For The Birds

I threw together this bird feeder post and stuck it in the corner of the garden. This is where I have been working improving the bed, removing and discarding the old Cannas, (which are in the garage until mid February,) contemplating what to do with the monstrous Lantana, although the birds like the seeds, and the butterflies and hummingbirds enjoy the flowers, and us to when they are new in the spring and don't devour everything in site because of their size later in the season. But I see Grapes here, and Morning Glories this spring, and Hollyhocks, and orange California Poppies, and Oriental Poppies, and at that point all the rest becomes a blur.

So I went in to get the camera, and the bird feeder had already attracted birds! Yeah!

And I adore the red breasted one, and I am pleased that he showed up for the photo.

I call him the Desert Cardinal and my husband calls him the Desert Robin until we find out his true identity.

Is there room for four?

The hummingbird over winters and perches on the tree behind the wall in the same location. I hope they will all get along.

The apples last about a week and the birds really enjoy them. Symba has taken to sleeping all day in the house. Good thing he is missing all of the action.

Thanks for visiting! To all of my gardening friends, carry on and hurry back!

It's a Toss Up

Here is the inside of the greenhouse. The lettuce and peas against the wall like the increased heat. I'll bring the tomato back into the house at night if there is sign that it will freeze. I haven't been in the greenhouse at night yet with a flashlight to check the thermometer, but my guess is that it may only be a few degrees difference from outside. No room inside here for black 55 gal. water barrels as a source of heat storage.

The starter pots sit on the raised tubs, and they contain the Asian Greens. Seems like all I do is talk about Asian Greens.

The temperature can get to a balmy 88 degrees with 60 percent humidity. I rather like it and the plants do too.

Outside their are signs of how windy it can get up here on Black Mountain. The wind blew over the wheelbarrow, and blew the marbles off of the bamboo poles and so I gathered them up into a little pile until I re-glue them. Just seeing them clustered together is a nice surprise in the garden walk about.

This is what hungry birds think is delightful to happen upon. These are Lantana berries.

A California Poppy seedling has appeared after the rain, and I wonder if this is early or if they just stagger their sprouting, sprouting here and there for a big show in February-March. I have more seed to scatter, and I thought I would wait until early January so that the rains would water them in, and they could get settled, so I find this curious that a few have started already.

Finding this Garlic Chive sprayed out and showing it's color of orange and yellow is a curious site, too.

I chopped down the Eucalyptus and this will be the home of a new fruit tree. I can't decide if it will be an apple, apricot or the next changing whim, but I have a few weeks until I have to decide. This will also be the location of a new vegetable bed, too. It will be triangular shaped, so I am excited to see how this will evolve. I am tossing around triangular shaped wooden bed frames in addition to circular fruit.

The greenhouse changes the dynamics of the sunning bed. Before it was quiet, and now it is screaming for attention. Toss that up as well. The air is full around here.

Thanks for visiting. To all of my gardening friends, carry on and hurry back!