Gun Season Day 1

Our mowed field has been home for a large group of female deer and their offspring for the past several weeks.  Two bucks are sometimes seen but the ladies are for the moment left alone.  Each evening found them grazing or resting on the ground.  Flattened grass indicated that they may have spent the night sleeping here.  Then for no apparent reason they were gone.  This morning the group was back.  This youngster is looking at Becky who is watching it just outside of our living room window.  This deer gives every appearance of knowing that we pose it no danger.  The worst thing that has happened here in the recent past is us opening the window and instructing the deer not to eat, step on, harm or disturb Becky's Prairie smoke plants.

This group of four, one is hidden behind the trunk of the Trumpet vine, is just outside of the kitchen door.  That planting area has been lost to the weeds so no encouragement to move away has been recently given.  They know that we are watching them but they were slow to go elsewhere.

 

This is the view outside of our kitchen window.  A third deer is feeding nearby but was just beyond the area pictured.  Once again the deer is making eye contact with Becky before returning to its frozen breakfast.

Clicking on this photo will make it larger allowing the two deer to be more easily seen.  I was able to walk clear across the garden with these deer watching me to get this picture.  My movements were slow and my gaze was directed away from the deer.  An attempt to get even closer sent these two running through the trees up the hill. 

We have yet to hear any gunshots this morning but there may well be movement as the hunters seek a prime location on this day one.  For now we will not venture to our acres to the south.  I have not welcomed trespassers in the past and see no reason to give them a free shot at me.
 

Beating Back The Wild Things

It's a plain fact that we are being overrun here.  All the rain has served to keep us out of the garden and it has given the weeds the opportunity to run wild in the garden.   Somewhere hidden beneath the grass and other weeds are Ed's beautiful planting beds and  stone paths.  Ed worked on this area today.  He plans to replant peas here.  We have the seed and sometimes we can get a late crop of peas if the weather cooperates.

I chose  to search for desirable plants in this bed .  I uncovered some dianthus, wood betony, closed gentian and a hollyhock.  I caught sight of Ed's rose, but I did not get it uncovered yet. Digging out the grass is slow work and looking for hidden treasures slows progress down even more.

It's not only the weeds that have gone wild.  The trumpet vine has completely engulfed the golden glows.  A few small golden flowers have managed to break through the vines to catch some sunlight anyway.  Other plants in the area of the trumpet vine have not been seen at all.

Trumpet vine tendrils are marching across  our gravel parking spot.  New runners are popping up in the gravel at some distance from the original plant.  One can't help feeling that parking there for too long will result in a car covered with vines.  However, I can't deny that I love to watch the hummingbirds  zip around the trumpet vine chasing each other at dizzying speeds.  As long as the red flowers that they find so attractive are blooming, this vine gone wild is safe.

Still there is great beauty in the garden.  This Salmon star lily and its tantalizing fragrance is so attractive to a hummingbird moth that I was actually able to get this great picture.  We feast on fresh summer squash, basil, lettuce and the now ripening tomatoes.  Today in the garden was great!

Wonderfully Wet Flowers

Finally we got some real rain.  Here is the last London lily covered with raindrops.   We have enjoyed them for weeks.

Wet cardinal flower will make the hummingbirds happy!

This trumpet vine flower is dripping wet.  Doesn't that feel good?

Finally, a thoroughly wet Gloriosa daisy just shines.  The rain only wet the soil to a depth of an inch in most places, but obviously it made a difference!