The gosling and pair of Canada Goose were back in the creek right next to the garden today. I wonder if they will summer here and just stay on now that they have produced this rapidly growing item.
I wonder about the changes to the ecology of Clear Lake and Cache Creek. They are big birds and must have a significant impact if there will be large groups of them staying around.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Butterfly on Coreopsis
This butterfly was very small and lavender in color, but not as the camera sees it. There were many of them all over the Coreopsis plant which is almost more like a bush. Very odd indeed.
The weather is cooler today and there is a chance of sprinkles this week...it would be a relief. When we were working to reset the timers for watering, we found that some of the timers didn't have their time set fixed...I am lucky that I only lost one plant.
I am sure we will have to make a few adjustments still, but hopefully we are almost done with that. I just need to order some spare parts from dripworks in Willets and then hopefully the watering issues will be undercontrol.
The weather is cooler today and there is a chance of sprinkles this week...it would be a relief. When we were working to reset the timers for watering, we found that some of the timers didn't have their time set fixed...I am lucky that I only lost one plant.
I am sure we will have to make a few adjustments still, but hopefully we are almost done with that. I just need to order some spare parts from dripworks in Willets and then hopefully the watering issues will be undercontrol.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Pair of Canada Geese with gosling
This is the first time that we have had the geese stay and produce offspring here on the creek. RAther unfortunate probably. At least with the dogs, they don't come into my garden but I see them on my neighbors' lawns. I wouldn't like that mess on my place.
I think one of the reason they stay is some people just down the way have been feeding them. I will be curious to see what happens as the summer heat progresses.
I also saw the first mallard duck with duckling this week, but wasn't fast enough with the camera to catch her. I check the pond over on the land every day now, hoping to catch some there, but so far no luck.
I think one of the reason they stay is some people just down the way have been feeding them. I will be curious to see what happens as the summer heat progresses.
I also saw the first mallard duck with duckling this week, but wasn't fast enough with the camera to catch her. I check the pond over on the land every day now, hoping to catch some there, but so far no luck.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Coreopsis
Something new from seed this year...a giant Coreopsis plant in the box with one of the fig trees.
Rocks, Pebbles, mulch
I have started to take this beautiful display of plant life for granted, but realized that not every one would know or remember that seven years ago when I first moved in here, this whole space on the creek was nothing more than barren red rock.
There was also an old deck behing the red roses. The only plant life out here was the vines that my neighbors had let grow on the fencing, and my long suffering willow tree, and a few scrabbly oaks pushing up from the rocks. The oaks were tiny, but even they are thriving now.
Everything in this photo has been grown in raised beds or barrels, or some kind of container. Other plants such as arugula seem to love the rock, and they and the poppies reseed freely.
There was also an old deck behing the red roses. The only plant life out here was the vines that my neighbors had let grow on the fencing, and my long suffering willow tree, and a few scrabbly oaks pushing up from the rocks. The oaks were tiny, but even they are thriving now.
Everything in this photo has been grown in raised beds or barrels, or some kind of container. Other plants such as arugula seem to love the rock, and they and the poppies reseed freely.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
My Giant Volunteer Sweet Pea
This sweet pea, which is actually more than one, volunteers every year in a wine barrel occupied by a very anemic Carolina Jessamyn. This year it outdid it's self and is at least six feet tall.
There is no way to capture the beauty and the fragrance of this bush with a camera. It needs a personal visit!
There is no way to capture the beauty and the fragrance of this bush with a camera. It needs a personal visit!
Iceberg Cluster
Every year I am amazed at the prolific Iceberg Roses. Some I brought to town from Morgan Valley, some are in this dense clay soil, some are in raised beds, and all just put on an amazing show.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Last New Iris
After all the trauma in the yard the last couple of days, it was a real delight to spot this after the arborist left.
Actually, he had good news for me. He feels that the Valley Oak is fundamentally sound, and that this was just an example of spring limb drop which Valley Oaks are notorious for and of which I was aware.
He further diagnosed the rot in the section that went as white rot as opposed to brown rot which is a good thing. And lastly, he feels the cabling I had put on the trees above where this happened was the right thing to do and will really help the trees to maintain it's integrity. Of course, small limbs will still possibly drop, but there probably won't be a major catastrophe. I did note all the if's and's and buts in my note here, but at least, at this point in time, I am going to leave the tree alone.
Whew! I had been really worried and while I still have some concerns, I feel better...at least until the next big windy event.
Actually, he had good news for me. He feels that the Valley Oak is fundamentally sound, and that this was just an example of spring limb drop which Valley Oaks are notorious for and of which I was aware.
He further diagnosed the rot in the section that went as white rot as opposed to brown rot which is a good thing. And lastly, he feels the cabling I had put on the trees above where this happened was the right thing to do and will really help the trees to maintain it's integrity. Of course, small limbs will still possibly drop, but there probably won't be a major catastrophe. I did note all the if's and's and buts in my note here, but at least, at this point in time, I am going to leave the tree alone.
Whew! I had been really worried and while I still have some concerns, I feel better...at least until the next big windy event.
Friday, May 15, 2009
The Bees are gone!
And they left riding in the back of an old Mercedes Diesel station wagon at 9:30 at night. I hope they are happy in their new home.
I have put the whole saga on my flickr page and this is the link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/griswold64/sets/72157618117632197/
I am tired right now, of Mother Nature, Bees, Falling Trees and little dead birds. Tomorrow will be another adventure when the arborist arrives to assess the health of the remaining part of the tree.
I remind myself that life is wonderful and that we are all small blips on the larger radar screen.
Sorry I missed John Muir Laws tonight, but I bet he would have understood.
I have put the whole saga on my flickr page and this is the link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/griswold64/sets/72157618117632197/
I am tired right now, of Mother Nature, Bees, Falling Trees and little dead birds. Tomorrow will be another adventure when the arborist arrives to assess the health of the remaining part of the tree.
I remind myself that life is wonderful and that we are all small blips on the larger radar screen.
Sorry I missed John Muir Laws tonight, but I bet he would have understood.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Whoa!
Michael first cut out the bottom of this section and no hive. At the bottom is a huge pile of acorns and debris. Then he cut the top section of the siding off, and this is what he saw as he pulled it off. According to my calcuations of when the swarm first arrived, this was built in a week. The whitish parts are the comb...
This might be the most dramatic of the photos, but I am annoyed that I took so many and still have to edit to tell the story from the time the scaffolding went up to the removal which is still going on.
This might be the most dramatic of the photos, but I am annoyed that I took so many and still have to edit to tell the story from the time the scaffolding went up to the removal which is still going on.
Swallowtail on Dianthus
My 7th year anniversary in town, and I love this capture. The rest of the day was a nature filled riot of contrasts, trying to save the bees that had moved into the wall, and then having a huge limb fall from an oak. Major damage, but nothing like it could have been.
Three dead woodpeckers, newly hatched?, but not yet alive? I don't understand them, but it was so sad to see the acorn wood peckers coming back to the tree searching and searching.
More pix to come of bees and birds, but not right now.
Three dead woodpeckers, newly hatched?, but not yet alive? I don't understand them, but it was so sad to see the acorn wood peckers coming back to the tree searching and searching.
More pix to come of bees and birds, but not right now.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Bee Update
This is the status of the bees two days after the swarm first appeared. They instantly found the small woodpecker holes which we were unable to reach from either the roof, or the ladder.
According to the Bee-Triever, there is probably already a hive in the wall.
The current plan is as follows:
Tomorrow a scaffolding company is coming from Santa Rosa to install scaffolding so the Bee-Triever has a place to work while getting the bees, and Stuart will have a place to work while repairing the wall. The Bee man has to be here because if the bees become active, he will have to do the last of the scaffolding with them giving directions. Then he will proceed with opening the wall, and beginning his part of the operation. The scaffolding will be up for a minimum of two weeks which hopefully will be enough time to get the bees and repair the side of the house.
Oh JOY! I won't even mention the cost at this point...but believe me, it ain't gonna be cheap to save those bees.
According to the Bee-Triever, there is probably already a hive in the wall.
The current plan is as follows:
Tomorrow a scaffolding company is coming from Santa Rosa to install scaffolding so the Bee-Triever has a place to work while getting the bees, and Stuart will have a place to work while repairing the wall. The Bee man has to be here because if the bees become active, he will have to do the last of the scaffolding with them giving directions. Then he will proceed with opening the wall, and beginning his part of the operation. The scaffolding will be up for a minimum of two weeks which hopefully will be enough time to get the bees and repair the side of the house.
Oh JOY! I won't even mention the cost at this point...but believe me, it ain't gonna be cheap to save those bees.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Attack of the Bees
As a gardener, I love the idea of bees in my garden and yard and am very well aware of the plight of honey bees in the US. But this is ridiculous.
I stepped out on the deck after lunch, and heard this incredibly loud buzzing. From prior experience, I started looking up and to my horror saw this huge swarm on the highest corner of my roof. There were more bees on the way as you can see here.
They have since either found a hole in the wall thanks to the woodpeckers, or are making plans to leave as their number has diminished somewhat though there are still a lot of them.
The ominous thing is that when I ran upstairs and checked the area below them, I found a dead bee on my bed. Think they might already be in the walls!
I called The Bee-Treiver and he will come tomorrow afternoon to take a look and make recommendations. The walls will have to be opened like we did on the other side, but this time from the inside...oh my god! What a nightmare. I will have to look for photos of the previous event on the other side of the house.
Yikes.
I stepped out on the deck after lunch, and heard this incredibly loud buzzing. From prior experience, I started looking up and to my horror saw this huge swarm on the highest corner of my roof. There were more bees on the way as you can see here.
They have since either found a hole in the wall thanks to the woodpeckers, or are making plans to leave as their number has diminished somewhat though there are still a lot of them.
The ominous thing is that when I ran upstairs and checked the area below them, I found a dead bee on my bed. Think they might already be in the walls!
I called The Bee-Treiver and he will come tomorrow afternoon to take a look and make recommendations. The walls will have to be opened like we did on the other side, but this time from the inside...oh my god! What a nightmare. I will have to look for photos of the previous event on the other side of the house.
Yikes.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Bud on Creek
I could change the name of this blog to rose buds and cormorants...just out of range a cormorant swam by.
Sigh...this poor Joseph's Coat looks great in this photo and all the years past photos, but this might in fact be the last year. I have never seen such a suffering rose bush, and I am not sure why.
Symptoms: Whole branches turn brown from the tips moving toward the trunk...then they turn black and are totally dead. Small leaves fry suddenly. Lots of leaf drop...some black spot. This very cheap rose has it all...a real disaster.
But year after year it wins me over with the beautiful flowers and the hope that THIS will be the year that it will extend along the chain link fence and hide it from the world.
And each year, all of the above happens. It is the first rose I planted when I moved here except for my Iceburgs which I brought in containers from the country. They are fine! What is the problem with this guy?
I am a no spray person, except for water and I tend to remove a lot of aphids manually...with my gloves on...this sucker has the worst thorns. I have fertilized it though not yet this year, added new soil to the barrel it grows in, let arugula grow all around it to keep the glare down...and it just wants to die!
This year for sure I think it will have to go. Hard to say that much less do it.
Sigh...this poor Joseph's Coat looks great in this photo and all the years past photos, but this might in fact be the last year. I have never seen such a suffering rose bush, and I am not sure why.
Symptoms: Whole branches turn brown from the tips moving toward the trunk...then they turn black and are totally dead. Small leaves fry suddenly. Lots of leaf drop...some black spot. This very cheap rose has it all...a real disaster.
But year after year it wins me over with the beautiful flowers and the hope that THIS will be the year that it will extend along the chain link fence and hide it from the world.
And each year, all of the above happens. It is the first rose I planted when I moved here except for my Iceburgs which I brought in containers from the country. They are fine! What is the problem with this guy?
I am a no spray person, except for water and I tend to remove a lot of aphids manually...with my gloves on...this sucker has the worst thorns. I have fertilized it though not yet this year, added new soil to the barrel it grows in, let arugula grow all around it to keep the glare down...and it just wants to die!
This year for sure I think it will have to go. Hard to say that much less do it.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Columbine
My other volunteer Columbine...another beauty. I don't dare do anything with the pot it is in for fear of losing it. It gets sort of smothered by lemon balm in the summer, but maybe that protects it for it's annual reappearance.
Rhododenron
Another rebloomer...this year the red one rebloomed as well, but nothing like this purple one.
Clematis
A little change from Irises, these perennials are just as dramatic and rebloom every year. This is one that blooms several times first in the spring and then again in the summer and if I am lucky, a couple of blossoms in the fall.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
