Saturday

My asters are starting to open. The ones in my pots are doing significantly better then the ones on the ground!  I don't think they like the rocks and clay in the one garden.  I'm thinking of trying to transplant the potted ones in the butterfly garden in the fall.

My little guy was out here, once more chasing away another hummer, then quickly feeding on everything around him.

Recently there had been a whole family of blue jays that visited. I assume they were training the young ones. Today there was one adult and one young one. Here he is squawking at a parent for food.  Usually the blue jays will come right to the yard for peanuts even while I'm out there, but I guess when training the young they show more restraint when there's a human about! Once cold weather hits the blue jays, ducks, titmouse, do become demanding for food and will come to the porch, sit on the rail and make a racket until I show up with peanuts for them. 

The tufted titmouse was around while I was outside, but it didn't come for the sunflower seeds on my table. Close, but again being cautious.  Later I heard a lot of racket in the woods across the stream and could see it had some young ones with her.

There were a lot of yellow tiger swallowtails out today in the yard.  I was happy to see one of them feeding on the swampweed. Which is covered with some sort of bugs. I love the swampweed and it has a nice smell to it.  They are planted alongside the two pawpaw trees. 

A goldfinch on a feeder.  I have the ugliest feeding station. An old table umbrella. the canvas was old and atorn, so I removed it  and tried to think of a way to reuse it, instead of throwing it out. So I have feeders hanging all over it.  The birds don't seem to mind. And it's easier to fill them all in one spot.  though I still have a feeder by my small window in my hallway. Easy to view them, and to take photos in winter.  Plus the large birds and squirrel can't get to it.  Actually the squirrel can't get to the umbrella feeder  it seems. I think he's too heavy, so we'll see what way he devises (because you know eventually he will) to get to all the food available there!

A silver spotted skipper catching a little sun. Not sure if you can see it in this photo, but theylook like they are mimicking 'The Scream'

Two cabbage whites...I assumed puddling. When I saw the photo in my computer though I'm wondering just WHAT that was they were feeding at.

Recently my son and I were sitting out in the yard after dark. I looked up at the tree behind him and saw a pair of eyes looking at us.  I told him to turn slowly and look up.  I told him I thought it was a possum, but he said...awww it's a kitty!  I turned the flashlight on.  It was a young possum. Who quickly scurried back along the branch and disappeared down the tree.  But it solved one mystery for me.  Every day when I got home from work, my jelly feeder was on the ground by the stream. I knew someones fat butt was on there knocking it down. I was thinking it was the ground hog.  I have several around here, but a younger one lives under my shed. I thought maybe he was the culprit.  now I know it was a possum. 

I'm continually amazed at what eats grape jelly.  I originally put it out to attact any passing bluebirds  or Oriole's in the Spring.  I've only seen them here a time or two but they only stopped to use the stream. But the catbirds love it and eat quite a bit of it.  The second year I had it up, the robin decided to start chowing down on it too.  A few other birds have given it a try, some it seems, only once out of curiousity as they never became regulars to that feeder.

Today I started a new large container of jelly...I will try to remember to post when I need to buy a new one!

I did pull a few weeds today, deadheaded some butterfly bush and cut back the yarrow.  I didn't realize i should be deadheading it, so hopefully this will help it grow a little fuller now.

My moonflower vine doesn't have any blossoms on it yet, but searching online shows I don't have to worry about that until September. At least the vine did grow quickly. Much better then my clematis. 

Speaking of groundhogs, I'd noticed from across the yeard that my cluster of  coneflowers didn't look as full as anyone else's. Sister has beautiful thick stands of them! Closer inspection revealed they were missing most of their leaves, giving them a rather sparse look despite all the flower heads.  I suspected the groundhog.  He surely loves the tender new leaves, especially of coneflowers as he never let mine on the bank grow when I planted them this year.  Anyhow the other day I watched out the window as he made his way over to the garden.  I quietly went outside. The AC compressor nearby was running, which gave me some sound cover.  I took a couple feet a way from him and quietly watched him until he was contentedly picking leaves and say HEY! LITTLE DUDE!  (yes he has a nickname!) Amazing how fast a goundhog can run.  And like an idiot I stood there, laughing outloud. no one else is around and there I was having a good time stalking the poor groundhog.

Otherwise I don't normally bother him.  I like to get photos of him.  He has enough problems though with a bigger groundhog that comes for the ducks corn.  I saw little dude going for the corn as the big one was feeding. He approached cautiously and when he got within 2 feet of the big one, I saw dude's head go up and he took off up the bank, and the big one took off after him and chased him all through the garden and disappeared behind the shed.  With me yelling RUN lil dude RUN!  (like...Run Forrest Run...)

I have thousands of yard stories I think LOL

I almost forgot, I brought in a lot of herbs for the 3 bunnies.  mint, chocolate mint, cinnamon basil, mini basil, 2 kind of lavendar, sage, lemon balm, pineapple mint and also some marigolds. Sweetpea and Star didn't hesitate (he who hesitates doesn't get as much!) and nommed whatever was put in front of them.  HoneyBee on the other hand is not so easily led, unless of course it's a snack food and a sweet one at that.  She approached with caution, took one sniff and jumped back as though offended at the offerings.  Then she crept closer and took a few careful sniffs, then tried to pull one piece out of the pile. Nibbling it she kept trying to get away from the pile of herbs. Apparently she likes to keep all her treats separate and not touching. She only ate a piece or two and turned her nose up at the rest.  Star and Sweetpea don't mind.

As soon as I opened up the refrigerator though, HoneyBee came a hopping and slidding across the kitchen floor. She wanted a baby carrot. She got one, but kept bugging for more treats so I gave her, and the other two, some shredded wheat.  They eat that like it's candy, with Sweetpea trying to fit as many pieces into his mouth at one time to keep it from Star.  Competitive eating I call it!