LILY DEATHS, LAWN DAMAGE, MORE

April showers: When acclaimed director John Ford was filming The Quiet Man on location in Ireland, it was explained to him that, "If he could see the mountains in the morning it was sure to rain; if he couldn't see the mountains it was raining." Easter comes late this year--not until the middle of the month--but already white lilies abound. And that spells a possible fatal attraction for frolicking felines. Despite some controversy there now seems little doubt that lilies of any kind can kill cats. So, sorry, but it's one or the other. There are, of course, many other flowers that are safe to have around our furry owners.

Diversion No. 1 Buried in the side of a mountain in Svalbard, the Global Seed Vault stores virtually every kind of seed. And on a recent Wednesday, that seed vault got even more seeds--almost 50,000 new samples--to help preserve biodiversity. Those returning samples include the ones sent out in 2015 to replace a collection that had been damaged by the Syrian civil war, reported ScienceAlert Lawns scratched and torn are an indication that raccoons and skunks have been hunting for overwintering white grubs. The latter move up in the soil as it thaws, noshing on roots and killing the grass above. Apart from letting the predators have their way, there are no non-chemical controls. There are bio-controls, however, but these must be applied in late June and July. Fortunately, our hard winters destroy many potential invading pests and pathogens. Consider, for example, the recent emergence of New Zealand mealy bugs, also known as golden root mealybugs, that have devastated northern British gardens and are moving south. Gardeners have little ammunition against the bugs as they are resistant to pesticides and can survive outside all year round, unlike most mealybugs which need warmth. Diversion No. 2 Cheerios maker General Mills announced it had given away 1.5 billion wildflower seeds as part of a campaign to boost the global bee population, exceeding its goal tenfold. But the seed mixture is not area-specific. Worse yet, it contains seeds such as those of forget-me-not, banned in Massachusetts as an obnoxious weed, and California poppy also banned in southeastern states [Tech Times] Bulbs brighten flower beds as well as those viewing them--and that includes squirrels. Like mindless destruction by lager louts, the furry little beasts seem to delight in tearing blooms apart. Sprinkling hot cayenne pepper may deter them but be frequently repeated. Inevitably though, the blooms will fade and seed pods form. Remove these to divert energy to the formation of new flowers for next year. Do not under any circumstances cut back the foliage, however, or you will defeat the whole exercise. Plant annuals to disguise this, if desired.

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Diversion No. 3 "Nobody sees a flower--really--it is so small and takes time--we haven't time--and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time," American artist Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986), revered for her paintings of enlarged flowers. A new exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, N.Y. for the first time combines her art and wardrobe with photographic portraits that show her meticulous sense of austerity and detail The Irish and Welsh celebrate their national saints in no uncertain terms. No matter that meteorological conditions are frequently enough to blacken any daffodil or shamrock unlucky enough to be exposed. So why aren't the English equally enthusiastic over patron St. George? True, 23^rd April is a trifle early for roses of any colour. Some, however, blame the extinction of dragons as not in keeping with modern conservation practices, whether to rescue captive virgins or otherwise. And, alas for poor St. George, the latter are also somewhat rarer on the ground . . . Cheer up though: in Newfoundland St. George is celebrated as a paid holiday on the Monday closest to the 23^rd. Diversion No. 4 Police say thieves who stole a beehive--and 50,000 bees--from a Melbourne backyard could now be suffering from a high number of stings. In a pun-laden media statement, police said they "bee-lieved" the hive was taken by "wanna-bee apiarists" from a Coburg property between 24-26 February, and officers were "combing the area for clues," explained a straight-faced ABC News Melbourne Happy birthday to Dutch gardener and novelist Gerbrand Bakker, born 28 April 1962 who has shown, as he says, that gardening and writing are compatible. He acquired his gardening license in 2006, working as a skating instructor during winters. He is presently renovating a house in Germany, complete with garden, writing cabin and verandah.

Said a calendar model named Gloria "So the men can enjoy real euphoria, You pose as you are In Jan., Feb., and Mar. Then in April they want to see moria!"

(quoted by Bennett Cerf 1960) One last thing, despite Easter being late this year, don't pour boiling water down rabbit holes or you'll have hot cross bunnies.