. This handy dandy mosquito net sized to fit over a standard patio umbrella came in handy last night. With a table and four chairs, yes, the confines are a bit tight but if you tag along further, it all worked out. Although the two dogs had a look of ‘this is a large crate with our owners to boot' but we all managed to enjoy a bit of fresh night air. And if you can believe it, it was all done mosquito-free.

For once this season, we enjoyed a fire in the fire pit, a summer pasta dish with canned tomatoes, garlic and basil all from the garden while listening to country music (can you believe it – I guess I’m hooked) until the wee hours of mosquito feasting without getting one single bite. No sprays and no doodads other than this $20.00 purchase from the Christmas Tree Shop – what a bargain! One warning - getting the water inside the bottom tubing (it holds the netting in place) was a two-person operation and a tad messy at times. But we had a few laughs getting wet so chock it up as an extra bit of $20.00 fun.

So that’s it in this world of fashionable garden chic. Yes, there are more expensive screened-in options but this was a ‘$20.00 on the cheap’. The only thing missing last night were s'mores; Robin, we were looking for those tasty supplies.

It's about that time to wrap it up with a quote. No matter the pesky obstacles, let’s remember the niceties of summer as Hal Borland reminds us. “Summer is a promissory note signed in June, its long days spent and gone before you know it, and due to be repaid next January.”

And if you think this weather is giving you bad hair days,  just look at Ben’s.

Happy Wednesday - we're halfway there until the weekend.

Images by Ann Bilowz © 

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