New garden pics

[smkie]

[Baxter'smybaby]

lovin' the groundhog couple!

[smkie]

Mr. sure likes his water cool and fresh. I decided he is watching me because no sooner to I replace it and get inside than here he comes. I so seldom get to see her, but Hyia said she saw her today. I am so glad your interested in them too, it is much more fun when I can share. Good news is Mr is growing back hair. maybe it's his sunflower diet. HE will be pleased because Hyia got a bag of apples she considers bitter. She is fussy as all get out about her apples, she loves them dearly, but only the delicious ones, which is what I thought I had but I guess I didn't. SHe has a cantaloupe for tomorrow so the rind will go out and hopefully the Mrs. Will get to have a treat. : ) The world is so dry, so horridly hot, that the parade of critters to the watering hole is steady all day long. I would hate to be a wild thing out there right now and figure putting out a bowl of cool water and refreshing it during the day is the very least we can do. Wish we could do more.

I have six more stalks of sunflowers to go, we certainly got our good out of one packet of seeds. Fun for me to take photos of, fun to hear the goldfinches sing their joy at fresh seeds, and finally to see them gobble up all but the very thickest part of the stem.

Somebody help me with roses. I keep spraying and the caterpillars must be mutants, the spray is supposed to be broad spectrum and still they munch. What am I doing wrong???

[smkie]

All I have ever used is some ivory soap shaved up in a mister bottle I don't use pesticides so I am not much help. I am very careful to keep my predators, praying mantis, lady bugs, itty bitty spiders around to do the work for me. The only trouble we had was Japanese beetles because they get too big too fast, before the predators can take care of them so we made it a family effort to go out between 1 and 3 and catch them. Early in the morning I would check the buds and if there was one in the bloom I would pinch it hard to kill it.

[dktotz]

What a lovely garden you got there!

[smkie]

my new favorite. I am not a big statue fan, but this one my SO bought for me when my son was little. Now this is his son, and my SO is deceased. I am glad that this statue is still with me, and that all my memories are mixed together when I see this. I miss Jim but in this photo, in a way, he is with me. My flowers are like that too. The four oclocks I plant because of my grandmother. Grandmother Kim gave me the meadow rue, Jim dug up the irises out in the country in a field of tall grass because I said I liked them. Many of the plants have been with me for so long it's hard to believe. Old good friends of mine. He would have liked this photo a lot I think.

[smkie]

Uncle Carl.... a big difference from the poor little old Mr in the pic above. I was worried about the Mr and Mrs for I haven't seen them for a week but both stopped by this morning. This big boy with his mutton chops showed up a week ago. Came up with one of the babies. THey too stop by less often which is fine since the rain started. Uncle Carl however, I think he just watches from the tall grass and waits for me. Open the door or the window tho and zip...all are gone. I like seeing them climb the tree to eat the pods of the honey locust. All can be seen from my desk chair. The very best part of this apt.
Pepper is getting a strict lesson on how we are NOT going to sit and chatter and snort at the screen. Nor are you getting out the door without a leash. She can do her running somewhere else. I really like groundhogs. I never knew anything about them before but such gentle creatures. THe squirrels and birds get within inches of them when they are here. They are no threat and no worry for no one has a garden here or livestock. Going to make a little foot stone and call it groundhog crossing.

[smkie]

Mama and her Baby. A rare sight to see two together. Enjoying dinner of an apple and carrots.


I would love to touch Mama's fur. but I never will.

[smkie]