Fun in the garden.................

I was looking out the window and I saw a bunny. So I rushed to get my camera.

He is a bit blurry because I took through the closed window. This one sits there and looks like a bunny. After a bit I realize he/she is not alone. I watch for awhile and they start to play. Chasing around the front garden leaping and bounding and then I see there are three of them. They race off down the road. I am afraid they will be hit by a car.

I went and watched out of another window and saw one cross the street. Pretty soon they again raced through my front garden. I wonder if they were courting?
Looking closer I wonder if they are Snowshoe Hares? They seem to have white fur that is changing to the summer brown? Look at the back feet they look like hare not rabbit. They are the size of my small poodles.

This one laying down certainly looks as big as my poodles.

After a rest and a few more laps they ran off across the road and down the ally. I hope they come back, I hope they have a nest and raise babies. I hope the parents beat the crap out of any cats (including mine) that go near. They are big and strong enough. We have had babies here before and I love how they will face the wall and stay still. Seems they think if they cant see us then we cant see them. I put out seeds for them. I think our local Skunk was indulging last night.
The next picture is of our Mourning Dove who is nesting on the porch

This is where the nest is. Above where I hung my friends hoops. She lands on that and then pushes her way into the nest

Cardinal is singing his heart out on the garden post

Well not much excitment since then but I do hope th bunnies come back. I must be sure to have seed down so they dont eat my flowers. Hmmmmmmmm they look like they would eat a lot.

A new bird in my garden............

The last few days I have seen a stranger in our midst. I have not been able to get a good picture because every time I see it I dont have my camera. Well I got one very blurry shot.

A little research and I think we have it.

This is the one. They are indeed thrushes. My first guess. They are smaller than my English thrush but a thrush none the less.
A Hermit Thrush.

I read about it and that confirmed it. This delighful little chap has been hanging around for several days now. Two in fact, a pair of them. Male and female. I am hoping for a nest. They stay low to the ground, hopping around in shrubs and in the flower beds. They like old leaves where they can get bugs and things. Aha competition for the Robins. This little chap is not shy either. I was sitting by the pond and she was sitting in the tree next to me. I got a good opportunity to study her and get the details. Like the ring around the eye. I examined her colour a lovely rich brown with a pale breast. The male had speckles, I could not tell if she did or not but she was so pretty. She went down into the garden next to me and found bits to nibble on. Or maybe bits for a nest somewhere close by. I will keep my camera handy.

Mrs Robin.....................

I went out into the garden today, I wanted to see if I could find something to write about. Well I did take a few very boring pictures. Nothing is more than an inch above ground. Still there was a Robin feeding, or at least looking for worms. So I waited and hoped to get a few pictures.

Then I noticed he was gathering nesting material. The nest is on our porch. Oh no. Every year the Robins nest on our porch. Do they not see the cat?

Well she was certainly determined, but we had one who was pissed off every time we went out the front door. She eventually left. I had one who woke us up in the middle of the night. Her kids were jumping out of the nest and fluttering off down the road. There was someones cat after them. There I was in my nightdress, middle of the night chasing baby Robins down the road and popping them back in the nest. Robins can be a pain. After that she came back for a 2nd batch and we have had at least one Robin nest there every year. Most do not make it. Has to be hard being a Robin parent.

Last year some Blue Jays nested out back and they had 4 babies. Something got them and they all died. Its such a shame. Must be heartbreaking to get that far to loose them all.
Meanwhile as we were looking around the yard for growing things, we noticed the pile of snow still on the side of the garage.


Well there is a few crocus popping through. They came from Bud's yard, thank you squirrels.

Beautiful arn't they....wont be long and Spring will be bursting out all over. I hope.....

It's here, it's here...........

That clean up time of year..........and oh what a mess it is. Gerry went outside today to do a litte raking. I swept the deck and paths. So much mud. Well, especially because Tristen has been playing out there in it. The snow broke the fences. I am actually happy about that because it means I have to do something about it. We have wanted a higher fence for a long time but could never aford it. Now we have no choice. Meanwhile things are starting to grow.


The poodles are just soooooo happy to get off the deck and recheck their territory.

Bodicea enjoyed the sun

Can you see Bijou on the snow?

Then someone came to Buds house and everyone went to check that out. We had a poodle path there but took it out.

Boots the cat came with the poodles and showed them around.


This is Boots after a reprimand for watching the fish. Hmmmmmm

I can not wait till all the snow is gone so all the old leaves can be raked up and the tidy up can begin.



Boots has been able to go where she wanted all winter but the poodles were confined to the poop deck. That now needs a good hose down. Next week mayb we can get that done.

They Made it through............

My fish, they all made it through what was probably one of the worst Michigan winters since the early 1970s. I am not sure how the records would agree with that but since the blizzard of 1978 I don't remember one this long with this much snow. So I was concerned. The pond was covered with several feet of snow and that is a good thing. We kept the pump going but could not tell if it stopped or not.
Today I went to check on them because Gerry said he had seen a couple of fish.

Last year we were shocked to find that the 3 gold fish, had a baby. I did not know that would happen in a very small pond. I was more shocked to find he made it through winter. I had to wait awhile because he is very hard to see.

My first couple of attemps at keeping fish, they all had names. It was just too sad when they died. Yes I get attached to my fish too. Well, I said if they lived I would name them, but I don't want to jinx them.

We will try to not disturb the pond too much this Spring, it will need cleaning but I do not want to disturb it too much. Hope if I can keep it going as it is then who knows, may have more babies this year,
I must ask my cousin how long the babies stay black. Good camouflage anyway, so maybe they stay black for a few seasons?


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