We had a bumper crop of tomatoes this summer – both large tomatoes and the smaller, cherry tomatoes. Our vines were still producing as the first frost approached, so we picked each green tomato that night and brought them indoors. We have since been eating these tomatoes on tossed salads as they ripen in the house. Brown paper bags work great as incubators for the green tomatoes. Simply clean … [Read more...]
Buzzards On Mop Up Duty
For some unknown reason, deer like to cross Route 29 North near my house. And a good many don’t make it. Recently I saw a decent buck alongside the road, which had challenged a passing car and came in second. But his carcass wouldn’t be around long. I also saw 10 black buzzards waiting their turn at the buffet line. They were on mop up duty. If there is an uglier bird than a buzzard, I would … [Read more...]
Brave Sir Robin
I love the Monty Python crew and shenanigans. I especially enjoyed their classic movie, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. In the movie, one of the nights is dubbed Brave Sir Robin, even though he was a coward. The hilarious scene went something like this. Minstrel: [singing] Brave Sir Robin ran away... Sir Robin: No! Minstrel: [singing] bravely ran away away... Sir Robin: I … [Read more...]
Goodbye Little Hummers
They finally left this past week: Our resident hummingbirds, which have graced our sugar-water feeders for the past several months. We worried that they may have stayed too long in Virginia and perhaps our feeders were tempting the tiny creatures to overstay their visit. Not to worry. Just before the first frost, our hummers headed south. I wish them Godspeed. Here are some hummingbird … [Read more...]
Jiminy Crickets
As I mowed the grass last week, I noticed tons of crickets scampering to get out of the way. “Run away! Run away!” I imagined them yelling to one another, Several times, I stopped the mower so the little insects could leap to cover. In the house, if I see a cricket, I catch it and release it outside. It’s bad luck to kill a cricket, you know. I’ve always had a fondness in my heart for these … [Read more...]
Time to Grow Grass
I don’t know about you, but I usually think about the bald places in my lawn in the spring, when the lawn starts to green up. So I plant grass in the spring, which is often a waste. The time to plant grass is right now, when it’s cool weather, but still some sun. Boy did I luck out a few weeks ago. Last spring, I had planted some grass seed near my backyard fire pit (where I had incinerated any … [Read more...]
A Matter of Timing
When it comes to backyard gardens, timing isn’t the only thing – it’s everything. Looking back, my timing was way off for my 2015 garden. I always try to get both an early crop and a later crop since my garden is relatively small – about 14 by 50 feet. Still, if the weather cooperates and I can plant when I need to, I can get very nice production from my small plot. In 2014, I planted my … [Read more...]
Chick-chick-a-dee!
Boy, did I ever get a cussing out last week. I was sitting on the patio in my back yard when a tiny chickadee put together a long string of four letter chirps, telling me in no uncertain terms that I was sitting too close to his favorite feeder and would I please move away a little. I did and the scolding ceased as Mr. Chickadee picked out a coice sunflower seed, flew to a nearby limb and deftly … [Read more...]
Cardinal Territory
Sometimes we become so accustomed to a thing of beauty that we overlook it. Then one day it snows, and against a backdrop of pure white there appears a cardinal adorned in red splendor. Then we remember again just how lovely these special birds are. We have been blessed with at least 5 pairs of cardinals that frequent our yard, birdbaths and feeders. I believe they are drawn to our area because … [Read more...]
Hairy the Spider
I noticed him a couple weeks ago when I was bringing my morning paper in the house. He (maybe she) had spun a web extending from the eave over our small deck down to a gatepost below. Inside the web there appeared to be what was the remains of a moth. Yet, in two hours the web and its contents were completely gone. Vamoose! It turns out that Hairy, our resident spider, is a Spotted Orbweaver, … [Read more...]
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