Friday, May 31, 2013

After The Showers! :)

 This year April felt like May and May felt like April! We enjoyed summer-like weather, which allowed me to plant the garden the 1st and 2nd week of May, and the rest of this month has had almost non-stop showers! :)
As a result, I  haven't needed to water but have gotten behind on outside tasks and am going to need to use the current dry spell, that is starting today, to do some serious catching up! :)
 The boys followed me out to the garden! :)
 I was anxious to see what seeds had sprouted and what seeds needed to be replanted! :)
 I allow wrestling in the garden as long as they aren't on top of the seedlings! :)
 Most of the re-seeding I did was do to the slugs eating the new sprouts! Next year I'll plant more seeds to a hill to allow for slug damage! :)
 After all these wet days the slugs have gotten out of hand and have been helping themselves to the strawberries! The ripe ones are sweet and juicy! :)
 Over all, things are looking good. We have a decent start on this year's garden! :)
 So far it doesn't look like I have to re-seed any of the corn. :)
 All the rain showers have refreshed plants, making them feel happy to flower! :)
 The mint bush is in full bloom! :)
 The tayberry plants look a little more productive this year! :)
 Though I had a lot of the weeding done in the fruit section of the garden, the weeks of rain, preventing me from being able to keep it weeded, has turned it into a jungle, ... perfect for wrestling! :)


 The blueberries are coming on, ...
 As are the raspberries! :) The bumble bees,
 Honey bees, and hummers have been pollinating to their hearts content! :)
 What do you say, Sylvester? Shall we take a look around the yard? :)
 At last the clouds are breaking up and there's some blue sky starting to show! :)
 Some of the mid-season peonies are now blooming! :)


 And the first roses are beginning to open! :)

 The showers have refreshed many trees and plants, and there are blooms throughout the yard! :)





I always love the way the air feels ... after the showers! :)

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

A Typical Morning! :)

 This morning I went out to check on the garden! I'm pleased with how well the tomato and pepper plants are doing in the green house, so far! Since the tomato plants get truly ripe since I've been planting them in the green house, I'm hoping the peppers will be able to ripen too! I'm hoping for bell peppers that are yellow, orange, and red, instead of staying green! :) By planting 6 tomatoes instead of 8, it's made room for at least 4 pepper plants! :)
 There are quite a few sprouts showing in the wide row! :)
 Radishes are usually first to germinate, but I also see beets; ...
 poc choi; ...
 kale; ...
 cucumber; cantaloupe; ...

 corn; ...
 yellow zucchini; ...
 green zucchini; ...
 buttercup squash; ...
 and spaghetti squash! :) I usually don't grow spaghetti squash but I decided to grow it this year to try it with spaghetti sauce, in place of noodles. I see it used as a low calorie meal, and have decided to give it a try! :) If we don't like it, I have a sister who loves spaghetti squash, so it won't go to waste! :)
 I'm surprised to see some of the flower seeds already sprouting too! :)
 It was only 4 days ago that I planted them! :) Cosmos and ...
 zinnias are springing up by the dozens! :)
 What do we see? Fresh footprints ...
 right through the cabbage row! :)
 Mick and ...
 Apollo have come to join me in the garden! It's a good time to lead them back to the yard! :)
 Little Gerdy is watching from an overgrown flower bed. :)
 She walked over and got some affection, until Mick became jealous and chased her away! :)
 Meanwhile I aim my lens at some of the backyard bird activity! :)
 This Tree Swallow looks pensive, ...
 and here's our culprit! ... Apollo knows he can't get to them without them flying safely away, but he twitches his tail from below, watches, and dreams! :)
 Mick joins me on the bench for a little affection and before long it turns into a brief photo shoot! :)








 They've grown up to the sound of the shutter and often pose for me! :)
Apollo has given up on bird-watching in exchange for a little attention from me! :)
Time to put the Canon down and spend a few minutes with them before I get on with my day! :)
It's a typical morning, ... I'm happy to say! :)