Spring Has Sprung in My Garden

After some heavy rains in the winter, my garden is now in bloom. Making its debut this season, my Double Delight Roses are bursting and delighting.

My Iceberg Roses are also in full bloom after lots of rain. Spring has sprung, indeed.

Wishing You a Beautiful Sunday

I stood in my yard exchanging glances with this gorgeous owl perched high up in a tree, and I was utterly awed by its majesty. Wishing you a wonderful long holiday weekend. 

The Visiting Cooper's Hawk

Among the wild birds that visit my yard are several Cooper's Hawks, and a few weeks ago a staggering three of them appeared at the same time. Here is one of them drinking from the fountain on the patio. What a sight to see.

Wishing You a Beautiful Summer Sunday

 

And an Even More Inventive Squirrel

As you already know, we are continually amused by the antics of the many squirrels who visit our yard. The way in which they access the birdfeeders is definitely an endless source of amusement and entertainment. This particular squirrel has no patience for the added steps of hanging off of the branch and reaching for the feeder, and instead decided that the most pragmatic approach was simply to rest in the tray and wrap around the feeder! When the feeders are empty the squirrels chirp at us to refill them, and sit not-so-patiently awaiting our arrival. One of them, however, is far more assertive and taps on the glass panes of the door until we respond.

🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️

The Amazing Upside Down Eating Fox Squirrel

I take tremendous pleasure watching the comings and goings of the birds and squirrels in my backyard, and watching the inventive ways in which the squirrels access the bird feeders can be truly laugh out loud hilarious. My Gold Medallion Tree is a favorite for the squirrels because not only does it house a bird feeder, but it also has lots of seed-filled pods that they happily devour. This particular squirrel has devised a clever method of collecting and eating birdseed: he hangs upside down and swings from the branch to the feeder, and then eats upside down. Many of the other squirrels sit upright and eat their birdseed, but this little guy is something of an efficiency expert since skipping the sitting upright step means that he is able to eat more food in a shorter amount of time. It is so entertaining to witness, and it always puts smiles on our faces!

Fall Doesn't Begin Until September 22

This weekend we spent a lot of time doing yard work, and trying to dodge the blazing hot summer sun the entire time. While I was outside, it really struck me that retailers and commercial businesses deemed that it was already fall when, in fact, fall doesn't start until September 22. Yet pumpkin spice lattes and Halloween costumes and candy are already being heavily marketed. I understand that Labor Day, which is still a week away, marks the unofficial end of summer– and that we are in the midst of everything related to the back-to-school time of year– but that doesn't change the fact that it is still summer. I, for one, want to enjoy that last month of summer without thinking about pulling out long sleeve shirts and sweaters, and embracing all things related to Autumn. And frankly the hot weather in Southern California would make it rather strange to dress for the fall and sip pumpkin spice lattes. Enjoy the rest of the summer, we have plenty of time to embrace the fall and everything that makes it a wonderful season.

The Delight of Birdwatching in My Yard

We love to watch the birds flock to our backyard, and we happily keep their bird feeders filled. We have a wide variety of feathered friends who make their daily visits to our yard, and sharing our space with them is such a privilege.

Band-Tailed Pigeons, which are huge birds found in California, are a gorgeous sight to behold. They often visit in pairs, sometimes in multiples, but some also visit alone. I happened to be sitting at my desk when two descended upon a bird feeder that is intended for small birds. Despite the relative lack of space to accommodate their large bodies, the two sat and ate for quite a long time, and what a sight it was.

Humans are not the only birdwatchers in our yard, and Cooper's Hawks make regular appearances to birdwatch, and hunt. Usually only one appears at a time, but on this day there were two of them perched on the phone line. The birds they seek to hunt usually get away, but I have found feather evidence that they are periodically successful. Here on the phone wire, they plot, but they were not successful that day.

The Spontaneous Growth of Passiflora Vines in My Yard

This beautiful Passiflora Vine, more commonly known as Passionflower, spontaneously appeared in my yard this season.

I am a bit concerned that the Passiflora decided to climb right over my trellised climbing Jasmine, but these gorgeous flowers are such a visual treat.

You can see the Jasmine below the Passiflora, and as long as they can coexist, things should be okay. I may need to trellis the Passiflora and route it away from the Jasmine.

What a sight to behold!

The Spontaneous Growth of Sunflowers in My Yard

While our bird feeders generate a lot mess on the ground, they provide plenty of food for the birds and squirrels while the feeders themselves are occupied. One of the delightful surprises is when some of the seeds actually germinate, and recently some very resilient sunflower plants sprouted. The sunflower above sprouted right next to the feeder, and under the canopy of the tree. It isn't getting nearly enough sun, but it is still doing quite well.

This sunflower is much larger, and gets some direct sun, and it is thriving. What is miraculous is the fact that it sprouted at the edge of the patio that abuts the driveway, and there is only the tiniest crack that allowed it to sprout in what little dirt it could find!  Now that is true resilience in the face of less than optimal conditions.

A Garden Bursting with Blooms

I thought that you would be interested in seeing the burst of blooms in my backyard. The drought really stifled my garden because of the severe drought restrictions in Southern California, but an unusually wet winter has created an abundance of blooms. Enjoy!

🍅🍅🍅Lola's Secret Garden Treasures🍅🍅🍅

Not long ago, we made the discovery that a volunteer tomato plant had taken root on the side of our house in the most precarious of places. It was wedged in front of a gate that rests against the house, and it only had a few inched of space in which to grow and thrive. To make matters worse, it was next to the concrete path that we use to take our garbage, recycling and green cans to the curb. Therefore, I carefully dug it up and placed it in a terracotta pot, and it is now thriving.

As of this morning, there are 18 tomatoes growing...

And there are many more blooms that are about to turn into little tomatoes!

This would be amazing if I had intended to grow a tomato plant, but if feels miraculous that this plant decided to take root on the side of my house in one of the least hospitable locations.

🍅🍅🍅I tend to this plant every day, and marvel at its resilience and beauty🍅🍅🍅

Sunflowers and Corn in Lola's Secret Garden

One might reasonably assume that I planted sunflowers and corn in my backyard, but I did not. These beautiful and flourishing plants have been planted by a messy team of bird and squirrel gardeners who tirelessly work in the garden.

I have numerous bird feeders in my garden, and because the birds and squirrels flick the seeds to the ground, a whole host of seedlings have germinated.

This is the first time, in all of the years that I have feed them, that I have sunflowers and corn growing, and I am utterly delighted.