Acting like a tree-hugger

This was the BEST Mother's Day dessert EVER! Click on the image to see the whole thing.

While you're there- check out the other pics I shot today. Today was truly heaven.

One of the (many) benefits of working from home several days a week is that I get to see the going's on in my back yard (or as I now refer to as 'the grounds'- sounds fancy, eh?). I work facing my yard because the peaceful surroundings kind of balances out the crabby side of me when I'm dealing with IDIOTS! I like to mimic Napoleon Dynamite when I say this. It makes me feel superior.

Or maybe not so much...

Spring is here, and the new babies are arriving. I now have two baby squirrels (one has a Napoleon complex, I might add) and a baby deer. I see the robins collecting bits of things from the yard, for what I assume will be used for nest-building. I'll have to look in the birding books my mother-in-law (thanks Mom!) gave me last weekend to see where they like to build their nests. Maybe I'll be able to get a picture.

I was in a conference call and looked up and there he (or she? It seems like a 'he' ) was. I slowly walked over to my camera, picked it up and captured the little bugger on film. I don't know where mama was, but the baby was left to get his own lunch. That lunch would be my roses, dontchaknow.


Honestly, roses don't do anything for me, so he can have them.

I think he heard the click of the camera shutter, because the buffet stopped for a few moments:


I don't think he could see me, because he continued eating before moving on to find other treats:


He's pretty adorable AS LONG AS HE STAYS AWAY FROM MY NEW SEEDLINGS.

More backyard wildlife can be found here. The first picture in the set is his mama.

Oh brother... when did this turn into a nature blog? [hangs head in disbelief] Next think you know, I'm going to quit shaving my legs and wear birkenstocks.

The bachelor pad closed yesterday, so BJ and I went out last night and bought a few things we've been putting off such as; solar lights for our 300 foot (rather steep) driveway, a closet organizer, vanity lights for the master vanity, and a utility sink.

We also went out for a fabulous Italian dinner, served to us by a guy named Luciano. What a character!

While at the hardware (and more!) store, BJ indulged me in my new bird hobby and helped me pick out a new bird feeder, a lovely antique brass bird bath, and a hummingbird feeder. Truth be told, I could barely sleep last night from all the excitement. We got home after dark so I wasn't able to put anything up. I suppose you're wondering why I'm at the computer instead of attending to these important matters.... well, dagnabit, it's raining. Pah!

The rain has put a damper on my plans. I have lots of seedlings and roots ready to plant. I'm about to go out there and to it in the rain, but will at least wait until a decent hour (It's only 7am right now... )

I am SO excited that my seedlings did so well. I think I have all the plants I'll need for this summer (except for some hanging fuchsias for out front).

I decided to go ahead and plan my attack on the garden this morning, and here's what I've come up with:

Back here (to the right and left of the deer), it's just a lot of wild growth (including stinging nettle, dontcha know...)


So I plan to put these plants back there, along with some bleeding heart (OK- just one more plant to buy....) I want to leave this area fairly effortless on my part.
(click on the image for more information about the plant)





I have two tiered rockery levels here:


This is where I plan to plant these plants (again click on the image for more information about the plant). Some will also go in the garden areas.


These plants (along with some from the last set) will go in the garden areas:


And these will go out front:


Along with my snail vines climbing up the trellises.


Holy cow! After all the time it took to put this together (I did this mainly for myself so I'd have a plan...), the sun is starting to come out. It's going to be a GREAT day!

These phallic trees....


Brought to you by:


While you're here, check out the new baby:



I bought a new macro lens and got it in the mail today, so of course, I had to take a break from work to test it out. I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with it once I have some time to practice.

Click on the picture for the link to more...

BJ and I have taken to sitting on our back deck after work to watch the various wildlife in the back yard. Now that I've spent MANY hours in the yard, it's starting to shape up and doesn't bug me as much as it did at first.

There was a LOT of work to do.... (excuse the crappy cell phone image)


But I've made some good progress.


I've been spending five or more hours on the weekend deadheading things that should have been dead-headed long ago, pruning and some weeding. I've started seedlings in my sun room and am hoping the seedling heat mats get them sprouting quickly, because I should have started those a few weeks ago. I ordered some of my favorite plants yesterday, and they should arrive in just over a week.

This is one of my favorites. It's called a corkscrew vine (sometimes snail vine). They smell SO beautiful and are fascinating to look at.


I'd be in heaven if I only had the gardens to look at, but I also have created an environment that attracts LOTS of varieties of birds:


We hear nothing but birds when we're in our yard. It's so peaceful and relaxing, especially after a hard day of work. I made this recording last night after I took pictures.

This one is my favorite bird:


And of course we have the squirrels:


A couple of nights ago, BJ and I were chuckling at the squirrels chasing each other up and down the tree. Suddenly it occurred to me that this is what I always thought of as an "old" person activity..... sit in the yard and watch the squirrels and birds.

I looked at him and asked, "Is this what it's going to be like when we're old and gray?". He answered, "Yes, I believe it is".

I grabbed his hand and looked at him straight in the eye and said, "That makes me really happy. I can't imagine anything I'd like better."

I mentioned in an email to Zube Girl this morning, that I felt that I was living my own little Disney movie. As dorky as it sounds, it's true. I even have Bambi to prove it.

Here are more photos of my yard. A work in progress, but pretty damned wonderful just as it is....