Wisteria Hysteria

It is that time of year again,
as the fence-line becomes a wall of
lavender wonder when the wisteria blooms.
I need a bumber sticker that says
"I brake for wisteria'!

Fringe Benefits

The Fringe tree sapling (Chionanthus virginicus) bloomed this year! I thought it was done in by the freeze.The bees love it. It is also known as "grancy-greybeard" and is a native species

Duck prints

When you have baby ducks around the studio- things happen.
Here is a "collaboration" between me and the baby rouen "duck duck".
He loves wading through the watercolors..

colored eggs

the hens are laying some nicely colored eggs.. no need to dye them!

Galanthus nivalis

Snowdrops( Galanthus nivalis) are finished blooming now.. but they were lovely this year.
There are evidently 75 different species and varieties of snowdrops.. click on the title above to find out more about them...

Rouen ducks

Instead of Mallards this year we took a chance on two straight run Rouens..
They look like Mallards, but they are heavier and more suitable to small farms...
Click on the title above to go to the The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy page on Rouens

Indian runners

new chicks this spring include Indian runners...sometimes called bottleneck ducks or penguin ducks...
Click on the title above to find out more about them form the Indian Runner Duck association

Rosemary blossoms

Have you
ever tasted
rosemary blossoms??
they are tiny
sweet and
slightly tangy
like the
rosemary leaves.

Success with Lillies after all

I planted these lillies
for the first time this year,
not knowing what would happen.
Well, the freeze seemed to kill them off,
then, suddenly- there they are again,
re-sprouting-
two have bloomed and here they are!
Many thanks to our friend Mr. Bissel
who suggested that we plant them.
Mille Mercis Monsieur!

Camellias are still blooming!

It is the middle of March and the Camellias are still blooming! I do not know what variety this is, other than Japonica, perhaps "Dawns Early Light"?? Which was suggested by a local expert.. but the bees and hummingbirds love it.

Spiraea Arguta

Bridal wreath is the common name- planted it also.. It is more commonly planted alternately with fushia azaleas than the popcorn spirea and more speading in habit and the deer don't seem to like it that much, which is a good thing.

Spirea Popcorn

This is Spirea Popcorn,
which I planted
to add contrast
to the gardens
deep greens.

Azaleas and Figs

Azaleas are in their showy bloom stage and the fig tree is just starting to sprout new leaves.

Pansies

Nothing makes a garden smile like a gathering of pansies.

magnolia fuscata

a native to China.. it blooms beautifully fragrant, like sweet ripe bananas...
it is just budding out now with blooms.

Blackberry Blossoms

For such a robust rich earthy taste they sure have delicate sparse little blossoms...

Huckleberry blossoms

The huckleberries and wild bluberries and blackberries are blooming now..
I hope that we have enough rain for them to prosper this spring.

Geese watching me in the Studio

Don't hunt with your car..

Don't hunt with your car...
please-
slow down and drive safely
on rural roads in the Spring
Your life, and others,
depends on it.

Camellias are still blooming

The pinks...
Pink Perfection &
Debutante
are blooming now that
Seafoam is done...

Spring is Sprung

Spring buds are showing in the garden now...

Daffodills

Our Daffodills are blooming again!

Paperwhite Narcissus

Narcissus blooms are filling the front garden now.

The Japanese Magnolia is blooming

Our Japanese Magnolia is blooming.. it smells so lovely...

Tea Tree Seedling

I finally got a Tea Tree Seedling to plant in my garden.
I hope it makes it!!!

Duck-Duck-Goose!

Here are images
of the ducks' nest
with some eggs
and the Geese's nest
with two eggs.
Notice the
different shapes
of the nests
and the size
and number
of the eggs?

Blue Jay

A Blue Jay
stopped by
before
the freeze
and had some
of our feed.
He was a big one.
Click on
the title above
to find out more...

Chickens and Geese-a-laying

The birds are busy.
here are an
"African" Goose egg,
a blue/green
"Auricana" chicken egg
and a brown
"Buff Orpington" chicken egg.



goose eggs are delicious, but also
the very highest in cholesterol.

Geese bathing etiquette

Now that the embden's are older, they try to bathe all together in the water trough by the well. They do not take turns like the older brown geese, who are quite polite and patient with each other.

Winter blooms continue

The rest of the camellias are finally starting to bloom.
The Seafoam japonica is still blooming and the
Red "Showgirl?" japonica is also blooming by the fence.
I am waiting on the Ave Maria and the Pink perfection...
Winter blooms continue

Grumpy Geese

The geese are not very happy about the lack of green things to eat.
I planted some rye grass in the south yard- but it hasn't come up yet.

New Baby Charolais

I saw a baby bull
take its first steps
and its first drink
of milk the other day.






What a beautiful thing indeed to start the new year.
The breed is a Charolais: Originally from France. They range in color from creamy white to light buff and are very sturdy.

Busy Bees unwrapping Camellia Gifts

One of the nicest things about Christmas Day,
was that early in the morning,
The bees were all busy on the Camellias.



That is one of the most wonderful things
about planting winter blooms,
is to see the life that they bring to the garden.

Seafoam in Winter

The "Seafoam" Camellia Japonica
that we planted several years ago
finally bloomed.
It was worth the wait...

We finally built a fire this winter

LICHEN

While gathering kindling for the fireplace, we found lots of
Parmotrema stuppeum or "powder-edged ruffle lichen" or Phaeophyscia ciliata "smooth shadow lichen"
hummingbirds often use the lichen bits to camouflage their nests
To find out more about lichen click on the title above...

Feeders are active

The bird feeders are active now that the temperatures have dropped for the winter...

The Goldfinches have arrived...

Click on the title above to learn more about Goldfinches