Garden scare!

 

Yesterday I had one sunflower in bud - today it's gone!  
Deer passing through last night I guess.

A few days ago I shared the brown lizard on the front porch.

Today there's a green one - or perhaps he just changed clothes!

The yellow four o'clocks can't tell time - they opened at 7 AM today!

They do look pretty with the dill flowers sharing their plant pot.

Sage is all the rage in my cooking with such a pot full outside the door.

Lantana came back from last year - I love surprises. . . . . . . except

ones such as this. . . . . . .

Yikes, this 4-5 foot Black Rat snake scared the heck out of me this morning!

I heard the wrens screeching in the fig tree when picking up the

 morning paper. A couple of days ago I had a feeling there were hatchlings

 in the little wren nest box as a wren flew out when I tapped on it.

Guess I was right.

I went I to get Bob and when we returned half of those 4-5 feet had

 disappeared into the box. . . . . and the two wren parents were having a fit! 

We whacked at the box with a broom handle and the snake came back out

 and dropped to the ground, slithering away very quickly so we couldn't see

 if it had a takeout breakfast with it! 

This is a non-venomous snake thankfully, but can still bite, It is good to

 have in the garden to keep the rodent population in check. . . . . . . but

 they're just so darned big and I admit to being deathly afraid of any

 and all snakes!

As mentioned in my previous posts, the wildlife here is prolific and 

often times somewhat frightening. The bunnies can continue to nibble, but

 snakes please stay far away, preferably in neighbors' gardens.

I admit I have not checked the nest box because I don't want to know

 what happened - this day has not been the best of times!

Sweet Carolina wren - one of my favorite garden birds.

Raggedy wrens - making pesto . . . . . . . . .

Like most everywhere in the northern hemisphere, we too are going
 through heatwave/drought conditions.

I recall childhood summers of near perfect weather. 
But those are history, in another time and place. 
I seem to dislike almost everything about summer now - except perhaps
 fresh picked tomatoes and country rides under deep blue skies - and
 although I don't wish time to fly too fast, I will embrace the arrival of Autumn. . . . 

. . . . . . .and I know the garden birds will too.  

The pair of Carolina wrens came to the porch yesterday looking tired and dishevelled. 
 Usually such sleek little birds with never a feather out of place, they were
 ruffled, messy and obviously feeling the heat. I see them drink from the bird baths
 but don't recall seeing them actually bathe, something the robins love to do.

The pair each clung to a hanging basket chain and proceeded to have a
 very noisy conversation. No doubt it was about the weather, just like the rest of us!

*****************

8:30 AM Saturday we were at the local Farmers' Market - and things were jumping.
We went for German Johnson tomatoes - best for slicing and tucking 
into a traditional sandwich. Bob's favorite is easy, two slices of a good dense
 oat bread spread with a smidgen of salted butter, layer of juicy sliced tomatoes 
slathered with real mayo with a grind of black pepper.  Let sit a little while to 
bring to room temperature, then bite in!  
Summer in a sandwich. . . . . . . . nothing else required.

I was late sowing my own three pots of basil seeds this year - waiting until
 returning from Ireland knowing they would need daily attention. 
All pots are looking good now and I'll have plenty of basil to use, freeze as pesto,
 and share. 
Until my harvest I'm buying bunches of basil. At the market I found a 
large bunch from an organic farm and made pesto as soon as I arrived home.
Green and gorgeous, BUT within minutes in a bowl the top had turned 
that ugly army green shade.  
Later I checked Cook's Illustrated online to see how that can be avoided and
found two remedies you may already be familiar with, but quite new to me.
I will definitely be testing them in the upcoming pesto making days!

         BLANCHING - deactivates the enzyme that causes browning when cut

 basil leaves interact with oxygen.    

             Blanch basil for 30 seconds in boiling water and then shock it in ice water

 before drying it and proceeding with the recipe. 

This brief dunk causes minimal flavor loss. 

OR

ADDING LEMON JUICE - which contains antioxidants citric and ascorbic acid.

Add 4 teaspoons of lemon juice per 2 cups of packed basil.

Lemon juice also adds a pleasant acidity to pesto.

*************

Have a happy summer week in the kitchen - so many fabulous vegetables

to play with now that August is almost here.

       

Green thumb . . . . . . . . . .

Somehow I missed celebrating Earth Day yesterday, so today I'm sharing the

view from the front porch this morning looking out across our little quarter acre.

My feeling is that every day this amazing planet Earth should be celebrated,

 whether you have beautiful sprawling country acreage, or just a small plot

 outside the city.

Yesterday morning we sat out here in brilliant sunshine with our coffee, and by

 late morning is was hot. Today cooler weather has returned with a vengeance

 and it will stay a couple of days with the possibility of heavy rains. . . . . . there's a

 light rain just starting now.   

Personally I am embracing this cool Sunday morning. I don't enjoy heat - especially

 when the air conditioning system is on the blink which ours is at present! 

With rain dampening down the pollen - enabling me to throw open the 

windows - and refreshing all the shades of green, I took these few photos early

 today to show you how green it is around the cottage.

The small oak tree, snuggling up to the fig, I've mentioned often.

This is 'Bob's Oak', growing from an acorn that sprouted here several years ago.

"Leave it" Bob would say when I showed up with the weeding tools.

 "Let's just see what it does". Well here it is, already a substantial tree 

with a pleasing shape which seems to be growing about a foot annually.

The birds love it, using it as a perching place for the feeder and bath.

These three trees were all started by us - the red maple, Celeste fig, and

 of course the some day 'mighty oak' perhaps to be enjoyed by generations to come!

New Boston ferns are now hanging on the porch - always a favorite here in

 Summer months. In Winter they become nighttime roosts for our family of 

Carolina wrens who snuggle in the pots, making small 'bedrooms' when the

 plants are brown and ugly. . . . . . .but I don't have the heart to take them

 down until I replace with new ones come April. I must admit, any birds 

trying to nest here in Spring - usually finches who adore hanging baskets but

 are so messy - get shooed away because the ferns can't be watered if they move in!

Green, glorious, cool and wet. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . all expected as we travel through much of Ireland's

beautiful countryside over the next few weeks.

Waterproof boots and jackets packed,

umbrella at the ready!

So dear readers, off we go to the Emerald Isle. Am I ready? No, not quite. 

Will I ever be ready? Not if I stay here blogging!

I'll try to post now and then, and hopefully can share some photos

along the way. 

Yesterday in my garden.
Sad to leave when all is green and blooming . . . . . . . . . .
and the Carolina wrens have just built another nest in the wall basket
 by the front door under the COTTAGE sign.
Our front porch is very popular this Spring.
Sadly I'll miss seeing these new family members as they will most 
likely have hatched and fledged by the time I'm back!

Tonight we fly across the pond to Heathrow, London, then straight on to

 Dublin in the morning ~ returning by the same route beginning of June.

 Will catch up with you then.
Be good to yourselves.

Homeward Bound . . . . . . .

One of my pair of Carolina wrens on the front porch.

These little chirpy birds are busy flitting around

 the garden, ready to nest I'm sure. . . . . . it's that

 time of year again.

Today we're flying too. . . . . leaving Branson - where

 we've had a really fun time - heading first to Dallas

 then onward to Raleigh this evening.

I'll catch up with you all soon!

Hope your Easter celebration will be beautiful and blessed.

If only. . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . everything was perfect in the world.

One afternoon last week I went to my dentist for a cleaning and check up.

The day was beautiful, indeed almost perfect. Earlier I'd gone to my 

physiotherapy session to be stretched, to cycle, to walk the treadmill, 

to do a lot of leg/hip exercises etc.  

Driving home from that session I was thrilled to see the dogwood blossoms

opening, new leaves greening, azaleas ready to burst through, and pollen yet
to arrive! Sturdy tulips and jonquils wafted in the breeze, drifts of white thrift 
and soft lavender creeping phlox spilled over curbs and garden walls.

A few people were mowing, the dull drone of machines tempered by the 

music of loud birdsong always so lovely at this season.

Ever thankful for Spring's arrival, this year it feels even more special after

such a long hard Winter. 

I said a little prayer. I was so thankful for that day.

Later, leaving the dentist's office, I came close to perhaps being seriously 

injured, even killed. I waited to pull out for a left turn onto a main road. The red light 

was very long but I waited patiently, no rush to get to any other appointments that day.

I saw the three lanes of traffic each way slowing both left and right, then stopping, 

and my light turned green. I started to pull out but something made me brake. 

To my left came a car at very high speed, continuing through the red light 

just missing me. I was shocked, but so grateful I had hesitated.

Everything is far from perfect in the world, especially currently.

We, the ordinary people don't really want much. 

Safety for our loved ones, and ourselves, comes at the top of the list.

Each day can be wonderful with simple things and good health.

Nature's abundance around us is so important. . . . . be thankful, 

perhaps with a special prayer.

My kitchen window where the pair of Carolina wrens are back and busy in the window box.

They're building a neat, snug nest under a clump of purple violas, shaded by a mini conifer.

Right now all is well. Stay safe dear friends, and tiny birds.

My Sweet Carolina Wren . . . . .

Yet another 'bird post'. I seem to be surrounded by feathered friends lately.

You may recall this tiny house covered in birdseed - my sweet neighbor Lori 

gave it to me at Christmas. Hanging on the front porch it's been visited mostly by 

chickadees. Yesterday I was thrilled to see one of my wrens chomping away 

on the tiny seeds lodged in between the sunflower seeds on the roof. I grabbed a 

camera and managed a few shots as it stayed for quite a while. This morning he/she 

was back, pecking hard to get at the seeds because we had an ice storm overnight.

Isn't it just incredible how these tiny birds stay warm and active even on the coldest

winter days . . . . . and bring so much beauty to our window gazing?