Because she was finishing up her homework prior to singing at the St. Edward's Arts Fest.
Caught her smiling . . .
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Choir Performance
Why is Arianna dressed so nicely?
Because she was finishing up her homework prior to singing at the St. Edward's Arts Fest.
Caught her smiling . . .
Because she was finishing up her homework prior to singing at the St. Edward's Arts Fest.
Caught her smiling . . .
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Garden Walk
I don't know what this says about the health of the tree in which the woodpecker has made its home, but I certainly don't begrudge it a place to nest.
Guinea Hen: a pioneer. How this found its way into the Japanese Garden is a mystery to me, but I'm glad it did and hope it likes it enough to produce offspring. Every year I circle this flower in the catalogs. And every year I leave it off the order.
It's a unique little flower. The checkered appearance is especially gay.
The lone azalea. I think my soil is just to darn heavy. This shrub hasn't perished, but it's certainly not thriving. A project for this Summer . . . amend the soil, thin out the competition (hostas, hellebores), and see whether this make a difference next Spring.
The old stand-by: Bleeding Hearts. I foolishly tried to divide these last year. Only one division survived . . . across the yard at the new-ish bed under the Three Trees.
Another pioneer: Siberian Squill. If this were to really produce, there'd by a sea of blue. One errant bulb does not a garden make. But it makes for bright hopes at Winter's end.
Guinea Hen: a pioneer. How this found its way into the Japanese Garden is a mystery to me, but I'm glad it did and hope it likes it enough to produce offspring. Every year I circle this flower in the catalogs. And every year I leave it off the order.
It's a unique little flower. The checkered appearance is especially gay.
The lone azalea. I think my soil is just to darn heavy. This shrub hasn't perished, but it's certainly not thriving. A project for this Summer . . . amend the soil, thin out the competition (hostas, hellebores), and see whether this make a difference next Spring.
The old stand-by: Bleeding Hearts. I foolishly tried to divide these last year. Only one division survived . . . across the yard at the new-ish bed under the Three Trees.
Another pioneer: Siberian Squill. If this were to really produce, there'd by a sea of blue. One errant bulb does not a garden make. But it makes for bright hopes at Winter's end.
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Mystery
A mystery bird sighting in the side yard at the feeders.
My copy of the Stokes Bird Feeder Book shows this to be a Rufous-sided Towhee, also known as a "red-eyed chirper". The book described it as a ground feeder. True enough, as the photos indicate. And, the book makes note of its hopping about while feeding. That too was observed.
It's exciting to spot birds that are not customarily seen in the neighborhood. Last year's sighting of several Blue Buntings and the previous year's dozen of Evening Grosbeaks in the Sugar Maple and at the window feeder make me think I'm on a run.
Now, if only a Sand Hill Crane would put down in the front yard while on its way back to Wisconsin. What a sight that would be!
My copy of the Stokes Bird Feeder Book shows this to be a Rufous-sided Towhee, also known as a "red-eyed chirper". The book described it as a ground feeder. True enough, as the photos indicate. And, the book makes note of its hopping about while feeding. That too was observed.
It's exciting to spot birds that are not customarily seen in the neighborhood. Last year's sighting of several Blue Buntings and the previous year's dozen of Evening Grosbeaks in the Sugar Maple and at the window feeder make me think I'm on a run.
Now, if only a Sand Hill Crane would put down in the front yard while on its way back to Wisconsin. What a sight that would be!
Saturday, April 18, 2015
Royal Star Magnolia
The Magnolia is sick. I sprayed for scale a couple weeks ago and the flowers still bloomed. I hope the scale can be controlled and will diminish this year. I wanted a magnolia for the longest time. And this one was one sale a few years ago. It's had a tough time. Poor sighting left it vulnerable to deer. Then, I moved it closer to the house -- the "Smile" bed, which we can see from the kitchen window. It came back. But, late last year . . . magnolia scale.
{Sigh}
{Sigh}