We have a chipmunk problem!

 

Be careful what you wish for! 

There's a population explosion going on here.

 

We had just one chipmunk for years. 

We named him/her Chippy and always enjoyed seeing that cute as

 a button creature emerge from hibernation each spring. 

Chippy must have found a mate somewhere underground this past winter!

We now have several scooting about the garden, coming up on the

 front porch to drink from the fountain, gorging and filling their pudgy cheek

 pouches with fallen birdseed, and digging in some of my potted

 plants. That's definitely a no-no!

But it's not just our garden riddled with chipmunks, neighbors near and

 far in our area seem to be experiencing a gigantic explosion of cute 

chipmunks in their gardens this spring. There have even been news

 articles about them showing up in eastern North Carolina toward

the coast, a place they never called home before!

Size comparison of the Eastern grey squirrel, of which there are millions 

and are a real nuisance when it comes to eating the birdseed, or anything

 else they can get their greedy little paws on, and the smaller chipmunk.

Yes, adorable, cute. . . . . . . and now also becoming a nuisance by 

causing holes all over the lawn and garden.

A few days ago I actually caught this chipmunk - perhaps Chippy or

 an offspring - in the pot of heliotrope, rolling around in the soil 

making a real mess and causing the plant to go sideways.  

I chased it off and had to repot the plant deeper.

Any new creatures sighted on your garden this spring?

Many neighbors are finding cute 'Bambi' fawns, often twins,

 tucked away for safety in their back gardens. Mama deer 

leaves them while she does other things but always comes back

 for them later.

Early in the week the most unexpected visitor seen in our 

neighborhood was a fairly large black bear! Several people were

 able to catch it on video running through their yards, crossing a street,

 and one woman filmed it climbing over her fence. It was last spotted

 heading toward a shopping center - wildlife officers are tracking it. 

We all hope it's not a mama bear who has been scared off and

 left babies somewhere!

These lovely animals are losing their natural habitats in this area

 due to the tearing down of older homes and clearing of wooded

 spaces for the construction of larger than life million dollar plus

 houses, apartments, office buildings etc. 

With Google, Apple, Amazon etc. set to move into the area and

 the population growing by leaps and bounds, we will see more

 changes in the months and years to come.

Called 'progress' but really more like destruction. Very sad!

On a happier note - the Carolina wren and Black-capped chickadee

 enjoying the seed wreath hanging on the front porch. We just bought two

more of these wreaths as the small birds are really loving them.

I told you . . . . . . . .

. . . . . more garden stories would be shared soon!

Parsley & Nikko Blue hydrangea

So, this morning after heavy rain yesterday afternoon and through the night

 hours, I woke later than usual as it was dark and dreary outside. I had

 nothing planned which required more than a good mug of fresh coffee, 

waterproof shoes, and my phone. I stepped onto sopping wet grass - 

looking much greener and healthier for hours of rain - and just walked 

around the house snapping away at what I considered pretty and colorful,

 though most plants and shrubs were dripping and bending. . . . .especially

 the heavy mophead blue hydrangeas.

This is my one lace-cap hydrangea, named Twist and Shout. 

Several years old now, it has pushed through the split rail fence into

 my neighbor's garden - fortunately he doesn't mind!

The big bright green tree centered in the background, is my Celeste fig.

Many of you already know the story of this tree. Planted from a gallon pot 

many years back, and now after several major prunings - including a

 professional one last year when it got totally out of hand - is still huge and 

always the talk of the neighborhood! Looks like plenty of figs now popping

 out for later picking, usually in late July into August.

I so love this beautiful tree. It holds bird feeders, nesting boxes, now and

 then a woven nest is cradled in the branches, lanterns glow in the evening

 hours. It's massive circumference shades a bird bath, azaleas, and a new

 hydrangea will be planted under it soon. . . . . and bluebells and daffodils

have a happy place to thrive in springtime.

Endless Summer hydrangea - huge again despite a good pruning late last winter.

Pots of herbs are coming along well - above the early planting of basil, 

parsley, sage and dill seeds, below the later planted small pots of the

 same seeds alongside an old pot of mint. Pots holding Morning glories

 and Moonflowers already climbing up the fishing line I tied to the

 porch to give them a leg up!

Another Endless Summer - far too big really - but loaded with blooms

 some of which I'll cut and dry later perhaps. The acer is also in need of 

a professional pruning, removing some lower branches to open it up and

 make it look more ornamental  - we've been awaiting our tree guy for

 weeks - so hopefully he'll show up soon.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Staying busy as days fly by!

This has been another extremely busy - in a good way - week, and it is

 flying by quickly.

We are still gardening - and of course always will be as long as we're able.

We also shopped quite a lot for garden supplies such as mulch, an edger, 

new bird feeder...........and of course plants!  

We're having some rain at last and things will be growing by leaps and bounds.

All looks fresh this morning. Rain will start up again around noon and continue 

through tomorrow. A thunderstorm in the night actually woke me but I managed to 

roll over and sleep a bit longer.

We've had several visitors this week also - vaccinations have changed

 life quite a lot and we feel safe meeting up with friends outdoors. 

We've used the front porch and the gazebo for tea, coffee, and grilling

 out, just about every day.

Can you believe these amazing freshly harvested veggies. They have been

 arriving in my kitchen recently. My neighbor volunteers at the NC Food Bank

 and a woman grows a garden there. At day's end any remaining vegetables

 she shares with the workers and my neighbor then shares with me.

These rather ugly little carrots are especially tasty and came with 

huge attached tops which I've also been adding to salads and soups.

As for the rainbow chard.........it is fabulous, we've eaten it steamed, and

even the stalks are tender and tasty when this fresh!

 

Our new garden visitors are funny - and seem harmless.  At least they aren't 

digging up or munching on my plants. Apparently this pair of frogs are

 enjoying their drainage pipe 'condo' which comes complete with indoor

 swimming pool. They spend a lot of the day just looking out and then

 quickly hopping back inside when I walk nearby. 

I'm just hoping they will eat all the mosquitoes in the garden!

I'll be back soon with more garden and shopping stories, meanwhile today

I'm making soup, popping over to visit a friend for a cuppa, and running to

 the grocery later.