Simple Joys

We mow only a small portion of our property.

Mother Nature appreciates that and rewards us with an abundance of mistflower in the unmowed areas.

Pork Barrel?

You just never know what a storm system will bring with it...

Our conversation this afternoon following a thunderstorm:

"Hey, Treebeard?"
"Yes, Swampy?"
"There's a little pig in the yard."
"A what?"
"A pig. A little one. You reckon it escaped from one of the neighbor's hog houses?"
"I'll give 'em a call and find out."

Turns out we are harboring a fugitive. The hog farmer next door received a shipment of new pigs on Thursday. This little guy made a break for it and has been on the lam (you thought I was gonna say ham, didn't you?) ever since. The little guy fell in love with the pepper barrels that we are getting ready to make into rain barrels.
A few minutes after I shot the video, Treebeard snuck up on him and caught him in one of the barrels. He's in there now (the pig, not Treebeard!) munching out on a couple of ears of corn, waiting for a ride back to the farm.
Funny, I have mixed emotions about that...

Bee Condo

 

 

 

We are always eager to find ways to encourage native bees to take up residence in our yard. We have plenty of unmowed areas and a few dead snags, but we wanted to get these little pollinators closer to the garden. Treebeard made a couple of bee condos and drilled holes of various diameters. As you can see from the third photo, we already have tenants!

Next we plan to make a sand mound for ground nesting bees/wasps. We had a bunch of residents last year when the house was under construction so I expect we will be successful.

Tread lightly and share your space :)

Early Morning

In the damp of the early morning I prowl the yard, one eye on the tree line. I know I'll have to go in once the sun creeps up over the tulip poplars, but until then I have some freedom.

First I check the prothonotary nest box - all is well. Mama prothonotary is tucked away inside and Papa is making the rounds, singing for all he's worth. Next, the wren's nest under the porch. Her babies have hatched and it's driving my indoor cats crazy. Somewhere out in the wild fringe of the yard we also have nesting indigo buntings and blue grosbeaks. Just across the road I can see the summer tanagers. We haven't pinpointed their nest yet. Treebeard carefully checks on the bluebirds -- one egg so far in their second brood of the year. The wood thrush that wakes us each morning in just out of sight singing its song. Mama turkey has her babies out in the tall grass somewhere. All seems well with the avian crew that calls our property home.

On to the garden, quickly now the sun is getting higher. In the garden all the insects are drowsy. A pollen covered bumblebee slowly stirs after spending the night in a squash blossom. And a yellow bear (Spilosoma virginica) is suffering from bed head following its most recent molt.

 

Sun's all the way up now and I have to leave for work. Sigh. I'm already looking forward to sunset. Seems I have become crepuscular ;)