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.

Back yard drama.......

Not a lot going on in the garden but the local critters keep things interesting. We have a pair of Mallards who come every day. They wait for me to see them and expect me to provide treats. Last year they were a lot more shy, this year not so much. They have got used to me apparently. They came into the drive and up to the gate as I threw them some bread. I named them Nelly and Nigel. So yesterday I was working in the garden trying to clean up around the deck. A lot of Winter accumulation of bird seed and veggies around there now the snow has melted. Well apparently they might still want that because they both came and supervised. I left them to it and went and got some corn and seeds and put that under the bird feeder in hopes of distracting them. Nelly went in the pond and Nigel ate the corn.

Nigel is such a handsome fella and he takes good care of Nelly. She will languish in the pond or take a nap and he stands guard. Well then there's a crow, actually a couple of Crows who come around. I had thrown out some bread for them all. The Crow got a bit that was rather stale and wanted to dunk it in the pond. Nigel said no.

Its fun to watch the interaction. Crows seem to be quite timid. Nelly is very comfortable here and after her bath she takes a nap. When the coast is clear he will relax.

Just recently there seems to be little in the way of bird activity. I have no idea why except maybe nesting time. I am hoping that they come back soon. The best thing we did was moving our bird feeder and putting the Squirrel baffle on it. It has kept down the Squirrel population. Still a couple of them come around but not like before.

Today the Crow was really brave. I missed him in the bird bath but he came on the deck for bread. So then I got my camera and watched the interaction between him and Nigel. Nigel is the boss. He shood off the Crow because Nelly was in the pond again.

Can you make out Nigel with beak open wide and Crow is flying away. The Possum has changed shedule apparently. I leave food and its gone by morning but has not been around for me to see. Could be someone else but in any case I haven't seen them. The bear from last year who was visiting Meijers parking lot is back, he's running around the surrounding neighbourhoods but has elluded the live traps so far. hahahahah...........wish he would come this way. I have plenty of food for him. When they get used to people though the DNR removes them to woodlands far away from people if possible.

I wish I could say that was my picture but alas, he won't visit me.

Spring is in the air....................

It's only March and we were able to get out and rake. Doing just a little each day. Yesterday I cleaned the deck and front porch. That was a big task right there but I was able to put out my new cushions

I have to put out flowers next but that means finding a basket and then waiting til I can get live plants. Nigel and Nelly have been regular visitors. Nigel is so handsome. They are there now cleaning up the corn and stuff thawing out by the deck. They saw me throw out bread for the Possum and the rabbits have greens tonight. Last night they had Tristens left over snacks of pretzels, marshmallow and popcorn. Some fried eggs and nuts. I take care of my critters, we are told not to feed bread but they love it, all of them do so hey, it fills their tummies.

I was standing at the back door today and I swore I saw Snowdrops in the garden. It was quite a distance but sure enough it certainly was. I can't believe I see so well at a distance but cant see stuff right in front of me.........ah well. It is what it is. So then I had a look around to see what showing. Quite a few things coming up. I am wondering if the Hosta that Jo gave me last year have made it, I took the dead stuff out and just tips are showing in some pots. The stuff in the ground take much longer to show up. Iris are breaking ground. I didn't rake the leaves off the gardens, it's too soon, we may yet get snow. In fact it's probably guaranteed but at least I am getting and early start.

It looks rather barren but as soon as it rains it will green up. I took out the poodle paths, those patio blocks because I needed something under the big bird feeder. That side garden will be getting a complete overhaul because we have to take down the fences for the side walk this summer. Saved me buying blocks, the center I will fill with stone. It will keep it a bit tidier as the seeds fall there.

We pulled out the plough that was tucked into the side garden in back. With the fence coming down I can fix up things in the back and use the old fences now to make the back garden completely seperate. RIght now I have old wrought iron in there but its still see through, using the trellis fencing like the swings, arches, it will completely seperate. I like that. Have then a secret garden back there and will work more to make it special. Out front the black iron fences have to come down too so before anything grows back I will fill in the area under the Pine with wood chips and move the two ploughs out there. They came from Justin and Carries house in the UP. If I don't get there soon the old lillies will come up and they are just a mess, and never bloom.

My shrubs are growing well out there so I hope the side walk construction doesn't damage the stuff I want to keep. Anyway just a few things from today. I am trying to pace myself because my body sure hurts when I am done and so much yet to do. When I get a rainy day I will paint the outside wood ornaments and spray them before putting them out. My table is covered. Fabric, sewing machine, knitting and paint stuff. It never ends, and will never be a real dining room.