Still Here

(above: sunchokes in the park)

Okay, I'm not even going to try to catch up on what was missed since my last post! At least I beat the 3-month mark....This season has actually been quite exciting with new things in the garden. I'm sorry that I haven't been able to share it all. Maybe I will get to some of that over the winter.

So, onward... This is a stand of sunchokes or Jerusalem artichokes in a park we walk through. They do put on an impressive display. You can see a tired Dakota in the foreground (we took a long walk that day). I took the opportunity to smell the flowers and it is true, they do smell a bit like chocolate. Too bad the ones in our yard are not flowering -- they are quite tall though. Maybe I should sneak some of this variety.

(above: sunchokes in the park)

This caterpillar was hanging on the back door. I carefully put it on the ground for a quick photo-op. Is this what they call a "woolly bear"? It sure moved pretty fast. I left it on the kale to make its escape. We have had a large mix of insects in the yard this year.

(above: caterpillar)


(above: caterpillar on kale)

I guess the Monarchs are mostly moving south, but we saw a couple too tired to go anywhere. We were careful not to touch the wings of this one. It few off to the tree tops after a couple photos.

(above: tired Monarch butterfly)


(above: tired Monarch butterfly)

This seems to have been a year for dragonflies -- more to eat the mosquitoes. Here are a couple found resting in the yard. Overhead in the evenings are busy airways with much zig-zagging.

(above: black/blue dragonfly)


(above: red dragonfly)

Finally, I cannot forget our wonderful bees! There have been so many. I think that a few have begun to hibernate near or in the yard, which may explain the increase in activity this year. I also built a bee condo/house and have had many occupants. They sure do love certain flowers. Echinacea seems one favorite, but sunflowers and raspberries have attracted the largest groups.

(above: bumblebee on echinacea)

Well, we are still here in ND and the garden has grown this year. The season is not done and I am hoping to get some vegetables before the fall frosts come.

The Little One

Okay, by popular demand this post includes a picture of our new addition.

These two get along pretty well - like sisters.


They love sitting in the yard and finding new things...here is a Monarch that decided to hold on here.


The aster is starting to bloom...once it's a mass of purple it looks great.


A late planting of seeds has filled in.


The adventurous dogs wanted to come with on a second visit to the grasslands...


Some great views again...


Also a bit of the insect life...this moth really caught my eye. I almost ran over this spider walking - having haven't seen ones like this in the yard.

Exploring the Garden

I've taken some time to explore the garden this weekend. The result is a number of close-ups and other images. Also, we put up our upside-down hanging tomato rig.

We got rain last night. Not a lot, but enough to overflow a small rain barrel we have. If you look close, you can see reflection of clouds in the lower right.


Those dandelions look like a wonderful planned flower this time of the year in the backyard. It actually helps that in the back we don't have many in the grass, so these stand out. The front yard is a different matter.


Pleasant enough for sky gazing this weekend. These are two views laying down in the back.


I had time to notice the variety of leaf shapes and textures we have. The geranium is being acclimated to the outdoors and has already taken color on in the leaves. The clover variety has interesting bands on the leaves. I like the shape and reddish outline of the nasturtium leaves. (click on any to see the full-size image)


The chives are really getting ready to bloom.


Finally our lettuce is taking off. We should be getting some regular cuttings shortly.


We're still in tulip season here. Red ones on the north side and some white and yellow ones on the east.


Spring flowering bushes are in bloom. I hope this one gets some new growth this year. It seems to have died back some this last winter. This one is close to Dakota's dog path, so she come in the house with flower petals in her fur.


It's now the season for insects and other garden critters. I haven't been able to snap a shot, but we have a few bees around and one that always ends up in the house. I carefully transport her outside every time.

Here's a small "Daddy Long Legs" spider on the side of a half barrel.


A very small red mite or spider of some sort.


The strawberries are blooming strong. I had to take a shot of some of the flowers that look "perfect".


That's it for now. Here are two photos from our Memorial Day planting project. Two buckets with tomato seedlings in the bottom. Never tried this, so it is an experiment this year. The bucket on the left has a gallon pail inside with a wick to use as a reservoir. The one on the right it topless, but we are planting flowers and herbs in it. We might have to cover the tomatoes tomorrow night though ... ugh!

Shhh...We're Stalking Squirrel

What's that I spy?


Maybe if I'm very quiet...


Hey...what's that?


Dakota now has a favorite pass-time. Try to sneak up on the squirrel. Actually, I think that we have two squirrels. One climbs over the fence here and also up onto the garage. Dakota just wants to be friends....really.


Dakota will literally will spend hours waiting.


Here's the second squirrel. This one comes from the other side of the yard and hides under our shed. Dakota helped me get close to this one. She was fixed on something I could not see, so I sneaked with her to find this guy (or gal).


It's really quite entertaining. I think that everyone is getting used to each other. The squirrels can't stand on the bird feeder, so they come to the fence and crawl on the ground for the seeds the birds knock out. The dog stares at them, they stare at the dog. The dog lays down to wait, they climb down a few feet away and snack.

Speaking of snacks, this is the bird that is helping me with what I think are "woolly aphids" (here's some other photos).


Here's a little closer photo of the helpful bird.

Rabbits, Vegetables, Spring - Oh My

Wow. It's been a nice few days and a great Saturday. Friday afternoon we came home a took a stroll around the perimeter. Oops, rabbits. I spotted evidence they have been in the tulips and crocus. We were walking the dog, so I plucked some of her loose fur and scattered in the bed. Maybe it will help?

I can't complain too much -- the last couple years they have only destroyed one plant that mattered. Although we never get tulips on the North side of the house (that's the rabbit run). Our vegetable garden is safe because 1) It's located near the house and 2) It's watched by Dakota our fear inspiring husky. Okay, actually she's a big baby and I think the rabbits just taunt her from the edge of the yard. As you can see Dakota loves that she can lay in the grass now that the snow melt has dried.



We have seedlings sprouts from a 04/05/2008 planting: leaf lettuce, bibb lettuce, spinach, and I'm pretty sure one pea.



Actually these were sown before our almost last snow. I figured the snow wouldn't last and I wouldn't have to water them in -- a gamble, but maybe it will work out. So, that's 14 days germination time for the lettuce, spinach, and kohlrabi. I won't count the peas yet since it's one sprout. To my surprise the radishes haven't broken the soil yet.

The seeds that germinated indoors from 03/26/2008 seem to be doing okay. I transplanted the lettuce and swiss chard in a container outside. That just leaves four tomatoes that are really taking off now. I will have to pot those up a couple times before they will make it outside. Also there are two cinnamon basil plants -- they're look fine and really smell like cinnamon!




The Planting Update:

• Today (04/19/2008) direct sown
  
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Echinacea
• Kohlrabi
• Carrots
• Snap Peas Ann
• Bibb Lettuce
• 04/14/2008 started indoors in 9-cells
  
• +Echinacea
• *Cinnamon Basil
• +Nasturtium
• +Lavender
• +Johnny Jump Ups
• -Parsley
• +Wild Flax
• *Purple Alyssum
• On 04/19/2008 (5 days) + some emerged, * fully germinated, - no germination yet
  
• (04/13/2008) direct sown
  
• Sugar Snap Pea
• 04/12/2008 Transplanted seedlings from 03/26/2008
  
• Leaf lettuce
• Bibb lettuce
• Swiss chard
• 04/05/2008 direct sown
• Snap Peas Sugar Ann
• Shelling Peas Strike
• White Kohlrabi Hybrid
• Radishes
• Swiss Chard
• Spinach
• Leaf Lettuce Mix
• Bibb Lettuce