MAMA MOCKINGBIRD PROTECTING HER NEST

MAMA MOCKINGBIRD PROTECTING HER NEST

This mama mockingbird is a different one from a few weeks ago.  She's different because she keeps dive bombing Punkin.  She still makes those warning chirps, but it's like she has a death wish.  I've watched her come so close to Punkin and peck her and I'm so afraid Punkin is going to grab her.  Then, what will happen to her babies.

Her nest is in this crepe myrtle tree next door.  It's a perfect place for a nest.  The limbs are very sturdy and cradle the nest.  And, mockingbirds make such good, pretty, sturdy nests.

I know she's just trying to distract Punkin from her babies and I really hope she survives.

I'll be watching and hoping for the best!

BEAUTIFUL GREEN & BEIGE MOTH & MY QUEENS CROWN VINE

Look at this beautiful green and beige moth.  Those are my favorite shades of green.

I was gettng leaves out of my fish pond and this moth was in the leaves and ended up in my net.

Look at his caterpillar body.

(if you click on the moth photo, you'll see the colors better)

Queens Crown is one of my very favorite vines.  I've had this one for about 20 years and each spring it blooms as soon as it comes up until it freezes in late fall.  Many of them don't bloom until fall.  This one climbs into my trees, the neighbor trees and up the telephone pole and wires.  I love vines, so this one makes me really happy.  I, even, love the word VINE.  And, the color of the flowers is so pretty.

You can't see them in these photos, but there are honey bees swarming all around the flowers.  I'm always happy to see that.

FRI:TootsieTime,FloralFriday,FreshEggsDaily,MON:BoogieboardCottage,,MosaicMondayJembellish,TheHeartOffYourHome,HomemakerOnADime,TheDedicatedHouse,TUES:AStrollThruLife,CedarHillRanch,OurHomeAwayFromHome,KatheWithAnE,SidewalkShoes,WED:ASouthernDaydreamer,

PAINTED BUNTING & MIGRATING BIRD TIME

Yesterday, I heard a "different" sound in my really high montezuma cypress tree.

It reminded me that one of my most favorite times of  the year is almost here.

Starting around the end of July, the most beautiful, colorful migrating birds pass through my yard and I get to see lots of them.

For many years, I've tried to create a bird sanctuary in my yard.  By now, I do believe I'm on the migrating path of many of them.

On my facebook, if you click on photos and then albums, you can see photos of many of the birds that pass through.  Album:  "Birds Visiting My Yard"

This is a male painted bunting and the bright colors are just amazing.  The female is a beautiful emerald and avocado green.  Spring and fall, I get to see these passing through.

Hoping I'm home enough that I get to see lots of the other birds passing through this year, too.  Most of them will hang out for a day or two and come to the bird bath early morning and late afternoon.  Sometimes, the baltimore orioles hang out for a week to a month and I really, really love seeing them.

I'll be watching!!

ASouthernDaydreamer,

I LOVE MY FISH POND!!

My fish are more active and seem healthier since I got those new water hoses.  These new hoses are cleaner and don't outgas chemicals.  I'm so glad I discovered them.  

LINK TO CLEAN HOSE INFORMAITON

THE SWEETEST GIFT EVER FROM DEBBIE

Yesterday, my client Debbie called and said she had something for me.  It just so happens that I'm working in her neighborhood right now, so I told her I would come by on my way to work this morning.

She gave me this so, so beautiful umbrella.  The colors are amazing!

 Knowing that I love birds, she said when she saw this umbrella she had to get it for me.

Isn't that the sweetest gift and the sweetest thought EVER!!

Love you, Debbie 

 THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

BLACK-EYED SUSAN & CATERPILLAR GUEST

Today, I visited my favorite nursery, Shades Of Green SA, and saw these beautiful perennial black-eyed susans.  I've had these before and they atttract lots of different butterflies and bugs.  This time, I'm going to take very good care of them so they will come back next year.  They're so nice and bright yellow out in the flower bed.

If you look closely at the center of the top left flower, there's a caterpillar.  I wanted to bring the caterpillar home too, and they said yes.  Usually when you see one caterpillar, you see several because of the way the butterfly lays her eggs, but only one on this plant.  So, I'm wondering if the others had already crawled off to start their cocoons.  Anyway, it's here and I'm hoping it will be happy in this big flower bed.

Oh, and not sure what kind of caterpillar it is.  Guess I'll just let it surprise me~

FRI:FloralFriday,FreshEggsDaily,TootsieTime,TUES:SidewalkShoes,FRI:TinasPicStory,

BEAUTIFUL ORANGE DAYLILIES AGAINST THIS STONE BACKGROUND

These daylilies were just too heavy for their thin stem, so they fell over on the patio.  I thought they looked so pretty on the stones.

"STARS IN THE GARDEN ~ ORANGE DELIGHT"  

(Lynda Bergman)

Usually, I stake them and forgot about this flower bed.

They're saying we have a chance for rain, several days this week.  I certainly hope so!

The daylilies and my whole yard will be very thankful!

SidewalkShoes,

A RAT SNAKE IN MY BIRDHOUSE

A RAT SNAKE IN MY BIRDHOUSE

Well now, I believe in live and let live.  

Even for snakes.

But, oh my goodness!!

A while back I was on the patio and saw some movement in that pyracantha bush in the background.  I kept watching and this rat or chicken (?) snake moved through the shrubbery, slithered through those cords and went directly to that pretty birdhouse like it had been there before.  I watched that (around) 4' snake slither and coil it's whole body into the birdhouse. 

 I was amazed!!! 

 I kept watching, then thought to go get my camera.  When I came back only it's head was peeking out of the portal.  I got a little bit closer to take this photo and it slithered out of the birdhouse and away it went.  Either that was a "den" or it was looking for eggs and baby birds.

Interesting, huh??

EMPTY NEST TODAY!!

EMPTY NEST TODAY!!

Look at these cuties!!  (photo taken two days ago)

Today was day 14 since the day they hatched.  Early this morning, I heard the parents chirping a lot and I'm guessing  they were encouraging the babies to leave the nest while the cats were busy eating on the front porch.  The nest is EMPTY!  I miss seeing all of that activity, but I bet the little wren family is soooo happy!!

STARTLED TOAD & STARTLED ME!

This morning, I went outside to turn on the sprinklers.  Because it's usually dark, I use a flashlight to see exactly what I'm stepping on.  As I pass the fish pond, I always shine it in the water because it's interesting to see the fish in the dark.

As I looked in the fish pond, I saw someting out of the corner of my eye.  It was large, flat, beige and swimming straight for the bottom to hide under some foliage.  I kept looking for it and finally saw a large toad frog.  I know I have one that lives under the rocks around the pond.  I must have startled it and it jumped in the water.  

Did you know that toad frogs can swim?  They mate in the water and lay their eggs in the water, thus tadpoles.

Nature is fascinating.

BABY WREN SLEEPING

The baby wren is sleeping and resting it's head in the portal.  See the yellow beak?  A sure sign of a baby.  They'll be leaving the nest very soon and I'll be watching for them.  I'm pretty sure it's been 10 days since they hatched.

MY FISH ARE "HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY" & THE WRENS ARE FUSSING AT PUNKIN

My goldfish are "happy, happy, happy"!  First thing this morning I changed the water in the fish pond, using my new, non-gassing of chemicals, water hose from Water Right, Inc.  It made me feel really good, too.

The wrens have been beside themselves, worrying about Punkin napping near their nest.  After Punkin gets down from my work bench, I'll spread things out so she can't get up there for a while.
And there's Charlie, always wanting Punkin to come down and play.

Today, I finally trimmed that very overgrown fern and, now I can walk past it without feeling crowded.  It looks so much better, too.  Because it didn't freeze back last winter, it had gotten just way too huge.

My friend, Gus, was raising my lawn mower so it wouldn't cut my grass so short.  As he was adjusting the wheels, one of the rusted bolts broke.  I have a Lowe's nearby and I took my bolt and wheel to show them and they had a "universal" bolt kit.  Thank goodness the whole wheel didn't break.  Just letting you know about the kit and it's only around three dollars.  

Now, I can go mow my yard.

MON:DearLittleRedHouse,SunnjySmpleLife,

THANK YOU WATER RIGHT, INC & THE DIRT DOCTOR, ORGANIC GARDENER

A couple of years ago, I purchased two new water hoses that were gray, a perfect color to blend with my grass.  And, they didn't kink and that was a good thing, too, I thought!!  But, when I ran the water, there was a chemical outgassing odor and I was so afraid it might hurt my fish.  And, it did hurt my fish.    The water coming from that hose killed several of my large, original fish.  I didn't figure that out for a while and kept adding water and making it worse.  Several of my very large goldfish were my original fish and were around 10 years old.  I love my fish pond and was so sad, watching my fish slowly die and I didn't know what was wrong.  A hose was a hose and I just didn't know!  Because of the smell coming out of the front yard hose, I wouldn't even freshen the outside cat water because I was afraid it would, somehow, poison my cats.  And, I did ask around and never really got a good answer about a better hose.

Every Sunday, I listen to THE DIRT DOCTOR , organic gardener, on the radio and he mentioned some hoses that he uses.  He talked about WATER RIGHT, INC , and I Googled their hoses.  They are polyurethane hoses and there is no outgassing.  Immediately, I ordered these hoses and finally got them today.  They are very lightweight and so easy to pull around the yard.  I'm thrilled to have discovered these hoses!!
(If you will click on The Dirt Doctor link and the Water Right, Inc link, they will take you to those wonderful sites.)

First thing tomorrow morning, I'm going to change out most of the water in my fish pond.
Thank you so much to Howard Garrett the Dirt Doctor for talking about Water Right, Inc, or I never would have known about the outgassing and  letting me know I had another choice.
                                                       I JUST DIDN'T KNOW!!

                                             FRI:TootsieTime,