Bugs and diseases

I have finally identified the tree near my compost bins as plum.

My plum tree

Not an expert on plums I noticed there are two kind of fruit growing on it. Smaller green ones that look like they could become plums in a few months, and bigger yellowish ones that look like they were plums a few months ago.
I picked one of each and opened them. The small one is a mini version of unripe plum. The big one was hollow and soft and turning brown already.
I did a bit of searching online and it turns out that the tree is suffering from a fungal disease called pocket plum. No way to get rid of it and it spreads with the wind. It affects something like half of the fruits on the tree and makes them not edible. The only way to control it is to pick the infected fruits and branches as early as possible and get rid of them. I did that. And I also did it to the neighbor's tree half of which is hanging into my garden.
I also read that the disease affects not only plums but other stone fruits like cherries and peaches. Great! Couldn't have planned it better if I wanted to. My cherry and peach saplings are right next to the big plum tree from next door neighbor. Meaning I have to either hope those cultivars are resistant to fungi or to be very diligent in picking sick fruit of both my tree and my neighbor's. Luckily he/she doesn't live here and only comes over to his plot a couple of times a year so I can do them the favor of pruning and maintaining their plum tree best I want without them noticing. I start with just removing the sick fruit a couple of years and see how it turns out. If it doesn't work I will try more drastic measures. I have a very strong feeling that they are the type that don't care and won't listen if I told them about it, judging from the state of their plot.
When I told Chika, she said "oh still half the crop of a tree is plenty for the two of us. No need to get upset over it." Wise words indeed.
Under the newly discovered plum tree, among the weeds I saw this plant with extraordinary leafs.

Some of the leafs have pointy bumps on them

Looking closer I saw that not all the leafs are extraordinarily shaped. And started suspecting that it is some kind of disease or something.

My my would you look at that

It has a pointy bump like a pimple in, not on, the leaf. And it is pointy on both sides. Amazing... wonder what is inside...

tiny orange worm

Genius way of hiding your eggs.
Oh, and I finally start seeing ladybugs in my garden.

Better late than never. Now go eat some aphids.

In the meantime I chase bugs myself. Here is one I found when taking pictures last weekend. It ran away twice, but I caught it and made it a snack/toy for the chickens.

Buaaak... looks delicious