Squawks and squabbles.......

The house finches have been hanging out in our trees. There is now quite a crew. There are a few really bossy ones.



Every time this little blighter came down it picked a squabble with someone.


There was quite the gang coming and going. This shows the pretty colours.



The rest of the bunch were sitting in the tree and grapevines......just waiting their turn.

March Winds.........................................

March Winds, April showers, bring forth May flowers.
It's the same every year and it is a comfort to know that sure as Winter follows Autumn ...Spring will soon come again. I always feel so bad when I see little critters dead on the road in the Springtime. They have made it all through those lean winter months only to loose their little life in the Spring when things will get better for them.
Here in Michigan the saying is "In like a Lion out like a lamb" so we hope for an early Spring when March comes in with snow storms. This year I just don't know. Its not been a normal winter and so can we hope for a normal Spring?
In England it is my favourite time of year. Lambs and blossoms. Everything gets green and beautiful the Spring flowers in abundance in the fields and hedgerows. I miss that so much.
Our Spring in Michigan does not really begin so early as it does there. We have a couple of months yet before we see real blooms like Daffodils and Hyacinth. I know that in English gardens they have flowers already. Blossoms too and the lambs................

The lambing time is special to me because I remember when we would have the babies who had been abandoned by their mama's. Mrs Dryden would make a bed by the electric fire and we would get to feed them the bottle. To teach them to suck one would let them suck a finger with milk on it until they got the idea, then insert the nipple from the bottle. It was a strange feeling holding the little creatures with their little hooves, they were the size of a small dog but the little feet were hard. Their wool was tight and soft. They soon grew strong enough to join the rest of the sheep.
Gathering Catkins and Pussy Willow for our mums, probably the first things we could gather to bring home.

Dad's Garden...................

I think I got my love of the garden from my Dad. When we first moved into our (council) house on Bidwell Hill it was wild to say the least. The front was all blackberry brambles and the back was all Gooseberry bushes. I remember Dad looking out the front window to see a small boy picking blackberries. Dad says "what do you think your doing?" and the reply was "I'm getting berries for me mums pie ain't I".......well it was not long before the brambles were gone and the bushes. A lawn was started and a hedge. Later on two beech trees were planted out the front. It didn't take long for the privet hedge to grow to about chest high and that was where he let it grow. He kept it trimmed and shaped. After awhile he exchanged the lawn for crazy paving with a rose garden in the middle. Mr Miller down the road also loved his garden and I think there was a little competition going on. Mr Miller would walk by and look over the hedge to see how Harry's roses were doing. In order to do the same Dad had to take the dog for a walk down that end of the road so he could assess the situation.


He put in a gate to the back garden when we got Poppett the poodle. He also grew the hedge in an arch over the gate, it was very pretty. The Forsythia grew up the front of the house and was a real picture in the Spring. That is until the Sparrows kept nesting under the bedroom window. After a while the Forsythia was cut down so he could sleep. The dawn chorus comes early in the Spring time. We had a very nice big Lilac bush and the Blackbirds liked that and so did the Thrush for nesting. The back garden was a riot of colour. Flox, wallflowers, chrysanthemums, Peonies, pansies and well just about everything imaginable that he could get his hands on. Most came from other gardeners in those days. His garden bloomed from Spring to Autumn and the first Snowdrops and primroses fought for space with the Daffodils and Tulips.
His garden shed was covered in Japanese Quince and was just wonderful when in bloom. The side of the house was covered in Honeysuckle that he had got from Ashridge woods one year. An estate close to home, all woodlands.



We had one apple tree at the very back, I have no idea what kind of apple it was but it never got ripe. I picked and ate them all long before they ever got to that point, Mum may have managed a couple of pies but I think those apples were the best I ever had. He also kept one lone Gooseberry bush from those that were there in the beginning. As I got older I wanted to know more and I asked for my own garden. He dug up the side for me by the fence to next door. I was so proud of "my" garden. I know he was the one who did most of the work but I felt like I did my share at the time. I remember planting pansies that grew so he must have gone along later and made sure they were OK. I loved being in the garden with him and later on my daughter did too. She was quite small when we left England but there were a few pictures taken of her and her Granddad in the garden



The pictures are not my Dad's garden but pictures found on the web. If anyone claims them I will be happy to credit them or remove. I do not have my own pictures on the computer yet. This is just to illustrate or give an idea of what I am saying.

Granddads helper............

I sent them outside to throw some snow around. It melts quicker that way. Unfortunately we got more snow overnight so was all for nothing. Well not exactly it got them both outside and some exercise. I loved to watch Tristen being so helpful..........of course it was not long before he found the mud puddles. His jacket is covered in mud now. Still he had fun, thats the main thing, those things do not bother me any more.

There was a time when I would have stopped a kid from splashing around or digging up the dirt, wrecking my garden but.......is it worth it after all? Isn't having fun more important in the long run.? Within reason of course. Moving the mud is much more fun than moving the snow



He said he needed a smaller "shubble"



The poodles are staying way away............





Meanwhile lets put our backs into it.

Its wet and dreary.................

A wet and dreary day today but some pretty reflections on the drive. Puddles better than ice maybe.

It is almost a pond but not quite. The dogs do not mind going out and running around between showers. Bijou did not want to come in, is that a look of defiance?

The cat was not sure if she wanted to negotiate the puddles but went out anyway.

How long before I can share pictures of flowers? The sky had some pretty clouds when the rain stopped.

Blue skys again....................

Well today did a reverse again and out came the sun. I went to the store yesterday and got a couple of plants for the house. I love the smell of Spring.

These go into the garden as soon as I am able to plant them so I can enjoy them again next year.


I have had quite a bit of luck with this over the years. Most everything that I have put in the garden in the Spring has come back up and spread.
Today I looked out to see who was at the feeder. There were two squirrels, a black and a grey. Seems they are now friends after a winter of eating together at the feeder because they were playing. They took off into a nearby tree when I opened the window but I was able to get a couple of cute pictures.


They may look like they are being naughty but they were just grooming and playing but I am sure its the beginning of a relationship. I will soon see baby squirrels maybe?


There were the usual visitors, the Chickadees and the finches. Today the male finch came and I did get a couple of pictures of him looking handsome.

Mid February......

Its time to at least begin to think of Spring. We have had some lovely sunny days with blue skys.



Today winter came back though and its cold and blustery. Snow is covering the garden again where yesterday it was almost gone.


The squirrels are looking frosty today but it does not stop them from filling their fat little bellies. Yesterday I hardly saw any birds at the feeder but today they are coming in again, all fluffed up and cute.
Its time to take stock of your garden tools. Get them all cleaned up and handy. Time to sort the garden shed too

At least that's what I was thinking yesterday. Today my daughter came in and said the roads are terrible and its back to winter for several days ahead. So I will wait. I opened the door to let her leave and about got blown over, its freezing out there. Roll on Spring

February ...........cats dreaming.

Boots saw a bird working on our siding. She was dreaming of what she would do when she caught it. Dream on Boots, its not going to happen.


Here are a few of today's visitors.





The Mourning Doves do not go far from the feeder, this one is napping in the tree while his mate is sleeping further up enjoying the sunshine.



The cat could not Take any more and went to sleep waiting for that bird to come into the window again.


I am linking this post up to Sunlit Sunday because Boots is so happy in her sunbeam....so I am linking with My Little home and Garden in the hope that a few people will enjoy the post.

Golden Fish.......

Golden fish in garden pond
hides beneath the lily frond
Flash of yellow, amber and gold,
Jumps the surface feeling bold.
Makes a splash but quickly hides
To the bottom he gracefully glides
He plays among the water flowers
plays hide and seek for many hours.
Ever watchful shy and sleek
careful to avoid the Heron's beak.
Coon and fox and many more
Seek him out with deadly paw.
Still he swims with spirit and ease
Lives his life just as he please
Has no fear of what life brings
just for this day his heart sings.
For Golden fish life's full of fun
Morning up to setting sun.

Unfinished poem, Feb 2012 JKS