Zucchini Pox

Do you see the beautiful flower below..........it was the hope, the promise, the joy of my garden way back in June when this photo was taken. I was so excited to go out that morning and find this beautiful blossom awaiting me.........it seemed to scream at me, "take my photo." Now I know why..........because flowers on my zucchini plants were all I would see for the next three months.........beautiful yellow flowers, waving at me from their hidden spots underneath all of the big, green zucchini leaves. I planted three zucchini plants this year, only three. In years past, I have over planted and had zucchini coming out of my ears, nose, eyes, etc.........I didn't want to over do it this year. I'm one of those rare people that LOVE zucchini. I can never have enough or get tired of it. So on that sunny morning, way back in June, I was thrilled with my first blossom....I could hardly wait for the zucchini to set on. I waited, waited, waited and waited some more.......lots of flowers, no zucchini. I talked to my plants, loved them, watered them religiously..........waited, waited and waited some more.............nothing but flowers appeared on my lovely plants.........nothing........then finally one day, I spotted a teeny weenie zucchini growing under the leaves.........I was so excited.........my very first teeny weenie zucchini was growing. I could hardly wait until it was big enough to pick...........wait, wait, wait, wait and wait some more........what the heck was wrong with the thing.............it wasn't growing very fast like zucchini normally do..........any other time, you would spot a zucchini one day and have six or seven the next.........well it wasn't happening this time..........I watched that teeny weenie zucchini daily, talked to it, urged it to grow............well guess what..............it shriveled up and died!! Just flat out died! When the next one appeared, I ignored it.........it grew and three weeks later mind you, I picked it. It was the only zucchini that grew on my three plants all summer long.............so much for sauteed zucchini with garlic, Italian style zucchini, marinated zucchini with red onions and sour cream, zucchini bread and way, way way to much zucchini in the freezer to enjoy over the winter months. I was heart broken, crushed in a way I have never been before........my zucchini plants betrayed me, they failed to flourish and grow under my care...........they were afflicted with the dreaded Zucchini Pox.......they failed to flourish, thrive and produce. I picked one little teeny weenie zucchini the entire summer...............what a sad, sad state of affairs. So be warned...........Zucchini Pox is on the loose.........it just might be coming to a garden near you! Excuse me now while I go call the CDC to inform them of my dreaded Zucchini Pox laden plants. Then I must go have a ritual pulling and killing of the plants.............they failed to produce, so they must be gone, gone, gone from my sight................then I really must go ponder more complex matters in my life.........like why, oh why did the cat decide to pee on the dogs bed!!!!