Just as I was entering the season of harvest I arrived to check on the garden and saw three of the Zucchini plants decimated and prostrate, yellow and brown and full of bugs.  June bugs!  Hundreds of them.

I didn’t get any good pictures of the bugs because when I saw what was going on I quickly began to pull the plants out of the soil and get them out of the garden.  I was ill.  Hundreds and hundreds of them were busy making their home there in my garden.  Eating and mating and laying eggs to provide for their next generation.  I remember why they are called June bugs now.  The plants and the fruit was ruined.  My intention and vision for that pace was taken over and used for another’s purpose.  They did not ask or say thank you or even kiss my ass.  They had their own purposes and set about to accomplish them.  After I calmed down during the clearing of the mess I remembered seeing some small signs of them last week which i did not attend to.  By not acting then I in effect gave my leave for them to do as they willed in my garden.  With no deterrent from me I guess they felt they were entitled to whatever suited their needs.  There are some people like that.  Those who seem to just take what they want as though their needs, wants, whims, should be addressed simply because they are.  The problem is that many times they intrude into others’ gardens to satisfy them.  If they are not deterred there is a risk the garden will be ruined.  I was raised in the Christian faith and from childhood was taught that I should be kind.  I agree with that.  The problem is that many times that sentiment is not correctly interpreted.  It is taught as though the command is to “be yea nice.”  But kindness and niceness are very different things.  Nice always says “yes” even when a “no” is required.  It can be sweet and gentle but it can also be weak and allow predators in with the sheep.  Kindness is based on a true response to a given situation.  Kindness seeks the yes but can if need respond with an unequivocal  hell no.  It was not the June bugs fault that they wanted my garden.  It was beautiful and lush and rich.  An ideal place for them to reproduce.  It was my fault for allowing them to get a foothold and then not acting after they did.  I saw a short video which may be instructive.

I am guessing the boy went home and perhaps rethought his life’s path.  What ever was the result I am guessing he did not attempt to put down roots in the big boys garden anymore.  I think there are times in a person’s life when god’s will for them is a swift ass whipping.  I think that it is most likely the only hope for stupid.  I am not promoting violence but force is the only thing a bully understands.  It may just save their life later on.  A skinned knee and a knot on the head won’t damage a boy, but being allowed to continue down a predatory path may just lose their soul.  Even Jesus gave some folks a good country ass whipping with a whip he made himself.  He was clear, decisive, and used appropriate force.  I don’t think the money changers harbored any doubt about his intention and willingness in that matter.

Are there people in your life who have been allowed to bully, and take, and intimidate, and set up shop in your temple?  God’s will for them and you is that they do not inhabit your garden.  They need to cultivate their own.  And it is incumbent upon us to tend and protect what was entrusted to us.  No, or even hell no, is also kindness.

Lesson remembered.  So I looked around and found that there was a Yellow Squash and one Zucchini that I doctored and trimmed and may yet salvage.

I planted a young Zucchini and two purple Russian Heirloom tomatoes in the empty space.  The young Zucchini will probably last through the late summer into fall and the tomatoes are something I have never grown before.  So, it’s all good.  I planted watermelons in the large container and they should be pretty spilling down onto the hay in a month or so.

The cool thing about all of this is that in spite of the little setbacks the garden continues on producing its fruit.  Perhaps not my original intention but this may even be better.  I was going to have way too much Zucchini anyway and the Cucamelons in this container were stunted because the plant in front blocked the sun.  Now they have full sun everyday and can grow.  Plus I can have some watermelon to go with the cantaloupe.

Just remember that bugs nor bully’s give a shit about you.  If there is going to be a shit given about your garden or your temple it will need to be you who gives it.  Cause if you don’t no one will.  And remember that grace sometimes comes in the form of a knot on the head.   Be redneck Groovy! 🙂