Flowers like little yellow butterflies

This is what happens, when you watch a film like the 'Pan's Labyrinth' (written and directed by Guillermo del Toro) just before you sleep. And upon waking read a bit about Quantum Mechanics...then you go through the day slightly dazed from lack of sleep and abundance of thoughts. And then you run at dusk, with clouds engulfing the last bit of sun very suddenly. It's dark...the shade of the road and the grass on the sides commingled to a hazy grey. And yet there's this sense of a keen clarity in your head, with the background sound of your own foot-falls surprisingly serene. Your senses feel more alive, your memory sharp. Obviously, all you are good to do now is write. 

So, whether it was a previous lack of this heightened sense of awareness or mere chance, but I'd never so far mistaken the pretty flowers on the Cherry tomato as little yellow butterflies. But this morning I actually believed I was seeing them, resting gently upon the green leaves of the plant. It was also a pleasant surprise then to see a couple of grape like buds...the first beginnings of cherry tomatoes to be. 

The Suhyana Tomato meanwhile is kind with its bounty. Looking forward to some colour in the fruits now.

Incidentally along with the welcome arrival of fresh green leaves and infant fruits, there have been some objectionable arrivals too. The gentleman below was found in my wash-basin at midnight. He seemed very angry and darkly hypnotic. What followed wasn't pleasant.

The pug-marks below then were found first thing in the morning...just outside my place of work. Professionals from the forest department have been called to declare which feline animal they belonged to. A leopard has recently been ensnared incidentally, not very far from this location. Understandably people are sure it's yet another one (and possibly with cub).

Meanwhile, the rest of the plants continue to grow happily, steadily. That's five of the rucola saplings fast transforming to true leaves, waiting for the right moment to find themselves in one of the hydroponic rafts. Which by the way, as systems seem to work like little islands of magic. I've consecutively for three weekends now plucked off the rich Spinach, Swiss Chard and Basil leaves from the three raft systems. They just seem to grow back on, by the time it's Friday. 

 Sadly, equally persistent have been the aphids. They are after the bell peppers and the three different types of chillies I have. So far, the finger squishes have just about kept up with the silent persistent suckers. Now, I intend to up the ante. So the tri-oil mixture (geranium, citronella and neem) I've used twice hasn't proved to be all that effective. Consequently I've searched a bit more and have come across a couple of options (naturally, natural). I intend to try them one by one. So the first has led to a pan of water awaiting overnight, thus. 

The intention is to drain the water in the morning and spray it all over the affected plants. Can't wait to spice things up a bit...more so for the aphids. More on this, as it progresses.