Thanksgiving Can Be For The Birds!

Ed and I stood in the store and had quite the lengthy discussion this year about whether or not we would feed the birds. I don't think it was the cost of the seed that was the issue, although that is something to consider. Birds can be very messy eaters leaving seed on the ground that draws critters.  When a gardener puts out feed for the birds, they also feed red squirrels and  gray ones. The little brown furry rodents that scurry around and make me squeal get their share as well. Bird feeders also attract  predators like  hawks, and the fox. But I think it was the missing purple dogtooth violet bulbs that was the big issue. In the end we came home from the store with mixed seed, sunflower seed and suet cakes. The sunflower seed feeder, a present from Amy, is placed in a garden bed so that it can be easily seen from the living room window.

                                

Ed searched the basement  for some time for the suet feeder. Finally he discovered it hanging in plain sight out in the locust tree in the middle of the shade garden. It had been there all summer. Nuthatches, chickadees and woodpeckers are drawn to the suet. Woodpeckers also spend time drilling holes in the tree, making us wonder if that is a problem.  We decided that the enjoyment of watching the birds in the winter garden outweighs any possible damage they might do to the tree. Now we just have to wait for the birds to discover the free eats. So far I've seen one nuthatch and a bluejay. Yesterday there was also a hawk sitting in a tree intently watching for new bird arrivals. Happy Thanksgiving to all my garden friends. They won this one.

Another Snowy Day

It's snowy and the temperature is in the teens today. Most of the snow fell yesterday. Ed plowed the driveway, again! The rabbit that seems to be living under our porch took off like a shot when I shoved the snow off his "roof" . His speed and the huge distance between the tracks he left in the snow was astounding!

Looking across the valley to the north it is windy, snowy and cold. The far hill on the other side of the valley is obscured by falling snow. We spent considerable time watching a hawk in the Norwegian spruce trees. Shielded from the north wind, the beautiful hawk sat in the tree puffed up with her white and tawny feathers blowing up like Marilyn Monroe's skirt. I watched through the binoculars until she flew away. The bird is in the picture if you can find it. Later in the day different hawk was sitting in the same spot. It must be a prime perch! It has the comfort of a stand of spruce trees for shelter with a wide angle and long distance view.

I checked last year, and it was March 7th before winter closed in on me, and I reverted to childhood putting a garlic clove in water to watch it grow. This year I didn't make it to the end of February, and it was a carrot that ended up in my kitchen window. Perhaps a clove of garlic will join it there.

Hollyhock Skyscraper Demolition

It's cold and cloudy outside and a bit damp after yesterday's all-day rain. That doesn't keep Ed out of the garden. The broccoli got composted. Time is not going to make it smell any better. Next he decided to cut off the flower stalk of our garden skyscraper.This demolition was scheduled weeks ago, but the plant continued to flower. With growth at the base there is a good chance it will return next year. After considering the chainsaw, the big loppers were chosen for the job.




So how big is this hollyhock? Let me see, if Ed is 6' 3", and the hollyhock is more than twice his height then...




There's nothing quite like a tape measure to answer these difficult math problems. No cheating, I promise!  I saved a few more seeds, but most of the seeds have been scattered in the garden. Ed went off toward the compost with the hollyhock and his loppers. He'll be cutting it up into shorter lengths to fit it in the compost bin. I headed back in the house, stopping just long enough to watch a crow harassing a beautiful red tail hawk in the sky over the garden. I know why the crows hate hawks, but I can't help wondering why the hawks put up with such abuse.