Deer and Japanese Beetles

I can’t recall a year like this one in which Japanese beetles are ravishing our pole beans. It’s a wonder that the vines are producing.

This morning my plan was to spray the vines before the sun had appreciably risen. With plan in mind, I was on my way to the garden when I saw a deer through the azaleas. I stopped and peered at it through the azaleas and I could see it looking back at me. I slowly walked through the opening in the azaleas, somewhat surprised that the deer didn’t take off in the other direction…it simply stood still and eyed me.

Then I saw why, about fifteen feet beyond the momma was her baby. Slowly I turned around and headed back to the house. Not far from where the fawn stood was our road, not far from our road was another well-traveled road – I didn’t want to spook the fawn and cause it to run in a panic onto either road, and I didn’t want momma and baby to be separated.

The beetles have a reprieve – what’s a few green beans compared to a momma deer and her fawn?  Besides, I can buy a can of green beans at Walmart for thirty-eight cents.