Diane vs. the Deer

Today over breakfast, my dear (no pun intended) husband was reading the newspaper out loud, "Wow, look at this picture of this guys tulips, he has over 3,000 in bloom right now!" I stopped him right in tracks, "Please do not go on, I don't want to hear anymore about this guys beautiful tulips!".
This is very sore subject for me you see, all of the tulips that I have planted in front of our house were already reduced to little stubs, nibbled to death by visiting dear. It get's worse. . .

I love to garden and grow my own vegetables. For the past 20 years, I have had a garden, and have been to put up our home grown prouce to use in the winter. Expect for last year. . .


I was standing at the sink, cleaning up after breakfast and gazed out the window and my lovely garden, except I didn't see it. Wow, I thought, I never dreamed turning 40 would such a significant change in the way I would feel, but my eyes are already starting to go. I really did think it was time to schedule an eye appointment, I kid you not. Later that morning I went outside to tend to my garden as the kids were playing outside to find out, indeed, I could not see my garden because my garden was gone, nibbled to death by the pesty deer. Thats what I get I thought, it was just the past week I was all smug, that I had a fenced yard, and my neighbors did not. I was safe from the deer that was attacking their gardens. It served my right for my lack of humility, my garden was done and over for the rest of the year. I vowed then, in 2010 it would be different, it would be me against the deer, and this time I would win!


Tomorrow morning my youngest son and I are going to have a field trip to the local hardware store and see what kind of Fort Knox contraption I can invent to keep the deer out. I guees all was not totally a loss last year, I was a able to purchase produce from Ohio farmers at a local flea market and put them up for the winter. But it was not the same, not nearly as fullfilling as going to the back 40 and picking my own. I had high hopes of growing my own rasberries and blueberries as well. We have been paying to pick at local farms, but even that is quite expensive. I am putting that dream aside until I get my current problem figured out.


Do any of you ladies have any suggestions in keeping the deer away? I welcome any and all suggestions, for I am a desparate woman!! In any event, this saga will continue. . . .

Below is a favorite You Tube video of mine, it is on the of growing all of your food withing 100 feet from your door. I have not been able to do that, but do think it is a neat idea!