THERE'S A COYOTE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD & OTHER BACKYARD NEWS

There's a coyote (at least one) in our neighborhood and three of the neighbors have seen it.  I needed to mow my easement this afternoon and I was a bit anxious because I was afraid the coyote might be hiding or sleeping down in the grass or behind the hackberry trees that come up from seeds.  But, I got brave and mowed and no coyote.  There's a small hole in the gate to my easement and I've wondered if the coyote has come in there, looking for food.  

Thank goodness I have high fences.  I've always had small dogs and always been afraid something would jump the fence and get them.  I think Charlie is safe from the coyote.

Remember that very large toad frog 

that has been around for a while and was hibernating in the leaves in my fish pond?  This morning I found him belly-up at the bottom of the pond.  Not sure what was going on, but I got my net and fished him out and laid him on the patio because he didn't look dead.  This afternoon when I got home, I went out to look and he was gone.  I can't imagine what would have been big enough to carry him off and I would like to think he woke up and is still around.  He was very interesting last summer.

Do you have crepe myrtles?  In the spring they shed their trunk's outer layers.  Just like a snake shedding it's skin.  After it's dried up a bit and loose, I like to just stand there and peel it off.  As it's shedding it's really messy, but it makes good mulch.

I hope your spring has been wet with lots of rain. 

 We've been lucky, so far, and hoping the wonderful rains continue from now to fall.

I can hear the little Carolina wren calling 

like they do just before they go into their roosting place at night.  Lots of times it's one of my birdhouses.  I'm going to go into my studio and try to see where it's roosting.  I've noticed that they call and call and call just to see if anybody/anything is watching and then they'll go into their house real fast, so as not to be seen.

I love nature!

PINK PENTAS FLOWERS & NEWLY PLANTED VINE SEEDS COMING UP

These are pentas in my garden. 

 I have several different shades of pink and they're just sooo beautiful right now!! 

The black swallowtail butterflies just love them and

 I LOVE seeing the black butterflies on the pink flowers.

Here, the pentas will bloom until they freeze, maybe in December.  And, some of them will even come back in the same pot.

A couple of weeks ago, I planted lots of seeds.  I always plant a few more than I need because I'm never sure if they will all come up.  The extras I can give to my neighbors.  I planted three different vine seeds and a lot of seeds I got from my butterfly weed last summer.  I hope all of the butterfly weed plants come up and I will put them everywhere in my garden.  The monarch butterflies need them as they're passing through in the fall.

Already coming up is the purple hyacinth bean vine.  This morning I found another seed peeking out, but didn't look to see which one it was.  

~Butterflies are everywhere~

This is such a fun time of year!!

THIS & THAT IN THE GARDEN~~~AND, "LEAVE THE FAWNS ALONE!!"

This morning it was so nice and cool that I was enjoyed working in the yard for a while.

While I was sweeping my rock walk and loving being outside, a new family of wonderful little chickadees landed just above my head.  One of the parents was really fussing at me to go away so they could show their babies the black oil sunflower seeds.  So, I moved to another part of the yard and watched them.  Soooo cute!!  I LOVE those feisty little birds!!  They're so tiny and so brave!

This morning I was listening to an outdoors show on the radio and the host said to LEAVE THE FAWNS ALONE.  Here, this is the time they are being and have just been born.  He said their mommies leave them to go a short distance to eat and they are nearby watching their babies.  He said the wildlife rescuers said people are bringing in fawns, thinking they're abandoned.  Unless the tiny fawns are injured or sick, leave them alone.  Also, you are taking a risk of the doe attacking you, protecting her baby.  I haven't gotten to see one, yet.  I keep looking, though.

Hope you are having wonderful spring weather, too!

One of my Facebook friends just posted:

• Diana There are two fawns in the backyard of my house in Timberwood. Their moms gave birth to them in the yard, leave them for short periods of time to forage, then return to nurse them. One was also born there last year and stayed until he could jump the fence to get out. Smart moms know they are safe in the yard!!

  26 minutes ago · Unlike · 1
• 

  Lynda Bergman Oh, that's so sweet!! One of my clients in the country said they will bring the babies up to her garage and several will surround the babies to protect them. Thanks for sharing that 

TODAY IS A GLORIOUS DAY!! IT'S RAINING, RAINING, RAINING!

It has been raining a lot!!

It started yesterday.  

It was my birthday and I counted it as a special birthday blessing.

Today, it is still raining and more this afternoon and more for the rest of the week.

My trees thank YOU, the birds thank YOU and I thank YOU!!

This drought has been awful and I'm hoping this is the beginning of  the end (of the drought).

I asked Charlie if he wanted a cookie.

When I mention food, he always licks his lips.

Such a good little doggie!!

NEIGHBOR DOGGIES CAME AVISITIN'

Charlie and I were working in the backyard and the sweet, sweet neighbor dogs came down the easement to visit, again.

Not sure how they get out of their yard, but they always end up in my easement.

THEY WANTED IN!!

But, I knew they needed to go back home.  I gave them some water and they played with Charlie through the fence.

One of these days, I'm going to build new gates without these openings.  Possums, skunks and raccoons were coming in, so I put all of that chicken wire in the openings.

I love using chicken wire because you can't see it across the yard and from the house. 

When I know birds are nesting in a certain area, I put chicken wire around the tree trunk or wherever I know there's a nest.  I try to discourage the cats and it usually does keep them away from the nests.

The doggies' family came to get them, so they're gone for now.

YOUNG, DEMANDING MR. CARDINAL

Earlier, I posted about Mr. Cardinal demanding food.

This is not the same cardinal and maybe it's his baby because he's not fully colored out.

His daddy taught him about me.  He flies over when I go in the backyard, so I feed him. 

I love it and I love animal behavior.

Yesterday, I was foolin with the fish pond and really concentrating.  I could hear him chirping at me and was busy and didn't go for sunflower seeds.

All of a sudden, he whistled REAL LOUD and went into song and THAT got my attention.  I went over and got him food.

Today, I was watering in the front yard and  there he was right above me singing for quite a while and I was enjoying it and appreciating him.  I looked up to take a picture, then he flew to the backyard.  I don't know if that was a message or what but this bird's "got my number"!!

I keep waiting for him to turn into Godzilla and land on my head.

But, I'm loving it!!  

SPRING WORK IN THE GARDEN

The weather is just wonderful for working in the yard, today. 

 I got the yard mowed and a few things trimmed back.

One of the best things that's happened to me in a very long time, gardenwise (is that a word?), is the huge compost bin the city has finally given us.  In the past, I just couldn't throw trimmings in the trash for the trash dump.  I guess I was having separation anxiety!  I could just hear them saying "don't throw me there!!".  But, now I trim all the time and most weeks I have it full for the city to pick up.  I love trimming things back and things look so much better.

This little dove that I posted about earlier left her nest for a little while.  I wonder if a grackle or night owl got her babies or eggs.  But now she's back, starting over and I hope things work out this time.  I'll be watchng.

Also, I was able to change out the water in the fish pond.  It's a little murky, but it will clear up in an hour or so.  The fish are happy! and, I can mark that off of my "very important things to do" list.

Out of this horrible drout came a wonderful storm last week and my mosaic gutter drains were doing their job.  Because we haven't had much rain, I really couldn't check on them.  But, they're good.

This is my patch of perennial eupatorium.  I love this flower!!  Two beautiful black swallowtails were all over them, today.  The monarchs love them, too and I saw one yesterday on it.  I can NEVER get rid of the bermuda grass that you see.  I just feed and take very good care of the eupatorium and hope the bermuda doesn't take too much nourishment from them.  In a week, this will be a sea of purple flowers.

Another perennial vine that I love and has been in my garden for many years is coming back and climbing everywhere.  I've searched and searched and cannot find the name of it.  

Since I'm no longer using my purple martin house, I'm going to let it grow up the martin house pole.  I planted the seeds this morning.  Many times I will break a pot and stick it in the ground to protect the base of the vine or flower that I've planted.  It defines it's territory and it reminds me to be careful when I'm edging the flower beds.

The vines that I love, I plant in several places because I never want to be without seeds in case something happens to one.  That happened one time and I looked for years and finally found it again.  It was a butterfly pea vine with blue flowers.  I'll be posting it again when it starts blooming.

Happy Saturday!