My Garden – Mon Jardin – Mi Jardin – Mein Garten – Daily Adventures & Thoughts

No matter the language, my garden is my paradise. To watch the lovely birds that nest in the trees and bushes. The bees, butterflies are such a joy to see.

Tag Archives: Chickadee


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Dearest Diary .. I must share some little things that have been happening in my life ..

Awhile ago, I think it was a few months ago ..I was visiting the Yorkshire Tea fb page and saw that my favourite brew was available in a variety of sizes!  Since these were not available in Canada (sob) I discovered that they are available via Amazon!  So I quickly ordered two of the 480 bag size.   I might have written about this before, Dearest Diary, but seeing these photos again made my heart beat a little faster.  I recognized this feeling as joy so I just had to post it.   One of these bags is now happily living with a friend (who is actually a Brit, so she totally loves and appreciates YT)P1350609

Lo and behold, this bag does not easily fit into our pantry!  P1350612

I’m continuing with my fiddle lessons …making tiny progressions and now I find great pleasure in getting lost in the learning.  The journey continues.  My teacher is patiently teaching me the theory behind the music and that door is opening and the light is coming through.  Some tunes which I found to be high mountains when I began to learn them are now tiny little pebbles .. the journey for those is the work to make them sound melodious and this will happen   I saw a funny cartoon on facebook recently!  2 characters in each scene.  One person bemoans the other .. saying “I wish I had talent”  “I wish I could play like you” and steadfastly, the other person says, each time “I practice” “I practice” I practice”  And so it goes with me!  I practice!!!  Sometimes painfully, sometimes joyfully, but .. I practice!

Anyway, I went to my first ever fiddle workshop and this is a tune we Beginners were taught in one of the sessions!  Usually I’m a little shutterbug, taking many photos of my experiences, but .. that day was full of learning and dancing so I took just this one! It’s a good memory of my first workshop!  🙂P1350660

On the days that I have my German lessons, I sometimes have my fiddle lessons also and in between these two learning sessions .. I have time to visit the ocean at Dallas Road.  I sometimes meet lovely dogs and have great chats with people.  Sometimes I just watch the mighty Pacific Ocean .. oh I am one very lucky gal .. I know!P1350734

The power of the waves and the majesty of this ocean has such good energy to enjoy.P1350726

And the ducks ..here is a link to the ducks of the Pacific Northwest.  It is very peaceful to walk along the beach and enjoy the antics of these lovely winged beings.

 

Lovely bundle of twisted kelp along the beach .. all whirly and twirly and graceful.  I think of how this kelp arrived at this location on the beach!  The power of the water tossing it about and finally just bored with playing with it .. leaving it nestled on the smooth rocks … till the time comes for playing again.P1350648

Speaking of smooth stones and pebbles .. love the random placement of the beach stones .. so much beauty in this .. tranquility springs to mind.P1350654

I look at my watch and realize that it’s time now to continue on my way .. back up these stairs, to my little red car and off to my fiddle lesson.  I’ve enjoyed this oceanic break to my day … this is such a beautiful place to be and I welcome the opportunity to visit again and again.P1350659

Last week or so .. the beauty of the garden began to unfold… tiny gifts of delicate little flowers ..P1350791

Polyanthus flowers, planted years ago and forgotten!  Remember me? …. sings this little one, growing strongly through the mulch!  Polyanthus .. Primrose .. potatoes .. patatoes .. here is a link for more information on that subject!P1350632

My generous garden neighbour kindly gave me a fig cutting last year .. I’ll plant it out soon.P1350627

From a few weeks ago ..  a nice surprise suddenly appeared as if to say “summer is almost here!!”P1350625This city, Victoria, is simply mad with Snowdrops popping up everywhere, gracing  the tiniest of spaces with these delicate flowers… as soon as the snow disappeared, they  emerged from the earth.    Silent reminders of beauty and joy.P1350622

Aha .. the dwarf weeping willow … the Bewick Wrens choose the fluffiest buds to line their nests.  This is the third year I’ve seen them nest in our yard.  This year, I saw them gathering these and am mystified as to where the nest is being built.P1350620

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Lady JaneE Kat .. Queen of the Garden!  She’s actually meowing at me right now … “let me out” shes cries “I want my treats and I want to sit in the sun” .. ok, ok, as soon as I finish my blog!  Then it’s on with my gardening outfit and va va voom to continue my decluttering in the garden .. creating lovely gardens, planting up all of my potted plants.  P1350585

There are about 6 Stellar Jays that visit the garden ..looking for peanuts and birdseed.  I discovered that they make the most gentle little crooning sounds, that are similar to the European Starlings that visit during the summer.   Lovely music to my ears.P1350499

Oh darling little Chickadee!  The Nuthatches also visit and I’ve been lucky enough to observe them quite close .. as they peck at some dead tree branches, looking for bugs.  They were like tiny little woodpeckers at work .. this was a delight to see!P1350544

And the little Junco!!!  Sweet!  I have a large supply of birdfeeders and quite like this style.  Easy to disassemble to clean.    Provides a place for the birds to rest awhile.P1350511

Well .. my little boss demands to go outside now.  Time to make a quick YT brew and put on my Carhart bibb overalls, gather my gardening supplies and outside!

Today the weather is a mix of gentle rains and sunshine .. perfect for being outside!

 

 


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Tenacity of beans, happy little Moonbeam yarrow and blue skies above!

Moonbean Yarrow .. this is my favourite of all yarrows!  I bought a number of them on sale, the flowers were finished and the plants looked like they were done.  I potted them up, gave them some EM and voila!  Blooming away – so cheerful in the garden!  One day I will plant them randomly and watch happily as they grow in abandonment (at our next place!)

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Inspiration comes from watching the tenacious growth of beans … they seek structure in order to grow upwards.  These are the Spanish Musica beans.

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I’d missed these long S. Musicas as I’ve been trying to pick them when they are half this size!  Still delicious though.  Amazing beans.  I’ll have lots for next years plants as the vines are growing way beyond my reach, even with a ladder.  So the ones I can’t reach will be great for next year!

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I love you two, little beans.   Despite barriers in their path, they continued to grow around them.   Another lesson of inspiration.514

As always, blessed with sky art above us.512

 

I had purchased a packet of these nasturtiums, only about 8 in the package.  So I planted them hither and yon in the garden.  This is the first flowering one .. I noticed this by chance yesterday and had to kneel on the ground to take this photo.

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Oh joy .. my favourite bean is flowering .. soon the beans will be there!517

Hmmm .. the little Chickadee seems to be noticing the low level of seeds in the feeder .. must add a bit more.  I love how they announce their arrival with short little Chickadee chirps.509

The pal of the Chickadee — the Nuthatch swiftly chooses a sunflower seed — then flies away to feast on a nearby tree.

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Loving how the beans are growing up the gigantic bamboo stake!  They find their way without my guidance (too high for me to reach, anyway!)

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It was the texture and design of the back of this bush bean that caught my eye .. the symmetry and beauty of nature’s design.

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Thanks to the birds .. they drop the occasional sunflower seed and I enjoy the beauty of the sunflowers.   I thank them for their gardening skills!!  🙂

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ha ha ha .. I had no idea that the beans would grow so much .. leaving me just enough space to walk through the mini-tunnels of live plants.   Next time I will leave more space.  Who knew those tiny seeds would be so lush??  Not me, that is for sure.  They get lots of music and love (plus EM and llama manure) to grow their best.

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One last photo.  I tugged at the outreaching stem of this Scarlet Red Runner bean .. it was very strong .. not a delicate plant.  Has to be strong to survive.

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That was part of my garden day yesterday.

And then I went drumming  … but that is another story.

🙂  On with this day.


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Friday, July 12, 2013

Busy times for everyone at this time of the year.  Watering our gardens, ensuring that all of our veggie plants are growing well.

Me .. well .. I’ve harvested my garlic crop.  I think that I dug them up a few weeks early, but that’s where the impatient side of my personality kicked in!  The garlic cloves that I’d planted so carefully last October, in neat little rows had fun moving around during the fall, winter and spring.  Sometimes there were 3 garlic bulbs growing together.  There was a variety of sizes, from small to medium to huge .. so that was all right!

Well .. look here .. what is this strange object in the midst of my garlic beds??

017Ok, I was having fun with the timer on our camera … hadn’t used it before and wanted to see what I looked like in my lovely garlic bed.  Don’t ask how many times I had to reset the camera and run back and quickly look relaxed .. oh, it was fun.

Our Mr. Duncan is the epitome of cool and I recently watched him as he sauntered up the back stairs. .. note the flaring ears as I called to him .. hey, Mr. D ….

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whaaaaat …… I’m busy .. lady.

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I’m babysitting some plants for a friend and was quite upset a few weeks ago, when this lovely specimen was nearly a goner.  You can’t tell by this photo .. but I’d not watered this plant for a while and was sickened to see that most of the leaves were brown and crinkly.  I watered with a liberal dose of EM and look here .. magic!

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My lovely garlic crop, nearly all dug up …21

Garlic placed on makeshift work tables (2 work tables with framed lattice in between …resulting in a lot of space to work with.  And I found an easy braiding recipe and will share those photos next time.  They look rustic and I’m quite proud of them.

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Random beauty . .a surprise flowering rocky rose

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A surprise little beetle .. looks like a ladybug .. alights on a garlic ..

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It was walking for miles on its tiny little legs .. quickly scurrying up garlic stems ..

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I watched as it travelled endlessly … and finally  it went to the ground.  A huge universe open for adventures … one that is hidden from my eyes ..

11And then … far far away …

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I had set the sprinkler on at the back of the yard .. left it and later on heard the joyous chirps of the Bush-tits and Chickadees …  quietly went over and tried to see what was going on, what were they doing?  So difficult to see them in all this greenery.

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Look .. the tiny little darlings were having a fantastic time .. showering in the tiny drops of water .. grooming themselves .. I was able to take a few photos …what a wonderful time they were having …made me smile and feel happy too!

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Lovely little darlings, aren’t they …its moments like this that adds a big sparkle to the magic of gardening …

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Well .. that is just a tiny bit of what has been going on in my life … and so I am donning my gardening costume, brewing another cup of tea and racing outside, to make some bamboo climbers for my Cannelloni beans to grow up against.

Out into the sunshine …

🙂


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Watching Turkey Vultures soaring high above ..

Friday, September 28, 2012

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Another beautiful sunny day .. and a busy one!

First thing, I loaded up quite a few, maybe 7 …paper yard bags, full to the brim with branch cuttings and weeds gathered from the past few weeks.  Even had one in the passenger seat .. didn’t want to leave any at home!   And soon I’d arrived at the local municipal yard and emptied their contents into one of the large bins there.   Next step, they will all be shredded and composted.

Back home, felt great that I’d actually accomplished something, early in the morning!  Soon, outside and digging away.  Happy with the way the re-shaping of the back yard is going .. in particular, the veggie garden.

I’ve been digging up a small mountain of mulched material from last fall .. a mix of alpaca manure, spent hops, spoiled hay and oak leaves.   Nearly a year later and this mixture has resulted in the most loveliest of soil!  So I’ve been placing this around the newly created “berry forest”!

I had a good growth of perennials against the back fence and had a wood chip path extending in front of that.   Decided to ditch the path and just add more soil and then create a little jungle .. composed of an intermixing of blueberries, raspberries, some thornless blackberries, some bamboo and a few other plants.

And I just love this.  No point posting pictures yet .. not much to see .. but I can feel the difference and will post pics next summer.

These changes are giving a different feel to this area of the yard.   A richness of plantings.   Really amazing how many plants I’ve dug up and moved around.

And surprised at how the Chickadees have taken notice of the changes.  I’ve seen them flitting about, sitting on the branches of the plants as they are now in their new locations.   Quite nice to see!

After this little jungle .. then .. I am placing the garlic beds!  They will sit in full sun and a perfect place for them.

Looked at my zucchini, squash and tomato plants .. these are still growing in what will soon be  .. the garlic bed!  Almost dug them up tonight, but decided to give them another week and then .. kerpow!

Spent a fair chunk of time looking up at the sky today .. as I happened to notice the Turkey Vultures soaring overhead.   They soared yesterday .. and I know they are getting ready to migrate south.  It’s just a matter of days.  In the meantime, though, I cannot tear myself away from the grandeur that is high above me.  Their majestic soaring compels me to watch.  I was able to take some photos .. they might just look like dots in the sky, but they represent  the power and majesty of nature, which far surpasses what happens down below, on terra firma.

How lucky I am to spend as much time as I like, just gazing upwards, looking through the binoculars at these huge birds.  And then taking the time to create new areas in the garden.

Very lucky, indeed.

🙂