those nasty red biting bugs are “azalea plant bugs” or rhinocapsus vanduzeei which would explain why i was always attacked when i was working near the azaleas. unfortunately, we’ve so many azaleas that it’s nearly impossible to be in the yard without being near one or fifty. they generally eat azalea lace bugs, but find people tasty, too. ouch.

the rats living under the deck appear to be able to outsmart the snap traps, so i’ve switched to poison treats, my recent viewing of ratatouille notwithstanding. the bait is placed where the dog can’t get to it (outside of his fenced area), but the ROUSs seem to like staggering under the deck to die. snuffy has so far found two dead ones, so i dispatched g with gloves and plastic bags forthwith. they are now in the garbage can, awaiting wednesday’s collection.

rats. bah. i also think they’re eating my marigolds, which is horking me off something fierce.

and in the saga of the icky construction next door, the latest architectural detail is a pair of clay lion heads on the front double-doors. they look like they need door knockers in their mouths, but no, they’re just clay lion heads.

clay lion heads?