Lovin' Bloom

Yes, the title is intentionally grammatically incorrect.  It's also a bit of a pun.  In my little world (which you are now visiting), a pun trumps grammatical incorrectness.  Usually we hear the phrase "Love in bloom."  Well, I'm loving the blooms in my backyard (and what that brings along with it), so if I figure my love is in bloom for the blooms . . . and lovin' bloom is much more poetical than bloomin' love!

Yes, you will be subjected to some photos from the good ol' SW Ohio backyard.  Actually, I poached a couple of shots into a neighbor's yard.  They have enough bird feeders that I would bet they go through 40 lbs. of bird feed at least every other day.  They also have squirrel feeders, and are the same neighbors that feed the feral cats (and for you newer readers, they also trap new feral cats, have them neutered/spayed, and checked by the vet before releasing them).

It's been a muggy day, raining off and on, or threatening to at times.  It's been cooler than normal, which is a welcome relief, and the rain is desperately needed.  I figured my best opportunity to photograph much of anything in any form of comfort would be to hit the back yard again.  I wasn't disappointed.

I didn't realize how hardy verbena was or I might have planted some before this year!  I love the color, and it's handling the dry summer very well.  If only it were a perennial.

I don't have a clue what this is, but it has popped up next to the clothesline post with the trumpet vine vining around it.  Since I've had several suet feeders hanging nearby, I'm assuming it's a volunteer plant from one of the seeds from one of the suets.  Heaven only knows which one!

I'm more in love with the mandevilla than I am the verbena.  Part of that might be that it's a perennial, but it's also offset by the fact that it probably won't make it through the winter unless I dig it up and bring it inside in a pot.

I love the look of this piece of clematis that had died.  It has an ethereal quality to it.

I am anxiously awaiting the blooming of this daisy plant.  It's growing like crazy, but I haven't seen the first bloom on it yet this summer.  I don't remember if it's a late summer bloomer, but I'm hoping that's the reason for no blooms as of yet!

This is the pic where I "poached" my neighbor's yard.  Can you blame me?  How gorgeous are these birds??

I know this has to be a weed, but I found it absolutely fascinating!  Once again, it was a situation where I didn't see half of the detail when I took the shot, and was thrilled to see it "up close" on the computer.

And I waited outside again for one of the hummingbirds.  I guess if I want to catch a photo of the mature male hummingbird, I'll need to be out there around 11:00 a.m.  That seems to be when he likes to show up.  And I know it's a male because of the bright red gorget . . . it's a good thing that I've been inside when I've seen him because I have a tendency to gasp at how brilliant his colors are!

This is what the sky has looked like an awful lot today.  Either this, or bright sun.

I'm assuming this is one of the goldfinches preening, but it just looked so odd from where I was standing that I had to get a shot.

I think the hummingbirds are getting used to hearing the shutter on the camera - they don't fly off when they hear it, but they do stop feeding and sometimes hover instead of perching.  I'll just have to make sure I'm out at their feeding times to get them adjusted to hearing it.

I'm enjoying the challenge (and discipline required) of getting shots of the hummingbirds.  I haven't had to wait very long for one to show up (I try to be outside at least 10 minutes before the time they showed up yesterday, if that makes sense!) but I really have to remember to use the bug repellent!  I'm also going to have to get the camp chair out of the trunk of the car because it would be nicer to be at least a little more comfortable while waiting for them to arrive.

It's more than a bit ironic that I'll wait an hour or so to try to take a picture of a hummingbird, but can't stand it when I'm stuck behind someone driving under the speed limit, or someone who doesn't have their act together in the checkout lane at the store.  Hmmm . . .

And since you've made it this far, I'll give you another chance to enter the raffle for my 100th post.
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Avians, Take Me Away

So relaxed at this point that I almost forgot to write up a post!  ALMOST.


I got to spend more time than usual outside today with all of the neighborhood birds.  Sitting in the yard, watching and listening to them always lifts my spirits and relaxes me.


I had two relaxation sessions today, which is highly unusual.  I'm very glad to have had it though!  I'd been pretty tense, and I can feel a definite difference in my neck and shoulders.

It certainly helped that I got to see quite a few of my Blue Jay friends!  This one started out on the telephone wire, but he didn't stay there!

Most of the birds used the top of the fence to roost; I thought this was much more individualistic, which means high approval marks!  You can also see in the bottom right hand corner my re-blooming lilac, which is close to re-blooming!

Another appearance by the beautiful Blue Jay, beak filled with peanut.  Yes, I try to keep the one feeder with peanuts in it to tempt them and the woodpeckers to the yard. 

I liked how I managed to catch one bird coming in to land, one leaving, and two just hanging out.  

Imagine that!  Another shot of a Blue Jay.  There were several times 2-3 of them were chasing each other away from the feeder; I'd not seen them do that  here before.  I guess they're feeling comfortable and at home?

This little one was just a couple of feet from me, and showed no fear at all!  All of this seed was in a feeder that the squirrels have learned to tip and dump the seed.  One of these days I will learn not to refill that feeder completely . . . 

Mr. Cardinal stopped by to pose - right profile . . . 

 . . . and left profile.

I think this is a cow bird; I'm pretty sure when I see one of the males, but I'm not too sure about the females.

Caught another one coming . . . 

  . . . and another one going.

I had to be VERY patient to get this pic.  This little guy, I believe is a chickadee.  He normally doesn't spend long enough at any one feeder for me to get a shot!


Oh, and on top of it all, Bella (the hummingbird) showed up tonight, too.  I was outside, and she flew up to the feeder, and I got to talk to her for a few seconds before she flew off again.  She zoomed by again later, but didn't stop.


And if that wasn't enough to make my day, I bought 4 more (different) rolls of Duck Tape tonight!  Oh, the creative juices are flowing!!

Bloomin' Backyard, Redux

I am SO completely enjoying this mild winter and spring!  One of the trumpet vines is just about exploding with blooms, but not the one I pruned WAY back (but it is growing like nobody's business).  That's OK - maybe I can keep ahead of them this way??

Just a couple of the blooms open and ready for the bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, not to mention the ants.

Trumpet vine buds before they open - hard to imagine all of that flower contained in those little buds.  Oh so many of them on this particular plant, too.  C'mon little hummingbirds, your nectar bar is OPEN!

More of the beautiful daisies in varying stages of blooming.  I love it when most of them are open at the same time - simple beauty at it's best.

The yucca plant is also pretty much in full bloom.  I wish it would bloom more often - unfortunately, it's only pretty about 1 or 2 weeks out of the season.  But it is pretty, and difficult to get rid of, so I'll hang on to it!

I'm guessing these are coneflowers.  I'd planted a bunch of wildflower perennial seeds last summer, but it was too late/hot and dry for them to do much then.  I'm reaping the benefits this year though.  Not all of the plants are coming up, but a couple here and there are, which makes it interesting every time I check!

The primrose had already bloomed, and I thought was finished.  Looks like I'm gonna get another round out of them!

I don't know what this plant is, but I found it hiding and had to grab a shot of it.  Love the purple!

And the reblooming lilac looks pretty ready to bloom again!  YEAH!!!  Can't wait to see those little pinkish blooms, and smell my favorite fragrance.


Now, with all of this beauty just in mostly my back yard, it's surprising when something not quite so beautiful intrudes onto the edges of my sanctuary.  Yesterday, I had left home to pick Mom up from church when I saw something in a neighbor's yard.  I kept thinking it was the weirdest dog I'd ever seen.  When I got close enough, I realized it was a Turkey Vulture enjoying it's noon meal (probably a squirrel).  EWWW.  Yuck.  Not near my little bit of beauty and rest, please.


I sat outside for a while today watching the birds enjoy what was left in the feeders.  Several of them empty out pretty quickly because the squirrels have learned how to tip the food out of them since they can't get into them anymore.  There are a couple though that the squirrels haven't yet gotten the better of, and they tend to remain filled a little longer.  That's good 'cause 20 pounds of seed doesn't last very long in my back yard!  I've been searching for the 40 pound bags on sale, but I can't get stocked up.  Every time I think I'm going to have one in reserve, I empty the previous one.  These fine feathered friends are greedy little buggers.


But, they are worth it.  I love sitting outside and watching them.  The last couple of days I've been watching them when a group of them are balanced on the telephone wire and a couple more add to the group.  It's sometimes a bit comical watching them try to balance with the swaying wire or shift of weight.  Every time I sit outside and watch the birds and squirrels, I feel so much more relaxed and calmer about life in general.  And if I close my eyes and just listen to the sounds, it's another level of treats for the senses.


My pretty blooming plants, the feathered friends, and the entertaining if irritating squirrels are part of my little backyard island of solitude where I can go to recharge my batteries and relax.

Thorns

It's been kind of a rough day, so I took my book, my camera, and myself outside to try to wind down.  I was hoping to sight some different birds (blue jay, please!!!), but really just wanted to sit in the sun and RELAX.  Unfortunately, it was HOT.  OK, not Afghanistan hot, and I was wearing a t-shirt and capris and had gone barefoot.  But, for early May in SW Ohio, it was hot.  And I'm being a big baby today.

I kept trying to distract myself from dwelling on what was eating at me, so when I saw this little guy scamper across the patio, I had to make sure he got his 15 minutes of fame (such as it is).  I thought it was funny when he suddenly stopped and sat up to make sure it was safe to continue on; I had heard the same odd sound he had, but he was more curious than I was!

I'm trying to decide if one or more of these critters are responsible for tipping the bird feeders to get at the seed, or if it's another critter that I don't want to think about having in the back yard!  What I DO know is that it tends to happen when the seed mix is a bit heavy on the cracked corn . . . where's Nancy Drew when I need her to solve the Mystery of the Cracked Corn Caper?

After I'd read for about 10 minutes, then leaned back and tried to let the bird songs relax me, I was still plain old antsy!  So, I got up, picked up some pruning shears, and decided to cut back a couple of bushes to make it easier for my neighbor to get into her car (she's in her late 80s and parks next to "my" Japonica and Lilac).  Then, I really went to town on the invasive honeysuckle at the side of the house.  I'm guessing I'll have to cut it back about every 2 weeks just to keep it from spreading (just like those darn trumpet vines).  I spotted this plant above and came back w/ the camera after I was finished w/ the pruning.  I don't know what it is (probably another weed or invasive plant!), but thought it was delicate and pretty.  Hope I don't have to eradicate it!

I think this bud is from the only rosebush left from the original owners of the house (think 1950s).  Mom was kind of hit or miss on pruning it, and I don't know anything about roses, so this will be yet another plant to learn about and try to coax into more production.  And of course, as I was trying to "encourage" the plant to stand up straighter by using one of those wire hooky things that stick into the ground, I stuck myself pretty good with a thorn.  I didn't realize it had broken off at first, but it sure made itself known when I barely brushed it!  It wasn't deeply embedded, so I was able to pull it out with my fingernails, then washed my hands with soapy water.

Yeah, it was an "aha" moment.  I had a mental thorn that I wasn't letting go of (I was working it in deeper every time I thought about it).  It was in deeper than it should have been, and it was all my fault.  But how do you pull out a mental thorn??  For me, it's a visualization process I have to go through.  I had to visualize pulling that mental thorn out of my head, then put it in a box, wrapped it up in beautiful wrapping paper, and finished it off with a big huge beautifully crafted bow.  I have to do that first, because the next step is visualizing handing this beautifully wrapped gift to God.  I don't like taking anything back from God (although I do it all of the time, I do NOT like it), so now if that thorn starts to prick at me, I remind myself that I gave it to God and He will handle it in His time and His way.  When I remember to let go and let God, life is so much better.

It's for the birds!

I love my backyard birds.  I don't often get to grab a shot of the cardinals; they're pretty shy.  But, since I usually have about 6 feeders full of bird seed most of the time, plus suet feeders, I get a LOT of other visitors!  Fortunately, I've only seen a skunk once (and I don't go out after dusk so I don't run that risk again!). 

No, my little backyard sanctuary and retreat is often turned into the squirrelbatic arena!  Several of my neighbors put out peanuts specifically for the squirrels; I put out peanuts to attract Blue Jays.  Still haven't seen the first Blue Jay of the season, but I've seen plenty of squirrels!

They really do annoy me when they keep finding ways to get into the bird feeders (and as I mentioned yesterday, they have figured out how to open and crawl INTO one of the feeders).  But, they are cute, and definitely creative thinkers, so I can't hate on them too much.  They do keep me entertained when I'm relaxing out back, even if it's moments after I chased them from a feeder while swearing at them!

Love to watch them scamper along the top of the fence - how do they do it?
One of these days I'm going to catch a pic of one the shadow of one of them
running across the telephone line; the shadow falls perfectly on the garage
of my backyard neighbor!

This little guy was checking out what was under my little grill;
it was cool, hadn't been used in days.

Loved the way the tail was up and all fluffy!  Looks like a feather.

I guess I AM ready for my close-up . . .

And now, the "fun" day when I discovered the darn squirrels had learned how to bend the metal lid and pry it off of the one feeder . . . dumped the food out, and then went back to the feeder to eat out of it (I guess just 'cause he could, the little show-off!).  That feeder is now history . . .

If you look at the feeder on the left, you'll be able to see
the tail of the squirrel that pried the top off the feeder.
They must work in teams!

Yes, I put the lid back on the feeder, then watched to see
what they might do next . . . 

This little guy was ready to jump out of the tree at me . . . I swear I could hear his Dirty Harry imitation . . . Go ahead, make my day . . .

And I did.  I shot him.  With my camera.