'Spring cleaning' in the garden…

This is a change, a garden post without flowers!

Yesterday I decided it was the perfect day to clean out the potting shed. 

It was cooler, cloudy, a nice breeze moved the shrubs gently, and 

the singing birds were loud and clear in the back garden.

There are many nesting birds around, several mommies sitting on eggs, 

dads keeping watch.

While DH mowed the grass I swept, dusted, zapped the spider webs, and organized 

the little shed I love so much. Did a little interior redesign, threw out assorted 

junk, and when finished decided to leave my old wicker chair out, fluff up the  

Ralph Lauren cushions - a steal from the thrift shop, now faded to perfection - and 

enjoy a late salad lunch break.

Because I'd put bird seed out earlier, I had company at lunch - many birds including 

black capped chickadees, towhees, nuthatches, cardinals, blue jays, Carolina wrens 

came to dine………

……a few even tested the waters of the new bird bath installed on Saturday.

My sweet Eastern chipmunk friend was back too. I still have only seen one at a
time - I wonder whether it's the same one or are there more?  I'm almost hoping there's
family tunneling under my garden - this is the time of year when there should be babies.
I really I love how they zip up the feeder pole, make their way around the bowl stuffing
the seeds into their cheek pouches, then slide down and run off to wherever their
store cupboard might be.

Little 'chippys' are so adorable…………

………these guys not quite as adorable, perhaps because there are so many of them 

living/nesting in the tall oak trees around our garden!  

The grey squirrels would eat us out of house and home if we indulged them. 

As you know, if you feed birds, the seed is very expensive and these seemingly

 always starving creatures can empty a feeder in no time flat!

They are also contortionists, and I have to admit watching them feast from all those
"squirrel-proof" feeders, is hilarious.

Meanwhile, the tiny birds, such as the black capped chickadee, await their turn for a
chance to nibble in between serenading us with their springtime melodies.
The garden is my favorite place. Sitting there in the old wicker chair on a close to
perfect afternoon after many hours of hard work, I realized yet again, it would be so
hard to have to leave and have to live somewhere else.