BIRD
The mystery of the bird photo I posted last week has been solved. My cousin figured out that it is a Sooty Fox Sparrow. I knew it was some kind of sparrow, but wasn't sure which one. Of course, the mystery would have been solved much sooner if I had seen the sign posted at the bird blind which listed the Fox Sparrow as a regular visitor there. Linda pointed this out to me when I told her the mystery had been solved. Duh!NATURE WALK
Our nature walk this week was on the Jewett Pathway of the Greenway. For various reasons, we have not walked along this pathway for the past couple of years. This has always been my favorite pathway to walk on because of the many large trees along the path. Or I guess I should say, because of the trees that used to be along the path. You can imagine our dismay to find that the direction of the path had been radically changed, and instead of it being among tall trees, the path is now out in the open. Most of the large trees have been cut down. To walk on this new pathway in the summer with the sun beating down is going to be sheer torture. The front part of the path is the same, so we can still walk there, but it doesn't go very far before it changes and goes out in the open. I do not know why it was changed as I could not find anything about it online when we got home. Needless to say, we were heartbroken as this was the best path to walk and watch for birds. We even used to be able to see the heron rookery from one part of the path, but not now.
Despite our displeasure with the current layout of the Jewett Pathway, we still walked along it quite a ways, since it was an overcast day and not hot. I continued my search for heart-shaped rocks and found a couple that were definite contenders. I also found a beautiful reddish-colored rock with lots of white lines running through it.
 |
| This week's rock collection |
SPRING
Spring is finally here...I think. Although we are skeptical of saying Spring is here this early in the year, all of the signs are definitely there. The daffodils and tulips are coming up all over the place and trees and bushes are leafing out as well. Linda even had to mow the grass for the first time since last fall. Monday was so nice and warm we both got out in the yard and did some yard work, until our backs told us, "No more!" I got all of the grass pulled up from the vegetable garden area and some of the dead stalks cut back from the rear flower bed area. I figure if I do it a little at a time, I might be able to keep up with it and not have my back hurt too much.
 | ||
| Part of the flower bed has been cleaned up! |
GARDEN DREAMS
Every year when the weather starts getting nice, my thoughts turn to which plants to grow in my vegetable garden. Last week I posted a picture of the seeds I had ordered to start indoors for transplanting later. Today, Linda and I went to the local Country Farm & Garden Center and got some California Giant Garlic bulbs, Candy Sweet onion starts, and Vino Tinto onion plants.
 |
| Upper Left Clockwise: Garlic, Candy Sweet Onions, Vino Tinto Onions |
I have grown the Candy Sweet and Vino Tinto onions before and had good success with them, so I decided to do them again this year. I really wanted to get Walla Walla onion starts, but there were only two batches left and they looked pretty ragged. Although I usually grow regular garlic each year, for some reason I did not plant any last fall, so I don't have any garlic coming up for harvest this summer. This influenced my decision to get the Giant Garlic and give it a try. I know that this is not a true garlic but rather a variant of the garden leek. But I always like to try something new every year, and the Giant Garlic won that spot this year. While at the Garden Center, we went outside where all the vegetable plants are, just to look around. I was about to go crazy with all the pepper and tomato plants there, knowing that it is way too early for me to buy any yet. Since they can't go into the ground until late May, they will just have to stay at the Garden Center for now. Plus, I plan to go to the Master Gardeners' Plant Sale in May before I buy my plants, so what I don't get there at the sale, I will get from the Garden Center.
SUMMER
My blog would not be complete without a parting shot of Summer Girl. Here she is in her favorite summer resting spot...the vegetable garden. Right now it is just a plot of dirt with straw on top of it. But in about three months, it will be full of green plants bearing all kinds of fresh vegetables. I think it is my favorite spot, too. That's all for now, I hope to see you back here next week!
 |
| Summer Girl in the garden |
No comments:
Post a Comment