This blog is about my garden and the outdoors. I am new to photography but I am trying to show some of the pretty things that grow here in Michigan. I love the wild things who visit me and I dont mind if they eat a bit here and there. I like it more if they let me take their picture. As time goes on I think I will try to show you around the beautiful area that I live in as well as my garden. I try to use my own pictures as much as possible but will also use pictures from the web. If I inadvertently use your photo or work without permission please email me and I will remove it or give credit if you prefer. I will give credit when I know who the owner is. I would ask that anyone using my pictures do the same.
... I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.......Psalm23:6
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Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Birds in October...........

The weather is getting cold. The veggies are about done. In fact I picked all the green tomatoes that were big enough and I am thinking of making Salsa Verde. I will smoosh them up in the blender and freeze until I feel like doing it. Meanwhile the birds are beginning to come in to the feeders. I will keep them full now.
While out the other day I got some pictures of some birds at a window feeder at the coffee shop. It may look like it was snowing. Nope that's bird snot. Still it looks pretty, just like snow right!!!
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I could have stood and taken pictures for a long time but the coffee was ready. We sat and drank the coffee before going on.
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Meanwhile at my garden feeders
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Some of the plants I have brought inside are doing quite well.
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The little finches were very happy
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The usual suspects all arrived. The Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Nuthatch both male and female, and the Yellow Finches. I can't wait to see the others come back soon. The Blue Jays are always there.
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Then we have the rodents haha
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Laura is lucky where she lives she gets the Fox, skunks and Possums. We do too but not where I can see them darn it all.
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I am sure we will see a lot of Mr Chips, unless Bessie gets him first.
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Well, that's it for today. I hope to be able to get some good bird pictures this winter. I am using a different camera and need to get used to it. My old Kodak died finally. Sigh..........I will miss it.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Bringing in the sheaves, I mean house plants.................

OK so every Spring I put out most of my houseplants and bring them back in the Fall. They seem to enjoy that. The Spider plants get huge (I think of Donald Trump now every time I say HUGE). I never know who to bring back and who to just let go. The Boston Ferns I bought this year are wonderful. I have wintered ferns before and they get stringy by Spring. Sure they pick up once outside again but never look the same. So what to do. I hate to see then die. I have three of them and nowhere to put them.
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The Spider plants I usually have a place for those. Except this year two of them got really big for the spots they normally go. So what now. I could put them up in a bedroom but then I forget to water them.
This one is big and bulky. I will trim off the babies and see what happens
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This one is more manageable and I think I have a spot for this one.
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Actually that one could go in my bedroom. I could also put one in my bathroom. They may do well in there.
I brought in some Begonias because one I kept over last year did really well in the house. These are just to pretty to give up on.
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I hope the bugs got left outside. I do not like bugs.
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At the moment these are sitting on the back of the church bench that is in front of the old back door. It does not look as though Gerry will be getting that done before winter so thats a good spot with plenty of light.
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The others are sitting on the washer and dryer. For now. I don't know if the yellow begonia will be any good but I will cut her back and see what happens
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Does anyone have any luck with these in wintering over?
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Some plants just fit right in and others are just a pain. I just hate to see something die if it does not have to. These Spider plants replaced a cactus that was not doing well.
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This one with the fern may not do well but it's getting a chance.
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This plant survived last winter inside and did well outside so here she is again. Twice as big. I am not sure it will like this spot in the entrance, it may get too cold when the door is open. I am trying to think what it's called. It has those pretty drooping flowers that look like little ballerina's.
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One Geranium. I have some big ones but cant save everyone
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This came in last year too. No idea what she is but was flowering so in she came.
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This guy did well in the house last year in this same spot so........we shall try again.
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I have several more that are not looking so good and I am not sure what to do with those. They are alive and would probably perk up inside if I cut them back.
Bessie was watching the proceedings
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Talking of Bessie. She came home with a note on her collar. Some lady down the road who I do not know. She said "I love your cat, what is her name? I have been feeding her" she left a number so I called her. She just loves Bessie and wanted to know she was not lost. Wants me to put her name and number on her collar. Well I did suspect Bessie visited people, I have seen her greet people. I had an idea food was a part of her program. Anyway we had a nice chat and she promised to stop by.
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Monday, October 17, 2016

Nothing going on..................

Not much happening in my garden. It's a mess. I had a yard sale during the nice weather. I think I ran that 4 days or something like that. It was fun but a pain too.
I could have spent the time working in the garden but looking around I decided it probably could wait until Spring. That is unless we get some more nice weather. By this time of year things are dying back so it's sort of hard to tell what needs to be done. The Hosta's do better in pots, they come back earlier. So I am placing those strategically around the garden.
By the way, someone ate all the ones out in the front garden. Hmmmmmm.
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This was a very disappointing year for butterfly. I had almost zero visitors. I grow things they are supposed to like. No luck whatsoever. Although I did see a hummingbird a couple of days but could not get a picture.
My vegetable garden did quite well. It was not big enough but I learned a few things. Cucumbers climb trees
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Tomatoes can become vines. They have spread all over the garden. We did however get enough tomatoes to supply us this summer. They taste so good, and I don't like tomatoes. I know what ones to buy next year and will try something a bit different. I will move the herbs to the other side and put the tomatoes where they can lean on the fence. They were so big they dwarfed the peppers. They need to go somewhere else. I have plans. I will grow some things in tubs in the driveway where they will get enough light.
Meanwhile the Mums are doing really well this year. The pink, burgundy and yellow all grew in size. So did the Asters. We got enough rain to give everyone the growth they wanted
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The Ivy took off this year too. I was pleased to see it filling in the spots that I want filled.
this one is cute, its gone white.
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My roses all did well this year. More light out front helped. Next Spring I will be digging up the garden by the road and planting Knockout roses. The ones Jason bought me, mini roses did very well when I planted them and still have flowers
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The Holly probably should be pruned but is doing well. It gets bigger each year and always has berries
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I planted seeds in two hanging baskets and they grew just fine but I didn't realize they bloomed later in summer.
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There are small apples on the tree out front. I think the deer have been helping themselves to the apples and my Hosta. Fine by me but please stay for a photo opp next time
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Pretty leaves, slow to change in my garden. Still plenty of time although wind and rain may bring them down first
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Winter will soon be here, time to plan for next year. I look forwards to the birds coming back and I am setting out the feeders to coax them in. The Chickadees are all happy and cheerfully indulging and I saw a male Nuthatch, I hope he sticks around. I am looking forwards to that.