Bunnies, Critters, Garden, Village Life
Spring Garden Walk - Day 1
It’s time to take you on a garden walk and share what’s blooming, chirping, squeaking and squawking.
I’d love to claim the grape hyacinths in this first photo as my own, but they really belong to our neighbors, Dan and Diana. I’d never seen this plant before Dan put a patch in two years ago. They’re gorgeous, carefree, and apparently the bunnies don’t think they taste good. How can you not love a flower with those qualities?
This robin has been singing daily from a perch in our birch tree. I haven’t found the nest yet, but I’ve found the remains of several robins’ eggshells, so somewhere, in one of the trees, there is a nest.
We have a huge bank of ferns, all originating from a single clump Michael’s grandmother gave us when we moved to Wisconsin. I am always intrigued by the way ferns ‘unroll’ in the spring before slowly turning into their familiar frond shape.
I am delighted to have this Blue Jay dive-bombing the feeders at regular intervals. West Nile virus decimated the jays, and they went from being common in our yard to completely absent for several years. Last summer was the first time I started to see and hear jays again. This one arrived about ten days ago. I hope it stays, as Blue Jays love snacking on nests of yellow jackets — and we’ve had an overabundance of those irritable little critters since the onset of West Nile caused the jay population to plummet.
I have several Bergenia plants, and they are among the first plants to bloom in the spring. The large flat leaves of this plant turn reddish-brown during the winter, and then turn quite green again in the spring, surviving even our -20F temperatures.
And of course I see Missus Bunny almost daily. Here she is sizing up the green grocery while waiting for the baby bunnies to arrive!
More to come…
13 May 2008 JAS
Lovely - absolutely lovely. We’ve had quite a variety of birds this year, which isn’t that unusual except that some of them have arrived earlier than normal. Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, Orioles - they’ve been snacking on our Orange Dough Suet. My precious Bluebirds have a nest that is probably filled with babies by now. And the Carolina Wrens got a VERY early start- they already have 2 babies that have fledged and are being fed from our feeders! Plus the usual “cast of characters” - robins, wood thrushes, veeries, etc…
But - no pregnant bunnies; in fact no bunnies at all. Harumph!
The birds seem to be arriving on time here, which is a little surprising given how persistent the snow cover and cold was. No bluebirds (sigh - we’ve only seen one once), but plenty of rosy-breasted grosbeaks migrated through last week. Aren’t the Orioles wonderful? We have a pair nesting in a tree that overhangs our lot. When they fledge, they look like little orange ping pong balls hopping about the yard!
We’ll be overrun with bunnies soon - today Michael mowed the lawn and had to first carefully walk over the entire yard just to make sure we didn’t have a new bunny-scratch filled full of baby bunnies that would get injured or worse!
I also love the way ferns come up. To me, for some reason, it seems like some ancient life form, coiling out of the soil. It makes me think of lifes beginnings.
Kris - don’t be too envious. Those bunnies are both a blessing and a curse. And I’m not sure where the blessing is
JAS - what a wonderful way to start spring by growing down the path with you in your garden. Spring if finally coming here and the lilacs are in bloom. They are one of my personal favorites. The iris’s are right around the corner along with the peonies. We saw a red fox trot across our lawn just the other evening. I look forward to a summer filled with many journey’s along your garden.
Oh, come on, Dan, you love the bunnies! Especially served with a nice butter sauce and cilantro…
Sarah - aren’t the scents of lilacs grand? We have a neighbor that has lilac bushes that are over 50 years old, and taller than their garage. They’re covered with blooms right now, and the scent is glorious. And a red fox! Oh, I could use one of those beautiful mousers around here!