Evil, just evil

My garden has been growing terrifically this year and I'm pretty proud of the green gardening thumb that I'm starting to develop. 

But every year there is an obstacle, a challenge that I have to over come.  Last year it was little animals eating my new plants.  I took care of them by pouring my pee around the perimeter of my garden and shaking a little cayenne pepper on the leaves of the plants. 

Now I'm sure you're laughing and snickering to your self about the pee thing.  But I'm serious, it really does work.  Try it.  And if you have an extra helpful husband, send him out there.  Boys love peeing outside. 

So back to my challenge this year....Japanese beetles, also known as the "2011 Enemy #1"

Here's the little bastard. 

This one is dead. 

I drowned him in a bucket of sudsy water. 

Who knew a bucket of sudsy water could bring such joy to one's heart.

Here's my cute little rhubarb plant at the beginning of the year. 

So cute, so little, so full of promise and hope and dreams.  Ok, so I'm being a little dramatic, but once you see what the above little evil one and his friends did to my precious plant, you will understand.

Here is the rhubard a mere 2 weeks ago, healthy, happy, strong, growing bigger and bigger every day just to make me proud. 

What a great plant, brings a tear to my eye.

And then this guy shows up

And the happy story is over.

Get out your kleenex, because this is going to hurt

This is what the rhubarb looks like now.  

This is where the sad story ends.

I found myself the internet and all it's glorious wisdom and it's go-time now.  These boys have messed with the wrong gardener. 

Bucket of sudsy water, check.

Organic smelly stuff that you have to buy online, check.

Big plastic sprayer bottle thing, check.

You boys will wish you never even took one bite out of my baby.