Goldfinches. . . . .

American Goldfinch : Carduelis tristis

This brilliant yellow pair - male on left, female right - arrived at the front porch

for some nibbling. 

 I purchased the small thistle seed feeder on a whim at the hardware store

and hung it out on Saturday. It came with a 3-lb bag of tiny black seed which

 alone is costly, but this entire deal was just $8.00.

 Many call it thistle seed however Nyjer is the seed of the African yellow daisy

 and is not related to thistle plants. Goldfinches love both Nyjer and thistle seeds,

 often using the wild thistle's silky down to construct their nests in late summer.

 It was a lovely surprise to catch the pair on the

 feeder Sunday morning right outside the dining room window.

A perky, obviously bright yellow bird at this time of year, the male being

 more colorful than the female, both become much duller in the winter months.

  They are partial migrators, flocks of up to 20 move around North America and

 most often are found in open fields, scrubby areas, and woodland.

Any new birds visiting your garden or patio?  

This spring I've been really lucky catching such beautiful bright-colored birds

 choosing to stop by the garden. 

Thoughts of moving are now definitely on the back burner. . . . . . at least

for the time being!

Peonies, a pretty bird, and blooms . . . . . . . .

The peonies are budding, more blooms than former years, so perhaps at long last they

 are enjoying their spot in the garden and their roots are happy!

Looks like I may miss their fragrant blooms though - unless they hurry up and open

 this coming week. Traveling this time of year makes it hard to leave the garden when

 it's really at its prime.

A surprise visitor to the garden this week. . . . . . . just one, perhaps lost on his way

to the woods where he and his mate prefer deciduous forest for nesting. 

He was returning from winter migration to Mexico, Central or South America.

 This is the male Red-breasted grosbeak, such a handsome bird

and a joy to see.  A plump black and white bird with a large triangular rose patch

 in the center of chest, wing linings are rosy red and the large bill is ivory.

Female is completely different - heavily streaked brown and white, with large

 white eyebrows and orange yellow wing linings.

He stopped on the feeder, then took a drink, hardly more than a minute
 visit - couldn't believe how lucky I was to catch him and get a few photos
 from the dining room window!

I captured all these blooming beauties in the garden over the past few days.

Notice my beautiful first bumble bee, and we've seen a few butterflies.

Have decided not to do the 'mosquito spray' this year.  We did notice

 a definite lack of pollinating bees, butterflies, dragonflies etc. all last summer

with the spraying service coming every 3 weeks. Yes, I was only bitten 

a few times, which was a relief, but the garden seemed empty of beautiful

 flying creatures and I felt guilty!  This year I'll be back to spraying myself,

not my garden!

With several really warm days, then some good heavy showers yesterday, 

 everywhere is blooming.  April is certainly a colorful month in our area

of the southeast.

We have a perfect weekend weather forecast for here - hope you do too.

Chickadees - they're back!

Recently, I mentioned it appeared the Carolina chickadee pair had decided

 not to nest in the little 'Home Sweet Home' box on the porch this spring. 

Wow, how wrong I was, and how these tiny creatures never cease to amaze me.

There is now daily activity.

Quietly, the pair of tiny birds have built a nest!  

After cleaning the front porch, the pollen season just about over,

 we've been sitting outside on the last couple of beautiful calm, warm

evenings - sipping an aperitif after several hours working in the garden -

and watching this little guy bringing green grubs to the nesting box, 

obviously feeding the female who must be sitting on eggs.

Before popping into the box he sits here, makes a tiny chirp to advise her 

of his arrival, flies in and then back out in about 30 seconds and takes

off to resume his search for supper.

Note, no Boston ferns in my hanging baskets yet!

This is probably the fifth year the chickadees have nested in this now

somewhat weathered little house!

"In order to see birds it is necessary to become part of the silence."

. . . . . . Robert Wilson Lynd ~ 1879-1949

Easter Sunday in the Garden. . . . . . .

 It's Springtime and North Carolina's azaleas are in full bloom. 

Everywhere, from suburban gardens and vintage back yards, to formal parks

 and rural trails through woods and forests, this native plant blooms in gorgeous

 colors from pure white to deep purple, and all shades of pink, orange and

 red imaginable. Azaleas add Southern charm in the high western mountains

 and the eastern Atlantic coast. . . . . .and all points in between. 

The many days of rain recently have certainly brought the fig tree along quickly

 and we are now seeing quite of lot of fruits tucked into those beautiful

hand-shaped leaves. I love this now huge tree so much - often feel like

 kicking myself into believing I've grown it from a tiny potted plant.

Much tree 'whispering' went on here over the years!

Took these two photos of the tree from front porch yesterday early morning. 

Severe storms had passed, everything still sodden but thankfully no major damage here.  

We always move our cars back down the driveway away from the huge oaks in

 the back garden when winds are high!

Hoping your Easter is full of blessings and special moments.

Preparations for Easter. . . . . . . .

Just a peek at what's on my table for Easter.  

Shopping for a few items at Trader Joe's yesterday, I just couldn't resist a bunch

of purple iris and another of heavenly scented white stocks - two of my favorites,

and for under $9.00. Oh the fragrance, gorgeous.

Tucked in just two stems of hydrangea leaves, and a sprig of going-to-seed

 Italian parsley, for some bright green.

We're working in the garden today, just unbelievable to see how many plants 

have changed in the past couple of days following the heavy rains. Today is 

mostly clean up from the storms. 

Bob just passed the window with a ladder and the blower so must dash now!

More photos to come soon!

Green, green grass of home . . . .

You just can't have it all!

You want green grass, you have to embrace rain.

I understand because I grew up in mostly soft falling English rain and

 our grass was always green!

A costly built-in sprinkler system helps, standing for hours with a 

hand held version helps somewhat.

But the real thing is always the best for the garden.

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN. . . . . . . . falling from ominous grey clouds and dark skies, 

and how we are getting it here in the southeast US this unusual spring. 

We are already 3 inches above normal rainfall this month and today, starting

 mid-afternoon and continuing through the evening/night hours, we could be

 caught yet again in a severe weather pattern of thunderstorms and more heavy rain.

The fig tree leaves are really opening now - I swear I can see them unfurling

if I stare hard enough!

A handsome male House finch sheltering from the rain on the front porch -

look at those long claws!

The rain is helping wash away a lot of the pollen which is good.

The Japanese maple,  Acer palmatum var.dissectum'Viridis'

is looking fabulous.  My efforts of a light pruning on some branches

in late winter, seem to have helped. 

This was another tree from an 18 inch pot planted some years ago

which has done really well. Of course I am a 'tree whisperer' of sorts, always

talking to them each season and feeding them well!

However, they are still hell bent in draping their loveliness over the grass - making

 the 'mower man' quite upset. He reseeded last fall and new grass has come

in where it was rather bare under the tree. Perhaps with warmer days and

 sunshine those lower branches will lift a bit and the new grass will be safe!

Sorry, I sound like a broken record going on about so much rain.

 We are now promised bright sunshine for Monday and Tuesday,

  Perhaps we can enjoy Easter without rain boots. 

My sandals are at the ready!

Wet Saturday, Chickadees and Azaleas. . . . . .

A somewhat unwelcome Saturday morning. 

Rain pouring nonstop. 

Newly bloomed azaleas battered to the ground.

After a scary evening yesterday with rain, flash flooding, hail and

 a tornado warning, all within a few miles of us, we don't need more water.

Thankfully though we sustained no damage here.

A pair of chickadees have been checking the little bird house on the front porch for

 a couple of weeks, however, this year it appears they've decided to build a nursery 

elsewhere. There is no sign of a nest. I even attached a little ball of dryer

lint which I thought they might use. April is moving along quickly and I really

 think they would have moved in by now.

We haven't shopped for our annual hanging Boston ferns for these empty

 baskets yet - but they are on the 'to do' list for a trip to the garden center

on a much drier day.

The fig tree seems to like all this rain, I notice the leaves this morning seem

 more lush and fuller, and the bluebells are standing tall.

Our rain is predicted to last all day, tapering off around 7 PM - which is good as we 

have a theatre date for 8 PM. 

The production of "Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery" is apparently a

humorous adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's scary story "The Hound of

 the Baskervilles" which is set on often fog-shrouded Dartmoor in Devon,

 just a few miles from my English home. 

My favorite, and I have masses of them, all planted many years ago . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . the George Tabor Azalea is one of the best of the sun and

 heat-tolerant evergreen Azaleas. Beautiful evergreen, premier shrub

 for use as hedge, screen or massed planting for a truly 

impressive color display.

Hope your weekend brings sunshine and you are able to get outside

and enjoy some fun in the fresh air.

My Garden in April. . . . . .

A little fanfare please - here in the southeast, spring now surrounds us.

I have to admit that yesterday the house and garden looked lovely
 in the sunlight of late afternoon. I took these photos with my phone.
Bob had spent over three hot hours, mowing, trimming, blowing etc. 

We walked about for a while but the pollen was
extremely heavy so no sitting outside. We checked the
shrubs, many now blooming, and perennials such as 
peonies and hostas poking their way through the earth. 
We felt good about how the garden looks this week.
 I joked with Bob about perhaps we should put out a FOR SALE
 sign with so much 'curb appeal' going on!

Our lawn is thick and green, the best I can recall in many years thanks
 to over seeding heavily last autumn. For those of you interested in gardening
 but living in other areas of the US, or overseas, we prefer to grow fescue grass
 which remains green all winter into spring, dies back somewhat in hot, dry
 summer weather if not watered, but then greens up again in autumn. 
It does require weekly mowing in the spring and summer as it grows tall but
 is lush and dark green. 

Others prefer Bermuda grass which turns brown in winter but does well all

 summer in the heat, staying green and quite short without much water.

 Here, behind this urn with pansies, Queen of the Night

and Angelique tulips, you can see the thick, lush grass. 

The azaleas were happy in the rain of recent days and 

are now coming into bloom.

How does your garden grow?

. . . . . and the fragrance is divine!

At the kitchen window

We were so lucky.  

No hail, no damaging winds, no tornadoes. . . . . . . . just a lot more heavy rain!

The flowers and shrubs were battered but with a little sun they are looking up.

Spring weather in the southeast -

When the white fog rolls in and mixes with the blanketing yellow

 pollen, the garden takes on an otherworldly feeling.

Early morning veiled and faded.

Spring can't decide whether to be kind or cruel.

Teased over the weekend with a little of this and a little of that -

mix of fog, rain, clouds, chill, warmth, and late day peeks of sunshine.

Today arrived with a dire forecast which includes the possibility

of severe storm activity including tornadoes!  

The temperature will reach 82F this afternoon and then only dip

 to 67F during the night - not a good sign.

Maybe battening down the hatches today is a good idea - and

 wishing we lived some place else!!!

Faded views from the garden.