RODENT REVENGE AND GRILLING DELICIOUSNESS

 I did it!!!  After a summer of being plagued with squirrels eating the garden, the gophers decided to start on the front yard…my rose garden.  Rodent demolition!  So after 2 weeks of trying to flood them out, running water down the holes for hours with nary a little rodent nose poking up, and only managing to raise the water bill and burn my neck in the sun and get a headache from the heat (in case I haven’t informed you, it’s been HOT AND HUMID), I went to the True Value Hardware store and purchased 2 gopher traps and 5 Big Giant gopher hole bombs. I was determined.

Upon arriving home with the weapons of mass destruction, I read the directions. First and foremost, you must find the runs. Oh yeah, that’s easy…NOT!  So I dug and probed, and probed and dug….then got the hose. I filled the bermmed rose garden area with water until WHOOSH, the holes where the gopher had back filled previously used holes, opened up and water ran in. Stupendous….now I could see where they were and which way the tunnels ran.

Then I went to the wells around the nectarine tree and did the same. Three opened up. Then last I went to the climber on the arbor. As I stood there filling up the well, one hole opened up and began taking water. An instant later, Mr. Gopher stuck himself out of a hole on the other side of the well, soaking wet  and looking miserable. He slowly trundled out of the hole, while I yelled for Roy to get  the shovel. Being Roy and only having one speed, too slow, I dropped the hose, grabbed the shovel and chased the vile critter to where he stopped under the plum tree. As I got close, he turned around and looked at me with his beady eyes and big bucky teeth and…..whack. Right on the head!  Second whack, and he was a goner. Just like playing Whack a Mole….and I won!!!!

I know, it sounds vicious and cruel, but he had already eaten dead two roses, numerous snap dragons and mums, and perforated my side yard like Swiss cheese, and was working on my 2 year old healthy beautiful nectarine tree.  I love nectarines and home to have bumper crops in the future. He had to go, and this was pretty quick and humane, which I understand that sometimes the traps are not. 

So, strike 1 against the rodents. Now if I could just sharpen my aim and get those damn squirrels I would feel completely vindicated!!!

The rest of the day was spent with Roy and Carly, talking, resting, relaxing, and grilling. The grilling was delicious!  Rib Eye Steaks with Montreal Seasoning, Yellow Crookneck Squash and Zucchini sliced into large slices and marinated in Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette and grilled, Fresh Pineapple Slices sprinkled with cinnamon and grilled, and the best were the Shrimp Drizzled with Persian Lime Olive Oil and grilled in their shells. They were fabulous!!!  No formal recipes here, just delicious easy grilling fare spiced to perfection and eaten mostly with the sounds of “ooooh” and “yummmm”, and “ahhhhh”.  Remember, use those spices, marinades and especially deliciously flavored olive oils for all your grilling this summer and keep things simple and delicious.  The Persian Lime Olive Oil, along with others (the 18 Year Old is fabulous) and all kinds of delicious balsamic vinegars, can be ordered on line from Olive U in Prescott at http://oliveunaturally.com/