Haven't ventured outside yet. BUT, the other day I did find one 6'1" male with an iPod in whipper-snipping the fence line up past the mango trees.   

SherylS wrote:

Little tiny black bugs... They are like aphids but black and infesting the herbs and soft veg. I've never seen anything like them before. Anyone have any idea what they are and what to do??

Aphids don't just come in 'green'.............try washing them with soapy washing-up water & see if that works for them.
After that normal bug spray I'm afraid. If you leave then on there too long they will sap the strength of the host plant(s).

2 kids with a vacum...................... today was lovely so I sent them out to clean out both cars! 

Amazing all that composting of old veggie peelings, lawn clippings and garden waste has finally paid off.

Went outside to see how the pathetic planter boxes were doing and found them brimming with new healthy spinach plants and self seeded tomatos growing up with no help from me or hubby at all.  Mint and some self growing sweet potato too! Guess it is never too late to get the garden into being productive.

The new drainage arrangement that hubby made over Summer seems to have taken away all the excess moisture and raising the soil up in boxes has stopped the plants from getting wet feet, yay we might just finally have a working veggie garden.

Seems crazy to be complaining of wet back yards in this country, but I think the house was built without thought to the shape of the land and where the water flowed. 

frizz1974 wrote:

Birdy.. our yard slopes toward the house.. there is a massie storm drain but water still nearly gets to the doorsill if the rain is heavy enough.

Im weeding today.. the front yard.. it is in need of attention & just an hours work will put it to rights I think..

Frizz guess it is a more common problem than previously thought. Looks like your mountain or my river flats, it doesn't matter where you live, they will always allow houses on natural watercourses.