My garden visitors this week......................

We have sort of a wildlife sanctuary in our garden. I like to think everyone is welcome here. Skunks, Apossum, Raccoons(not often that we see them) as well as the usual bird life, including our two Mallards. Sometimes though we do get some unusual birds come in for a short period of time. I am just hoping that the Oriels come in this May with the Rose Breasted Grosbeak that we saw for the first time last year. This little beauty is a Yellow rumped Warbler. I have never seen one in my garden.

Nelly and Nigel come every day, they come when I call them because they know they will get food. Yes I give them bread as a treat but have seeds and nuts and fruit on the ground along with water for them. We put out raw veggies too for them and bunnies who may like them.

A handsome couple I must say. Nigel is a good husband and keeps Nelly safe. She loves the small pond we have and all the critters drink from it. I have bird baths at the normal level for birds. Small dishes for bees and one large tray under the feeder where I put the ground food. Nelly has claimed it and was washing herself in it this morning so I had to go clean it out. Nigel doesn't like the Crow getting near Nelly otherwise they get along and they have different feeding stations. Yesterday was Bunny day.

They were chasing each other around, I suppose one may be a male and one female but who knows. Please bring me baby bunnies and I will put some lettuce out to grow for you. I also have carrots. There was at the same time the big bunny who somehow gets through the fences (jumps) and gets the food outside. Someone enjoyed the Banana I put out and nibbled on the 1/2 apple. I now have oranges and grape jelly (jam) out for the Oriels when they come. The Chipmunk has not been around in a couple of days but they are also constant visitors. No cats here now so they are safe. They are also greedy. The Squirrels look like young ones they are smaller than the usual ones. Those I could do without. They have invaded our eves out front and we have Starlings out back nesting over the back door in the eves. Gerry thought he had it blocked off but nope. I wish she would sweep up after herself. The nesting materials fall on the back porch.

Well I must say it's rather like a farm in it's way. I clean up after animals but ya know what, kids are worse.

Spring Clean Up..................

Its that time of year, Spring clean up. We didn't get the leaves cleaned up last Autumn so a real mess come Spring. I need the exercize and it feels good to be active again. I finished raking the back and finished the side. Today I got half of the front done. Tristen has been very helpful. He likes to use the leaf blower, any equipment and he's all for it. I like the rake. More exercize and I use the broom rather than the noise of the blower. The front garden has some Daffodils coming through so that will have to be blown rather than raked. So I hope Gerry will do that for me.

I covered a lot of the space on the side with wood chips, it had the wild lillies on it and was a mess. SO I moved the bottle bush and a plough in that area and when its time for flowers I will brighten it up a bit with those.

Everything looks so bland this time of year. When I am done with the raking and dead heading I will get my glass balls and stuff out. The side of the front will have a sidewalk put in this July so all the fencing must come down. (out back too) We won't do that till closer to the time though. Meanwhile I must do what I can. This time of year is mainly planning and clean up but it's good to see things coming through

I have potted any small pine that I find growing and nurse them in a pot until they get big enough to plant. Gerry doesn't like that idea but he won't see what I do anyway. I like the pines for some privacy. I will also see if by keeping them in a pot they will stay small.

The tiny trees come from the pine cones and deserve a life. Some come up from the Apple tree too but so far those have got raked away. The back is now just waiting for the "Dairy Doo" and fertilizing. I need to get that soon and spread it so that everything comes in nice. I am seeing Hyacynth coming up and Daffs. Last year none of the Daffodils bloomed. I covered the Tulips so the Squirrels or Rabbits don't get them. I think I will pot some tomorrow from the side of the house near Bud and bring them inside.

Some of my ornaments had to be sprayed and repainted but all thats done now. Time to get the rest out. The pond has to be cleaned and I feel so bad for my one fish. It needs some friends, today it was next to the ball it used to play with. So sad. Then we have the ducks who have taken over and become demanding, They hang out most days, my live ornaments

So the rest is for another day. I see the garden places are beginning to open and they have Pansies. I may just get some for the deck. I did buy some seeds and will throw those around and see what happens.