We do not have a Liquid Amber tree in our yard, but the neighbors do. These trees deposit horrid little Spiney Ball Things, every season, all year round.
Spiney Ball Thing
Our yard is full of them. I imagine if tree-less residents can collect many buckets of the damn things, that those who own the actual Spiny Ball producing trees must use them for firewood. Or, perhaps something profitable. Why else would you not chop the #$%&*@! things down??
Our pool vacuum stops working because Spiney Ball Things clog the intake. Even though my hubby diligently removes them (often having to dismantle the vacuum hardware to do so), 5 minutes later he has to do it again. After the 6th dismantling of the day, his patience is gone and the vacuum unplugged for the rest of the filtering cycle.
Only algae, tadpoles and mosquitoes enjoyed the pool last summer. Thank you, Spiney Ball Things. The filter blew a fuse (so did hubby) and required many new parts and TLC to get it working again. As luck would have it, the county was doing aerial surveillance for the mosquito abatement team right when the pool was at its peak of nasty, murky and slimiest greenness. Thanks to the SBTs. (Sorry for the acronym, but I am sick of typing “Spiney Ball Things”)
By the time the county got around to sending over an inspector with a notice, the filter was working and the pool was clear. Whew! We were not fined. This time.
If you are thinking “just cover the damn pool” – I say “HA” to you! Our pool IS covered. SBTs drop and roll in regardless. They are very sneaky varmints.
SBTs appear to be indestructible as well as sneaky. Our dog loved to toss them into the air, catch them, toss them again, and when she got bored with that, she would eat them. Sometimes she would just come across one and eat it anyway. After going through her digestive system, the SBT’s were intact. (I bet they hurt on the way out!) SBTs are hard and sharp. Do not go barefoot in our yard. And if the dog suddenly starts limping please remove the SBT from her paw.
When the nuclear holocaust comes, the only survivors will be cockroaches and they will be eating Spiney Ball Things.
Or the other way around.
Jodi Lea's Place 