Baby Birds and Bumble Bees

The old cherry tree has been home to

scores of baby Starlings over the past years.

These siblings (the fourth is hiding down in the nest)

fledged the day after their photo shoot!

The parents are now cleaning house and

refreshing the nest for a second go round!

The bird condo has 'No Vacancy' as

all four apartments have been occupied. It only

took two days to be discovered since it made

it's appearance on the Hen Haus.

Look carefully at the entrance on the bottom

left ~ the happy bride is arranging

her new digs, while her groom

watches expectantly from the perch above!

We found a small colony of Bombus sitkensis,

one of 47 species of Bumble bees found

in North America. They made their nest in the folds

of the cat blanket that lay on the porch bench.

They commonly make their nest in a hole in the ground,

but on occasion, find other unique places that suit their fancy!

Our cat, Harley, unbeknownst to him, lay on his favorite

scouting post and squished one of the baby larvae

right out of the cell. You can see it just above the

top left bee.

I will attempt to move the bees and their nest

tonight to more safe quarters

and wash Harley's bed!

Did you know that you can raise Bumble Bees and

harvest their honey?

I have read that you can, but the honey is inferior

to Honey Bee honey ~ it is more watery

and ferments quickly.

Joining ~
Homestead Revivals

Barn Hop

My Simple Country Living's
Country Garden Showcase

An Oregon Cottage's
Tuesday Garden Party

Etsy Cottage Style's
Cottage Garden Party

A Delightsome Life's
Home & Garden Thursday

Mrs. Olson's
Share Your Cup Thursday

Deborah Jean's
Farmgirl Friday

A Garden Home for My Feathered Friends

It started out as a gifted bit of 'farmhouse' decor.
I didn't have any room for it in my home,
but there is much room out of doors!
And my little birdie friends will make
great use of it ~ at least I hope so!

~A gifted 'barn' display shelf~

Gentleman Farmer used a hole saw

to cut out the 4 little doorways~

I drilled out the holes and pounded in the

dowel pegs for the little perches.

A little white paint to cover the raw wood

and perches ~ to match the white 'siding'!

Gentleman Farmer also fixed the back so it

could hang and easily be removed by just lifting it

 off for cleaning and winter storage.

4 family bird condo

hanging on the Happy Hens' Haus which

boarders the Spring Garden. It is a handy place for

both the birds and I as they can hunt for

insects in my garden and I  can

enjoy fairly pest free veggies and

birdsong while they flit and flutter

about filling the air with their

sweet melody!

Joining these fun blog hops:

Tuesday Garden Party

Home & Garden Thursday
Cottage Garden Party
The Country Garden Showcase
Farmgirl Friday
Etsy Cottage Garden Party
Share Your Cup Thursday



Sundry Contrivances (Miscellaneous Projects!)

So many projects on my 'to do' list!

A  few of them did get crossed off today, though. 

Like re-seeding a small patch of lawn

that my darling hens ruined!

It was lovely green sod as recent

as two years ago ~ a birthday present

to myself.

The hens and a couple of rogue roosters

scratched out all the grass and 'replanted'

it with weeds and other free seeding plants

that don't belong in the grassy area!

SO...

I mixed up a combination of organic compost,

mushroom compost and a garden mix of soils

and wheel borrowed it to cover the area,

after a couple of hours of pulling out as

much of the weed seedlings as I could. I

then raked it smooth and tamped it down level

and covered it with a nice layer of 1 Step Grass Seed.

(This was all done while the flock remained

on lock-down in their pen!)

#1 Done!

~

Then I had to rig up a temporary fence to keep

the rascals out of that little yard while the

motley crew were out free ranging!

#2 Done!

Grow quickly, little grass seeds!

~

As I was working on the temporary fence,

a visiting Black Headed Grosbeak

reminded me that I needed to clean

the birdbath and refill it with fresh water.

#3 Done!

~

Then I had to put up another little fence around

the Big Leaf Maple tree with a dry shade

planting around it. (Again, because of those

naughty hens!)

#4 Done!

~

Oh, now I need to get the weed whacker from the barn

and trim the grass away from the brick

surrounding the tree bed!

#5 Done!

~

Then, off to move the sprinkler and

water the Spring garden

planted with Carrots and Lettuces,

Cabbages and Broccoli,

Beets and Swiss Chard,

Peas and Spinach.

All are growing daily!

#6 Done!

~

Finally after these and a few other

chores were finished, I could take a moment

to hang the Wind Harp in the

sweet Banana Apple Tree!

I love to hear the magical

sound of it as the fingers of the breeze

plays a fanciful tune as she passes by.

 

And it is an especially sweet melody, because the

chime was a gift from a sweet daughter

and brings fond memories of happy days shared with her!

Joining these fun blog parties ~

Country Garden Showcase

Home & Garden Thursday

Cottage Garden Party

Farmgirl/boy Friday

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...

...upcycle, repurpose, reclaim ~

whatever term you use,

I am putting 'it' into practice

in my garden!

Recently, I planted out my cabbage,

cauliflower, and broccoli.

Upon inspection the following day,

I discovered many chewed leaves

and even had to replace a few that

had been completely devoured.

I have been saving my TP tubes

to use as collars for the plants

but was a little surprised that I needed

to do it as I planted!

Lesson learned!

Collared brassica using

toilet paper tubes cut in half

and placed around the

plant, pushing it down into

the soil about 1/2 inch.

The collars will break down and become

compost right in the garden.

I am happy to report,

after several days with the collars

there are no more chewed plants.

[Do you know what might be chewing them?

I am thinking cabbage worms or

slugs!(WA State mascot!)

If the collars didn't work, I was going

to try a trick from my gardening friend

Clint at The Redeemed Gardener

who suggested using Epsom Salt ~

sprinkle a line around the plant or row.

As you know, slugs don't like salt

and won't cross it

and Epsom salt is good for the soil!

I am going to do with around my Hosta's ~

the slugs really love them!]

I also like to put the grass clippings between the

rows and plants to act as mulch as soon as possible

after planting to suppress the weeds!

It breaks down into compost right

in the garden. No need to handle it twice.

When the entire garden is covered, the

extra clippings go into the compost bin.

(I never use chemical fertilizers on my grass

so it is safe for the garden and compost.)

Half of the Spring garden mulched with grass clippings.

Here is a little rambling rose that I just

planted next to the greenhouse. It was a

wee start given to me by my daughter

a couple of years ago. It has been

in it's pot too long.

It is staked with reclaimed mahogany

wood slats

from Gentleman Farmer's work,

and some cheap trim molding

for the cross pieces. More molding will be

added as the plant grows up!

Just barely showing on the left

are recycled bricks at the

doorway to the greenhouse.

In the little bed against the chicken house,

(also made with recycled brick)

is another little rescued rose bush.

I can hardly wait to have the pretty little

pink roses climbing over the

Happy Hens Haus!

The planter boxes were made from

recycled lumber and trim molding

as well.

Now, to wash those chicken house windows

and I think I may make some little curtains,

from left over fabric, of course!

Joining these fun blog parties~

Barn Hop #60 at Homestead Revival

Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage

Cottage Garden Showcase #18 at My Simple Country Living

Deborah Jean's Farmgirl/guy Friday!



Weaving the pea trellis

Making your own pea trellis

from baling twine is fun, cheap inexpensive,

and I like not having to purchase

plastic every year that is costly and

unpleasant,not to mention time consuming, to try

to remove the dead vines from.

It can be found at your farm store or garden supply store.

Here is what I did!

I used metal T posts for the ends of my pea rows,

pounded in before the peas were planted.

I planted my peas in a double row

to grow up either side of the trellis.

Starting at the bottom of one of the posts,

string lengths of twine between the posts and

tie off on opposite post.

Continue up the post, adding new rows

about every 4 inches apart.

I like to have some tall stakes pounded in

between the posts to support

and help prevent trellis from sagging. 

When all horizontal rows are completed,

tie the free end of twine to the top row

about 4 inches in

from the post. Measure to the ground and add

about six extra inches.

Bring twine down to the next row,

down over the front of the cross piece...

  under and up the back...

then over the top and down to the next row.

Continue down the rows of cross pieces

and tie to the bottom row.

Snip off any extra with scissors if desired.

Repeat every 4 inches across, starting at the top.

This makes a nice looking trellis for your peas

that can be composted along with your pea vines

at the end of the season.

Joining:

 Amy at Homestead Revival's

Barn Hop

Heidi at My Simple Country Living
for
Country Garden Showcase

Jami's Tuesday Garden Party
at An Oregon Cottage

Deborah Jean's
Farmgirl Friday #55

Planting...

...six new Royal Raindrops
Flowering Crabapple trees
(very appropriate name for here in the PNW!)

A birthday gift from my Gentleman Farmer

to replace the six that the naughty deer

decimated!

Not so pretty, but protection for

a few years. Allowing the deer

to devour the trees was

a costly mistake that will not

be repeated this time!

~*~

Do you remember the Avocado pit that I started

a couple of months ago?

Well, it is ready to be potted up.

Washing the pots

Introducing the Avocado to the pots!

Filling the pot with soil

Planting the pit

(I think I remember that part of the pit is to remain above the soil level)

Ready to be placed in a bright window.

These were my planting adventures for the week!

~*~

Joining Jami for

Tuesday Garden Party

Heidi for Country Garden Showcase #16

Deborah Jean's Farmgirl/guy Friday!

I'm in the Greenhouse...

Preparing for the gardening season ahead.

Preparing for the harvesting season ahead.

Preparing for the preserving season ahead.

I always feel like I'm on 'pins and needles'

when I wait to see what little seedlings

will pop up in the greenhouse each spring!

Our Spring has been cool and wet,

very cool and wet even for the PNW!

I have been having a hard time getting

some of the seeds to sprout, even in the

greenhouse with a heat lamp going

night and day!

I've huddled all the flats together on the side

nearest the heat lamp and even put a sheet of

styrofoam between them and the walls

for a bit of added protection from cold.

The cabbage and cauliflower are up and growing nicely.

The broccoli, too, is up even at the end of the

bench farthest from the heat. They don't seem

to mind a cooler environment.

I was very surprised to see pumpkins poking through

even before the tomatoes!

Three kinds of broccoli.

Not all of these starts are for me ~

I give many to my daughter and

several people at church.

(And this is only half of the seed! I do

have difficulty restraining myself from

planting the entire package, but I was

running out of pots. Lots were given away

last year with plants.)

I thought perhaps the tomatoes were not

getting enough warmth, so I stacked them

over some newly planted seeds, closer to

the heat lamp. And guess what?....

A few hours later the tomatoes had started poking

through the soil!

We may have tomatoes this year after all!

But I won't 'count my chickens before they're hatched'.

Last year I had 40 beautiful tomato plants,

but with our cool summer and fall

they yielded very little fruit.

I'm not easily discouraged.

Like the ant (Proverbs 6:6)

I am preparing for a bountiful crop

to put by for winter.

Joining:

 Amy for

Preparedness Challenge!

Jami for

Tuesday Garden Party

March Madness or....

...how to garden in the fickle Pacific North West!

So ~ how's a girl to get any planting done when one day (or hour!)

the sun is shining brightly

and the next, this---

This is what I woke up to this morning!

I was hoping to get some seeds planted out in the Spring garden.

But one would only be making soupy mud holes

and the seed would rot. I'll have to wait for awhile yet

for the ground to dry out some.

So... I went to plan B.

I remembered a little indoor seed starting "greenhouse"

that I had rescued some time back. I dug it out and

cleaned it up.

I found some small terra cotta pots that I had for another project...

Filled them with some organic potting soil and a few herb seeds...

... set them in a bright window (not direct sun).

My gardening urge is satisfied (for today)!

And now the snow has stopped and the sun is shining! :~O

Ahh, well! Such is life for the gardener in the PNW!

Joining this week with these fun blog hops ~

Amy at Homestead Revival for

Barn Hop #53

Jami at An Oregon Cottage for

Tuesday Garden Party

Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for

Outdoor Wednesday

Kathy at A Delightsome Life for

Home & Garden Thursday

Sherry at No Minimalist Here for
Open House Party

And

Deborah Jean for

Farmgirl Friday!