Jumping Robin is Raising New Family

So, here goes another Robin post J. Yup, our JR has built new nest, a nest that is much more friendly to my camera and eyes! He build new nest at about 6-1/2 feet high but close to edge and down-wind, the trunk of tree shades nest from wind. I still don’t know how many eggs are in nest, he barely leaves, but I will know soon. I don’t think that first fledglings survived on the ground, too many cats are prowling at night.

May 24, 2011 Update

This morning all eggs have disappeared from the nest. There is no trace at all in the nest or around the spruce tree, no shells, no egg yolk, nothing. The nest is clearly visible from neighboring house’s roof tops and crows like to hang around there. Also, few squirrels and chipmunks pass by daily...who knows. So, it looks like this season is over for our JR. Better luck next year. L

Garden and Regular Crazy Spring Weather

Yesterday it was such a nice day to work in the garden. Nice sunny day and it was warm, 17 °C.

 I even went shopping for mulch in my shorts and short sleeve shirt. Then it turned cold and extremely windy. So windy that my BBQ plans got trashed. Still, it was nice to have a preview of things to come. It is amazing how fast some plants react to warmer weather. There is one nice plant that is all light yellow green, including the flower, that Marjo calls Helleborus Lenten Rose.  It is now in a full bloom!

Also, I have planted garlic bulbils that I have discovered in paper bag, sprouting. I gave them a soak of water overnight and hope to have some garlic shoots in few weeks, 2 months maximum. Next to bulbils I have planted red-green scallions. Interesting plant: it is a green onion that has a red bulb and rest is green. I had it last year and it tastes just like regular green onion but is more attractive.

Marjo is very happy that all Heuchera plants survived the winter and rabbit attacks. Last year the rabbits decimated the flowers. They just cut them and left them on ground. We need some foxes around here.

Now I have to turn my attention to lawn. We started raking the thatch this afternoon but it was too cold to finish the job. Maybe Monday. Then I have to get it rolled because it is so bumpy, again. Never ending job that lawn is!

And, what would middle of March be without American Robins attacking our sun room door and windows. They are so persistent and it looks like most of our neighbors have the same problem. There is no point in washing the windows and doors during Spring Cleanup until robins are nesting. It is amazing how high they jump and leave marks with their feet and wings.

Spring is here, no question about it!

First Sure Sign Spring is Around Corner

This morning we saw our first American Robin sitting in a neighbors tree, eating berries and singing! Yesterday, about 95% of our lawn was green but when I looked outside at 6:30 this morning it was blanketed with 3” of snow. What a nasty welcome for these harbingers of spring. Neighbor told me that he saw about 6 of them in his bushes last Friday, March 4^th. This made my day!