Favorite Summer Things

 

Backyard bunny stops by for a nibble. (7/3/17)

Very few of my neighbors cut their own lawn anymore. Seeing folks outside laying their own mulch in the spring/early summer is a rare occurrence. These were chores forced upon me as a child that I have come to take great comfort doing myself in adulthood. There is something very rewarding and therapeutic about throwing down mulch, pulling weeds and just plain ol' digging in the dirt. I am rarely alone in working in doing yard work in the early morning hours. Fortunately, my wife, the bunny that lives under our shed, neighborhood birds and all types of worms and insects keep me company. These are among my favorite moments in summer time.

Front yard with Japanese Maple. (7/3/17)

Hens and chicks from the backyard. Reminders of my

late grandmother's yard. (7/3/17)

Our original large compost pit made with stakes and chicken wire to far left,

next to shed and vegetable garden with a smaller composter within. (7/3/17)

Had a thing for ornamental grasses a few years ago

and ferns are beyond plentiful. (7/3/17)

Baby bell pepper in the vegetable garden. (7/3/17)

A number of our plants are inspect magnets... everything has its purpose. (7/3/17)

"Stones" made by my children almost 15 years ago and originally planted

at my parents home. After my father's death and mother's move to smaller

living arrangement, they have found their way to our yard. (7/3/17)

Spring Veggie Garden Set-up... in Summer

Chilling near an entrance to his underground lair, the backyard bunny surveys
that area prior to my preparation of the vegetable garden bed. (6/10/17)

Getting the garden started this Spring took a little longer than expected, so long in fact that our backyard bunny had grown fairly comfortable lounging around his newly appointed snacking field. Summer's arrived and I have a number of other projects lining up for completion during the two week break from teaching. With time to get started past due, I finally turned over the garden patch and prepped it for planting last weekend. Two days later, my wife and I drove out to the gardening store, purchased plantings and plopped them into the ground. The next day, she and her son installed our anti-rabbit fence, and now the tending begins...

Clearly it's time to get down to the business of turning over,
weeding and mulching the garden bed. (6/10/17)

At one point many years ago I stopped using roto-tiller in favor of
a pitchfork and rake--a much more satisfying method! (6/14/17)

Pitchfork'd. (6/14/17)

Weeds be-gone, compost applied, garden ready. (6/14/17)

A line of bean seeds planted and marked with stick. (6/17/17)

Each year the content of our vegetable garden shifts and changes. (6/17/17)

Ready, set... GROW! (6/17/17)

Last summer kale, this summer string beans. (6/23/17)

After Anne sets up bunny fencing and bean poles,

things are ready to rock... aided by a welcome summer

rain.(6/24/17)

August Backyard Wings & Things

Northern Flicker. (8/29/16)

Despite the loss this past spring of our American elm tree, one of the main attractions to the space for a variety of birds, the aviary action has continued these past few weeks. August's dog days are much more manageable with the entertainment created by birds and rabbits at play in the grass and gardens. Especially exciting to have the Northern Flickers drop in for a spell on a number of occasions throughout the month.

Fun Fact: Because they eat ants and beetles, flickers
are commonly found on the ground eating. (8/29/16)

Cottontail rabbit. (8/11/16)

Cottontail rabbit and young American Robin. (8/11/16)

Mystery bird? (8/7/16)

Female Northern Cardinal on a wire. (8/7/16)

Two well-camouflaged Northern Flickers. (8/1/16)

Northern Flicker. (8/1/16)

Northern Flicker doing his "wing-thing". (8/1/16)

Northern Flicker. (8/1/16)

What Did the Cat See?

Blackbeard the cat at his post. (7/26/19)

The majority of photographs of backyard wildlife posted on my blog are taken from the large windows that surround our kitchen counter. They open into our backyard. so when an interesting critter or bird comes into view--SNAP! I'll do this at many different times of the day, as reflected in the way that the different hues our lawn take son during the course of the day: sometimes appearing neon green when bathed in sun or deep, dark green when the shade dominates. This accounts for the occasional out-of-focus imagery and lens flare, but also for my ability to take pics when thy can't see us observing them. Blackbeard the cat is a constant viewing companion, so much so, that when we are outside working in the garden, he will prowl the windows to see what's going on. Most of what we see taking place among the tomato cages and bird feeders are, in truth, what the cat saw...

Catbird and sparrow on tomato cages. (7/29/16)

Common Grackles in the grass. (7/29/16)

Frazzled Grackle. (7/26/19)

American Robin. (7/29/16)

Cottontail rabbit with gang of Common Grackles. (7/29/16)

Grackle and Cottontail lunching together. (7/29/16)

Cottontail in the vegetable garden. (7/29/16) 

Male Northern Cardinal. (7/29/16)

Cautious Cottontail. (7/29/16)

Male Northern Cardinal with Common Grackles. (7/29/16)

Male Northern Cardinal. (7/29/16)

American Robin. (7/29/16)

Yakking American Robins. (7/29/16)

Cottontail rabbit. (7/29/16)

Black-Capped Chickadee on Nyjer feeder. (7/29/16)

BUSTED! Backyard Visitors

Blackbeard keeps a keen eye on the backyard from the kitchen counter. (7/3/16)

With the grass cut, mulch laid and feeders briefly full, this past weekend was an exciting one in our backyard. As is often the case, Blackbeard the cat and I spent time watching the birds and bunnies come and go from our assigned vantage points: the kitchen (Blackbeard) and the back porch (me).

Tree sparrows on tomato cages. (7/2/16)

Tree sparrows and purple finch on cylindrical feeder. (7/2/16)

Male tree sparrow shares with female. (7/2/16)

Male Northern Cardinal stops by for visit. (7/3/16)

Small Eastern Cottontail outside entrance to home under shed. (7/3/16)

The center of attention. (7/3/16)

Large adult Eastern Cottontail. (7/4/16)

Gray catbird hides in small tree. (7/4/16)

For scale, adult Eastern Cottontail. (7/4/16)

Eastern Cottontail. (7/4/16)

Female and male Goldfinch on small cylindrical feeder with Nyjer. (7/4/16)

Eastern Cottontail. (7/4/16)

Backyard guardian. (7/4/16)