Can o' worms

I follow a group on FB called Indiana Wildlife. A week or so ago, I posted a pic of the bluebird house I have. O.M.G. A lot of people "reacted" to it, but I got a few snotty comments as well, specifically how the house did not meet requirements set by the National Bluebird Society (NABS). If you want to view their recommendations, go here. All I can tell you is the sparrows don't take over this nesting box, but the bluebirds do.

I was going to post the following pix on the FB site, but decided to just let it go, not fan the flames, etc.

This past week, I was looking for something on this blog and came across many summertime photos - so much color! Quite a difference to the current gray and taupe. Spotting this nuthatch at the birdbath raised my winter-worn spirits, especially since it hung around long enough for me to take its photo.

BTW, my hip is fine, no changes since the last check. The discomfort is muscular, so I've been repeating the physical therapy, taking Advil to reduce inflamation, and shortening my stride when walking the dog, all of which seem to help. It's Groundhog Day and very overcast here, so let's hope for an early spring.

Yarden every darn day

That's been my motto lately, as I hustle to get all the plants I purchased installed in the yard. I'm not done yet, but getting there.

Sunday: planted bleeding heart and porch plants (coleus and black-eyed susan vine); cut back most of the daffodils; installed bluebird box; put zinnias on deck to harden off; set up latest addition to my flamingo collection.

Old-fashioned bleeding heart

Thunbergia 'Sunny Susy Amber Stripe' aka black-eyed Susan vine

Unknown coleus

Unknown coleus, leaf detail

Bluebird box installed (before baffle added)

It's a planter!

Monday: spotted the first catbird of the season; making clay toad houses and designing Beau-proof vases; purchased a cage for the "nesting" cylinder bird feeder to keep the starlings out (unfortunately, keeps the blue jays out as well); purchased a baffle for the bluebird nesting box.

Tuesday: lots of activity at the bluebird house (after I installed the baffle), but no takers so far; bird fight between two male bluebirds; cowbird at the birdbath; added the cage to the feeder with the "nesting" cylinder; after another inch of rain, the rain garden overflowed, which left standing water on the lawn and where I planted grass seed - it needs a berm at the north and northwest ends; mowed and trimmed.

Wednesday: planted the honeysuckle; hung the planters for the sweet potato vine (which involved a 2x4, hand tools and cable ties); sprayed for weeds; found an excuse to buy an Ego trimmer: the area behind the fence (where there is a lot of garlic mustard); I think a raccoon got into the robin nest behind the Japanese maple (found empty egg shell); replanted a brome sedge; positioned the metal heron and two flamingos by the "pond".

Thursday: saw a grackle at the feeders; SO helped me shore up the low end of the rain garden (I think I should have purchased top soil instead of garden soil); mowed because we are expecting days of rain; purchased an Ego trimmer.

Friday: planted catmint around trees in front yard and added some mulch (my aching back!); not much rain, until later - 0.5".

Saturday: finished planting catmint (in a pot); planted zinnias (in pots) - 'Cut and Come Again Mixed Colors'; top dressed containers with Black Kow; I think more of the rain garden needs a berm; pruned butterfly bushes.

Roots on zinnia seedlings

Zinnias, all in a row

I've been cutting back the flower stalks on the golden ragwort, as it is starting to go to seed. Lazy me just threw the stalks behind the blue star where they can decompose. Today, I noticed that all those flower heads turned to seed heads despite being removed from their mother plants. I hope that is not going to be a problem. I like the ragwort, but not *everywhere*.

Blue Star "hedge"

One aim of planting natives is to attract pollinators and their relatives, like this ladybug. Most insects won't stay still long enough for a decent photo, but this bug was very obliging.


Every time I plant a perennial, I think to myself, Hopefully, I won't have to do this again. My shoulders work great, but my back - not so much. I dream of the time when spring means adding a few annuals to the landscape, then enjoying the view from the deck, iced tea in hand.

Dem boids

Sparrows have become the bane of my gardening existence. Not only to they mangle the tulip tree, they ruin the pea crop and take over the blue bird houses. I may be gaining the upper hand, though. Hanging strips of mylar (made from a cheapo space blanket) over the peas and topping the blue bird houses with a web of fishing line seem to work.

Just to *prove* both sparrow deterrents work, I sat on the deck for an extended period of time, observing the pea patches and the blue bird houses. Nary a sparrow at either. In fact, there were no birds at all at either. Now that I have foiled the sparrows, maybe some blue birds will actually take up residence.

While keeping an eye out for sparrows, I spotted a rose-breasted grosbeak - actually two - visiting the sunflower seed feeder. I think this is the first time I have seen this species in my yard. Almost makes up for the stupid sparrows.

This bird is supposed to favor orchards. My mini-orchard has eight trees (so far). Maybe that is enough to draw them in.

Today I had a disappointing visit from a local landscape company. My goal was to have them at least clear out the weeds and shit from the two shrub beds that line the backyard, and edge and mulch them. The rep claimed it would cost $2000 in labor alone, to do the job. And then, without constant vigilance on my part, within three weeks the weeds would pop through the mulch. Huh? They must not put down a barrier between soil and mulch. Newspaper works quite well for me. If my brain hadn't gotten stuck at the labor cost, my mouth might have asked about this.

After the rep left, I got a little pissed. This company has the reputation of being the best (if the priciest) here in town. And he did not know the difference between poison ivy and Virginia creeper, nor was he familiar with the Blackhaw Viburnum (which he wanted to prune - why? It has reached its maximum size.) So I took my anger out on the yard, sort of. I edged the hydrangea bed, mulched around the kitchen compost bin, and mulched (with stone) the deck (to discourage burrowing critters).

The rep was impressed with my stunted Serviceberry, but did not notice the rhubarb that ate New York. Or maybe he did not know it was rhubarb.

Can you say "PIE"?

Bluebirds of Happiness (Maybe)

I was shocked - shocked and stunned - Saturday morning when I saw a pair of bluebirds in my backyard. While I am becoming profligate with the wren houses, I dismissed the idea of adding a bluebird nesting box to the landscape because I thought my backyard habitat was too suburban. But no, here were a pair of bluebirds trying to set up housekeeping in one of the wren houses. I needed a bluebird box right now.



Life intervened, though, so I was not able to get the box until Sunday, and as soon as I got home, it went up on the post where the wren house had been (since moved to the front yard). And, of course, I have not seen the bluebirds since.