Sometimes life isn't real exciting. It is just the normal stuff day after day. You all know what I mean. New day - same old stuff! Well, I guess we all see and hear different things each day - so today I will just share a little of what I see on a normal day. Maybe the scenery will be a little different than yours!!!
So welcome to my yard. Let's do a look about!
Coreopsis is blooming - and the bees love it. Not the prettiest flower - but they are bright and cheery.
Old fashioned phlox. This came from my parents home. I have it in several places. Finally starting to bloom - as that darned old ground hog in the spring 'pruned' all my plants! I guess he loved it. I love the purple color and it smells so sweet.
Picking some kind of produce almost daily now. I have gotten a couple cucumbers as well as zucchini and peppers. Tomatoes not nearly ripe yet!
My plants are getting so big and full. The tomato plants are glorious looking and have lots of little toms and tons of blooms. Loving the fact that I have lots of bees around.
Lot's of peppers hanging out there. Didn't plant traditional bell peppers this year - these are sweet green banana like peppers. They don't get yellow. I forget the name of them. They are tasty!
If you look closely at the centers of the echinacea you will see the finches are already starting to eat the seeds! I have been doing less food for the birds - as they are telling us NOT to feed right now - there is some disease going around with wild birds. I have seen none that look sick. I do keep the bird baths full (not supposed to do that either) - but I clean well every day. I do put out peanuts for the jays and cardinals and woodpeckers and of course they eat everything that falls on the ground from squirrels. Robins - well they stay on the ground and eat worms and buggers.
Suddenly, there are tons more birds in the back yard than I have ever seen. More and more variety. Not sure I understand why!
Blackie looking all handsome sitting out there looking like a Halloween cat amongst the leaves! First the tulip poplar flowers fell - then the leaves - now it is still leaves and some darned old pods falling. Messiest tree ever! Blackie makes sure the yard stays safe for the girls - he has become quite the protector.
Momma just hanging out in her house! She sleeps most of the day (and eats) - and catches mice at night! She is so fuzzy and soft. Such a sweet old gal.
Fluffy actually posing for me! Looking at me as if to say "what?"!!!! LOL She is such a sweet pea.
A few 'mators hiding. They are really hard to find as there is so much plant! Can't wait to get the first taste of a fresh one. YUM.
Garden dinner. One of my zucchini cooked up with some leftover taco meat and salsa. Starting to gift to others now! Such a versatile veggie.
Well, there you go. Just a little look around. Not a lot happening - cleaning inside a lot and decluttering. Rain MAY leave us alone today and tomorrow - then back again. It has been hard to get outside to do stuff. It is either heat and humidity or rain - it's always something!!!!! LOL
So many are having such a horrible time with heat and dryness and FIRES. Prayers for all.
Just glad to have another day - so trying not to complain too much here.
Have a great day!!!!! Stay safe!
I am concerned about the birds, too. We live in the woods so we have a lot of birds but it seemed that our Mama bluebird had eggs in the nest and now we have not seen her for awhile. The birdhouse is right out from our screen porch where we eat many meals so we are always watching. We have a ton of green tomatoes and not one ripe one yet either. We did get some homegrown ones at the discount grocery on Saturday and my husband said they taste like the tomatoes from when we were kids. They are so good!
ReplyDeleteHave a good day!
I have tons of birds - haven't seen any sick ones. They seem to be finding food on e their own - so hoping all is good.
DeleteI may have to go to the farm market before mine get ready. I so want a fresh tomato.
Cheers!
I hadn’t heard that about the birds, how sad. I love the pictures of your kitties, they are so sweet. Your flowers are beautiful. I loved looking at them and the names of them, we have a small patch of creeping phlox. It is a beautiful plant.
ReplyDeleteIt has been on the news a lot here - I guess many states have said don't feed. There is some kind of killing disease.
DeleteI don't have any creeping phlox - I have always loved the look of it. This phlox is pretty tall - old fashioned.
All my babies are so sweet!
Your kitties look like good company. Lovely to have the garden producing; ours is a little slow, being further north but we are eating plenty of chard, lettuce and onions. No shortage of wild birds here; probably heat and pollution taking it's toll further south.
ReplyDeleteThe kitties outside keep me company whenever I go out. They come running to see Mommy! They love when I sit and comb them.
DeleteCoogy is inside and he is a sweetie as well.
I don't know what the bird problem is, I just wish they would figure it out.
I love the slow routine of most of my days. Checking the garden early in the morning, filling bird feeders, feeding the cat, watching the birds eat while we have breakfast. Picked our first zucchini this morning. Lots of cherry tomatoes set on. The marigolds and cosmos I started from seed in the front flower bed have begun to bloom, with zinnias and sunflowers to follow. Watched a Spotted Peppergrass moth on one of the sunflower blooms by the bird feeders. (Yes, I had to look that one up to ID it.)
ReplyDeleteWe are seeing many more birds, too, mostly fledglings. In another six weeks or so the first robins will start heading south from here. There is speculation that the bird disease is related to the 17-year cicada outbreak, either through birds eating diseased cicadas or because of pesticides. We are not having the cicadas this year here, and I have not seen any diseased birds. I do keep the feeders and water bowl very clean and will remove them if diseased birds are sighted in our region.
Got Husband's state photo ID this morning. Very simple, fairly quick, and didn't need all the extra documents we brought along. A break in the daily storms will give me a chance to hang out laundry tomorrow; grocery shopping on Friday. This afternoon I am going to iron and cut fabric for more quilts. A nice, simple, ordinary day is a true blessing.
There is much to be said about a slow paced life. I truly love it.
DeleteGlad you are starting to harvest! Exciting.
Bird/kitty/squirrel watching are my favorite activities!!
OK - I understand maybe on the birds. We have had no cicadas in my immediate area either and no problem with the birds. I know other areas close by had the cicadas - but I saw nary a one.
Glad the ID thing went easily and quickly. That has to be a load off your mind.
Have a great week.
Thank you for sharing your world with us. Love that you're getting so much produce. Your tomatoes and peppers are far more prolific than mine! I've heard about the issues with the birds and, quite frankly, I'm watching to see if it impacts the mourning doves and pigeons that have taken up residence under my deck. It would be a good thing if that flock were thinned out. Sorry, but they are such a mess and their nests house way too many insects for my comfort, since it's right below the boards that are at my patio door.
ReplyDeleteI am not a pigeon fan either! UGH. I don't mind the doves - but pigeons are just bullies and messy. I like listening to the doves.
DeleteI am happy with what I have gotten so far. Hope it keeps up.
Good luck with yours!
Thanks for a look at your day! Love the kitties, they are such a comfort. I find peace in a regular old day of just doing and being.
ReplyDeleteThat is me most days - just being and doing!!!! Nothing exciting or fancy. That is fine with me.
DeleteAre the peppers shishitos? I can't tell from the picture, but it looks like a possibility. We have so much going right now. Lots of tomatoes (more than we can eat - cherry, San Marzano, beefsteak, & some heirlooms). We also have tons of zucchini, and our jalapenos are coming on well. The other peppers: shishito, banana, serrano, etc are a little slower - I think they just need a ton of sun. Luckily, we have plenty of that! I've been replanting radishes & kale, and today I noticed that we have two watermelon on the vine. So exciting!
ReplyDeleteI really am not sure what they are. Good for you. I am envious!!! Tomatoes - in my dreams!!!!! I am always glad to hear that people's garden are doing well - so many wonderful free groceries.
DeleteENJOY
Your bitty kitties are so pretty! Blackie looks like a cat security guard...ha!
ReplyDeleteHadn't heard that about the birds. Will have to ask the Urban Farmer. He keeps up with current news more so than I. We have been seeing lightening bugs and our lone hummingbird darts through the yard this week.
The phlox is very pretty. Does it bloom all summer? I have creeping phlox in one of the front gardens but it only blooms in the spring.
Zukes are so versatile. Your dish with taco meat, zuke and salsa looks yummy. The only tomatoes we have had are cherry, grape and yellow pear. Sounds like a fruit salad! Nothing like a fresh cucumber. The ones you buy in the stores are not really good.
Have you been to the farmer's market on Madison Avenue? We noticed the sign for it when cutting through from the Greenwood Rural King to go to Costco.
A day spent at home working and puttering is my idea of bliss.
He is pretty much the guardian of the yard!
DeleteI love the lightening bugs and I have been seeing the hummingbirds pretty frequently.
The phlox blooms for about a month.
Nothing you buy at the store tastes the same as garden fresh.
No haven't been to a farm market at all this year.
Have a good one.
Lots of good things in this post.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI hadn't heard that about not feeding the wild birds. Could be just in your area? Your zucchini dish looked delish. Yeah, crazy weather with all the heat, drought and out of control fires. We should be smack dab in the middle of all that since we're in the region but we've been lucky with rain, so no fires here and moderate temps. I could do without the humidity but we're getting plenty of rain so I guess it comes with the territory. Prayers for those who aren't getting any rain. It seems like poor CA can't seem to catch a break year after year.
ReplyDeleteThe bird thing is supposed to be in several states. It has been on the news a lot.
DeleteI am glad you aren't dealing with the drought and fires. We can deal with a lot - but those things are horrible. CA has dealt with drought for years, as well as fires. Sad.
I haven’t heard about the bird thing either. But my hummingbirds suddenly disappeared and we had a similar situation with the bluebirds, that a commenter mentioned above. I’m going to try to research for info in our area now.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t see any reports for my state, but there is speculation it may have something to do with the cicadas???? We’ve definitely noticed something different this year. I’m afraid to speak too soon, but we haven’t seen many mosquitoes this year, either.
DeleteMy hummingbirds are still here and I am not taking down their feeders. I only have 2 that show up - that isn't crowding and I have 2 feeders.
DeleteI have tons and tons of birds that I usually don't have - and I don't understand that. I have heard that about the cicadas too. Something about the birds eating on poisoned remains.
All the birds here are just in the yard and eating whatever they find in the grass.
No cicadas here this year (amazingly) and like you I haven't been bothered too much by mosquitoes. That will probably change after this week of constant rain!!!!
We have had so many less birds here this year. Usually when the cherry tree comes into ripeness the birds all flock to it and strip it clean within a day. That did not happen this year. We only had a few of them.
ReplyDeletewow, really? I wonder why. I have so many showing up - way more than usual. Hopefully yours come back soon (wonder if smoke has anything to do with it?)
Deletehad to have a hip replacement at the first of April. Only thing I got out was okra and it did not go well. Did get out some thyme and it has taken off thank God. My favorite herb. Needed to do some raised beds anyway. Will get that done and be ready for next year. Son removed my beds when I was sick to make it easy for him to do the yard. He knows better now.
ReplyDeleteHoping you are mending well. Oh no - on bed removal. He should not have done that!
DeleteI love thyme as well. One of my favorites too.
Hopefully you can find some good deals at farm markets or road side markets. Next year - bigger and better!!!!!
I enjoyed the tour if your yard...
ReplyDelete