by Kat | Sep 23, 2024 | General, In My Backyard
September tries its best to have us forget summer. — Bernard Williams
Yesterday, autumn arrived and I am feeling a deep sorrow in my heart at the end of summer… which is the most curious coming from a person who never really liked summer at all. Yes, I am grieving the end of summer. And even though September began tempting me with some decidedly autumnal weather earlier in the month, I am happy that that cooler weather has given way to a return to warm summer days.
I am not ready to give up Porch Sitting at all. It is my most very favorite time of the day. Now some might say that it all is just a colossal waste of time… sitting quietly in the morning, sipping my coffee, listening, reading a poem or two, and jotting down my thoughts. But for those few moments… as I am “in the world” and not in my house, I have discovered and experienced things I would have missed if I was “busy” doing something else in my house (and trust me… the dust will wait!!) I am contemplating figuring out a “Mr. Heater” that can help me extend my time outdoors! (Thanks to Kym for putting Mr. Heater on my radar!)
Some treasured moments from my “summer sitting” time:
- The oriole feeder that not a single oriole visited, but I discovered that the house finches dearly love some grape jelly, so I kept it full for them. Watching them feed their babies a “spot of dessert” was just so fun. But the most fun visitor to the oriole feeder were the wee Downy Woodpeckers who sipped the hummingbird nectar… and yes, that same oriole feeder saw loads of Hummer’s each and every day!
- I also discovered that juvenile Red-bellied Woodpeckers also love hummingbird nectar. They were regular visitors to my hummingbird feeders!
- I delighted in the chipmunks antics at avoiding the squirrels but still getting their fair share of peanuts. They grew so used to me sitting on the porch, that they stopped ‘taking the long way’ back to their nest, and instead scampered past me!
- It was the summer for rabbits in my yard as well, we had a plethora of babies all summer long and as we close in on autumn, I find myself happy that three have evidently decided that our yard is a good space to hang out. I see them regularly.
- I have been amazed at how very smart blue jays are! I, perhaps, learned the most about them this summer! Their “bird bath” antics though are most hilarious! They have brought laughter to my days, which was so appreciated in the days after we lost Sherman. A good reminder that laughter does not diminish sorrow but it does ease it for a bit.
- I reveled in the long days and mourned when the days shorter length became evident. And I really delighted in a season that contained four full moons… two of which were super moons!
- Yes, I even tried to spend some time outside when the sun was down! I did okay until the mosquitos got very bad but I very much loved watching the fireflies.
- And speaking of insects…I know many of you had a bout of super noisy cicadas however, I found their drone delightful on a sunny afternoon! And as August gave way to September I am delighting in the songs of the crickets as the sun sets.
- My butterfly bush was seriously amazing this year. It was immense… and full of blooms from late June to now… yes, it is still going strong! I watched a plethora of bees navigate systematically from bloom to bloom. I delighted in the abundance of butterflies… swallowtails, monarchs, and fritillaries galore! I also watched hummingbird moths as well as actual hummingbirds!
So as I turn the page of summer and I try and ready myself for fall… I am most thankful that I am here to experience the seasons!
What memories of summer will you carry with you into fall?
See you all back here on Wednesday for some Unraveling!
**Image by Viktor Hanacek on PicJumbo**
by Kat | Jun 14, 2024 | General, In My Backyard
That is one good thing about this world…there are always sure to be more springs.
— L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea
Today is the final Friday in spring and even though it feels more like summer outside today, it has been a most glorious spring! One thing a Year of Time has done for me is to give me a better awareness to “be in the day” versus jumping ahead to the days that are not yet here. I am more than a little sad to move on from spring, but Montgomery’s reminder is a good on for me… there will be more springs!
Way back in February, we got a Bird Buddy bird feeder. At the beginning, I laughed at the squirrel antics, but that soon changed… and those dratted squirrels got so bad that we took Bird Buddy down while I contemplated solutions. Those squirrels were cleaning out my feeder in short order and then they began chewing the feeder. Big chunks of the feeder. Spicy seeds did not stop them.
But Etsy to the rescue… I purchased some 3-D printed “sides” and some “stick holders” and with a couple of sticks, a bit of wire, and I have outsmarted those squirrels… at least this week! On the bright side, the woodpeckers love the new “branches” and they are now very regular visitors! (For those interested, I got the fence sides here and the perch with suet holder here.)
Last November, I planted a plethora of bulbs… most were successful, the crocus… not so much. Apparently bunnies don’t like white crocus though because they did bloom! I was stunned that the deer did not eat the tulips! Those damned squirrels on the other hand… All the daffodils did amazingly well and I am planning to purchase more bulbs this fall! The early spring alliums were just stunning as well! Tall, stately, and they drew hummingbirds like mad! And thank goodness for a sea of yellow dandelion’s that our backyard is for those early spring bees!
I did, finally, go and get my hair cut as well. At first, it was hard to “do” but soon my minute hair abilities kicked in and I found I really loved the “just brushing my shoulder” length! I also got new glasses (with all three visions… trifocals FTW!)
This year, as part of my time contemplation, I have been taking photos of each full moon. Nothing fancy, just a snap with my iPhone. Spring had three full moons: Worm Moon in March, Pink Moon, in April, and Flower Moon in May. Cloudy skies and rain kept me from getting May’s moon at full… but I managed to get an early morning picture of that waning gibbous Flower Moon!
I am getting very good at “making do” and last year I implemented to “ground level” bird baths out of repurposed garbage can lids. This year, thanks to an Amazon Deal of the Day, they got a bit of an upgrade! And the birds LOVE them! We have a couple of Fish Crows that come regularly and chatter away as they splash about! And when the Mourning Doves come en masse, it is so funny to watch them wait “in line” for their turn.
We had some things that were not captured in photo or video. The robins who nested in our bushes (not the wisest choice) laid four eggs… but soon there were only two eggs. Those eggs hatched but one baby did not survive a wild storm and sadly a few days later the remaining chick became a casualty of the neighbors cat. Not a good outcome for the robins, but I hope they learned that those bushes are not good for a nest! We see deer frequently in our neighborhood but over the course of May it seemed there was evidence of a deer bedding down in our yard… well, not only was she bedding down, she gave birth and hid the wee fawn in the bushes. I have also seen a few “baby bunnies” hopping around our yard! They love the bird bath and I see them frequently getting a drink! We also had a great view of the eclipse! But perhaps the greatest delight has been the family of Red-bellied Woodpeckers… Dad, Mom, and two adorable babies! Dad brought them to the feeders a couple of weeks ago. At the beginning, the babies stayed on the tree and dad would bring them suet but they have graduated to “self-feeding” and are so fun to watch!
There was a trip to Erie (which is always so delightful!) and so many beautiful sunsets! But the Aurora Borealis in the South Hills of Pittsburgh is something I will delight in for years to come! Perhaps the biggest thing was that I got hearing aids! Yes, this is me fresh from the audiologist… hearing all the things!
Finally, this spring was SO good for Sherman! He has gotten his third Librela shot and the results are nothing short of miraculous!
What about you? How was your spring?
Have a great weekend everyone, see you all back here on Monday!
by Kat | Mar 18, 2024 | General, In My Backyard
Today is a day for celebration! It is the last full day of winter!!
And yet…I have savored these 13 weeks slowly and thoughtfully as I read one essay a week with Margaret Renkl. It was the most aware winter of my life and I am celebrating every moment of winter as it draws to a close.
But!!
I am also full of excitement to welcome the arrival of spring tomorrow! My hope is that the next 13 weeks as I immerse myself in spring will be as full of delights as the winter weeks were!
No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. ― Hal Borland
I love this quote from Borland… he has some of the best wisdom as one moves from one season to another. Especially as the “edges” of seasons can overlap each other a bit. I won’t be shocked if winter pushes back on spring a bit and I have loved the spring-like days that have been creeping into winter!
About mid-February, we jumped on the Bird Buddy band wagon and have had loads of fun with it. And while I am contemplating some modifications to deter the bigger birds, thus far it is providing maximum delight! I discovered we have a Titmouse who has a little yellow band… so that is kind of fun! (I also reported my banded bird sighting!) I am laughing out loud at the antics of the Common Grackle! I am not sure there is another bird on the planet (or at least in my backyard) with a better stare down! And although the Bird Buddy has not gotten any woodpecker snaps, they are loving it as well! As does our local squirrel family, of course!
The deer also are enjoying the new feeder… no snaps of them yet either, but I live in hope! Saturday morning, I was delighted to see a ‘trail’ of deer fur across my back yard… they must be shedding for the spring! The birds made short work of it as the morning sun dried the frosty ground… some wee baby birds will have lovely soft nests! Making sure I am taking in all that is around me has opened my eyes to things that probably happened before, but I was not looking for them so I missed out on the wonder and the joy!
Somehow, Margaret Renkl’s wisdom each week astounds me anew (I had previously read The Comfort of Crows) but as I read “Praise Song for a Spring I Was Not Alive to See” I was profoundly struck by how similar her thoughts are with the thoughts of Andri Snær Magnason, as he talks about sitting in the same space with his 94 year old grandmother and his daughter as they contemplate the daughter’s grandchildren and the connection between them all. (I am savoring On Time and Water currently.) The idea that this coming spring is a spring my dearest Nana would have experienced as a young girl… and that someday Vivi’s grandchildren will experience the same spring. (at least that is my hope that there will still be spring in the future.) These are thoughts that fill my heart with deep joy as I contemplate a connectedness that moves beyond time.
And of course, there’s this…
So many birds are singing and singing and singing. — Margaret Renkl, The Comfort of Crows
And there you have a glimpse into my backyard as I bid winter a fond farewell and welcome spring with open arms!
Happy Last Day of Winter everyone!
by Kat | Feb 2, 2024 | General, In My Backyard
Today is Groundhog’s Day and Punxsutawney Phil will soon be making is prediction… but regardless of him seeing his shadow or not, we have 6 more weeks of winter before spring arrives on March 19th. (Although with our forecast of a week of much warmer temps, maybe spring will be arriving this week!)
I read another week with Margaret Renkl’s The Comfort of Crows and it might just have been my favorite week thus far!
I was so absorbed by the task of planning for spring that I completely forgot how long the wait for true springtime would be…I was remembering my favorite part of planting: the moment when the seedling, fragile as any lace-winged insect or hallow-boned nestling, somehow shoves the clods of earth aside and makes it way upward and outward. Searching for the light. — Margaret Renkl, The Comfort of Crows, an excerpt from Winter, Week 7
Last fall… I invested in spring. I planted LOTS of bulbs and have since been battling squirrels who believed I planted a buffet just for them! I have even seen said squirrels taunting me from the tree gnawing on the big, juicy bulbs they had unearthed. My fears grew and grew and grew… was my hopeful investment for a blooming spring for naught?
Oh, me of little faith!
Crocus peeking out! And yes, the weeds are growing… sigh.
This week a plethora of “proof of life” has been showing in my gardens! I might have even put on my happy pink socks and done a great big happy dance in my soggy back yard!
Daffodils that the squirrels missed!
So even if those squirrels have feasted on a good number of bulbs… some survived and that makes all that work in the fall very much worth it! (Even if Bah Humbug Steve does not agree with me!) Sadly, the alliums that were sending up their delicate tender fronds were mowed back down to ground level. What ate them? I have no clue. I am hopeful their will to live will overcome this tragedy.
Who chomped these wee alliums?!
And… I have one month of stitching done… A Proof of Life from my creative self as well!
Thirty-one days of stitching!
I wish you all a very happy weekend! See you all back here on Monday!
** Header Photo by Gelgas Airlangga **
by Kat | Nov 24, 2023 | General, In My Backyard
As November’s crisp, rustling leaves surrender to cool autumn breezes and whirl away in all directions, we are reminded that ‘for everything there is a season. ― Peggy Toney Horton, Unseen Angels
November has been utterly delightful… were words I never thought I’d think or say, but it is so very true!
I have delighted in the falling leaves, the bare branches, the crisp nights, and the sunny days! I have even enjoyed the crunch of leaves underfoot on my walks with Sherman! This season surely has provided some incredible beauty!
The month started on a very high note inside when my “All Saint’s Day” Cactus began blooming on the first… and the show has not stopped! If fills me with such delight every morning when I head to my desk with coffee to begin my day. In previous years, I have had to fertilize this cactus to get it to bloom, but this year it has just been thriving! In October I bumped one of the segments off accidentally but I have been successful in rooting it and it has new growth as well!
One new little segment starting!
AND! If all that was not enough… I cut back some of my herbs with the hope that I would be have fresh herbs over the winter and have a rooting plant to replant in the spring (I did this successfully last year with the sage and the rosemary… and it appears I will be successful again this year!) I am going to try again with a small basil cutting… it has roots and new leaves! My plan is to plant it in a small pot to see if that fosters success. I tried the cutting last year but it I did not have success.
My kitchen herb “garden”!
It was not all indoor gardening this month… in my yard I have safely tucked away dozens of bulbs. I am excited for alliums, daffodils, crocus, and tulips that will help me greet the spring! At least that is my hope… if the squirrels don’t dig them all up! I have been playing a bit of wack-a-mole with them. They dig into the mulch…. I move the mulch back. The rascally squirrels have not dug into the dirt… yet. I am now hoping for a good freeze and perhaps a bit of snow cover so they move on from their obsession to dig them up!
But, lest you think that my November was all about plants… The over-winter birds have been a delight as well. The Junco’s were back this month and I welcomed American Pitpit’s as well! And I have seen several Cedar Waxwings as well. They join the Cardinal’s, Titmice, Chickadees, Blue Jay’s, Robins (yes, they are here year around), and the assortment of woodpeckers that visit daily.
And as this month draws to a close… I am eager for what December will bring.
Have a great weekend everyone, I will be back on Monday with an update on my word!
