Yard Happenings

Whew. I still don't know if it is safe or not, but everything we wanted to plant is FINALLY in!. This weather has us delayed by probably a month. Oh well.

This year we made some changes. We have a busy summer planned, and I KNEW I wouldn't be able to keep up with a normal garden. Plus the drought of the past few years has really just made me mad, and I didn't want to do alllllll that work for a just a little bit in return again. So this is a bit of a experiment-try something new- year.

Danny planted his potatoes in towers, with potting soil and straw. We also have some coming back in our garden area from last year that will be cared for.  Apparently, when the boys say "there is NOTHING LEFT out there", they don't really mean it!! ;)  We don't know if the tower will really work, but its the perfect year to try it and see!

I am container gardening this year. My tomatoes, okra, green beans,  and pepper plants were all planted in buckets. I was a bit bummed that I ran out of containers, and didn't have room for some of my favorites, and then was gifted with 3 more mineral tubs. SO..in went radishes and beets. We will see how well it works!

Our garden plot will not be going to waste. I made a raised bed out there for zucchini. If it does well, it can have the entire plot. I also planted a few different varieties of sunflowers out there.

This year it will just be about fun and the joy in growing something. Which is how is SHOULD be. Gardening shouldn't be stressful or discouraging. I'm glad we are taking a step back to just ENJOY and have fun.

The weather  has made US crazy, but the Pansies have been LOVING it! 

Tristen has plans to grow peanuts again, and wants to give artichokes a try. I am pretty sure we are too late for both, but that sure isn't going to stop him from trying.  This time last year he had good sized peanut plants already. Crazy!!!

I am enjoying my yard with my new found energy and I hope to spend more time playing in it this year. I've already made 2 trips to the greenhouse, and have planted 8 more cone-flower plants. If you find something that can even kick butt in a severe drought, you plant that ALL over your yard! ;) 

And I'm not sure if its the crazy weather that has them confused, but the bird spottings in my yard have been amazing this week. I saw, for the first time ever, an Eastern Bluebird. He sat still just long enough in my tree for me to identify him, and I haven't seen him since. Beautiful!! My friend Melanie has them at her house, but I've never seen one here.  I've also had a hummingbird back at the feeder, interrupted a Baltimore Oriole getting a drink from the water fountain, and have had a ton of cute little American Goldfinches.

 

And one that I'm still trying to identify. I've seen it around, but got a close up of it yesterday when it came into the bunny barn while I was feeding and  I sat and watched while it ate some bugs up on the rafters. It seems to hang out in there a lot, and I've been wondering if there is a nest hidden, but can't find anything.  Its TEENY TINY, and is shaped like a nut hatch,  but is much smaller and is brown and VERY fast!  Any ideas?

Hope every one has a wonderful week! We are getting a beautiful soft rain this morning that will make everything happy happy happy!!!